lap 3

The final four. Aren't they sexy?


And, as a bonus, I offer you this rendition of Juan Eppstein's bars drawn by Juanita Eppstein, Jr. Looking good. But it sounds like he's getting ready to bail.

Jonny S was present to talk up the 2nd annual Altona bike festival. Mark it down on your calendars for March 4. Race at 12:30 pm in the park, followed by a cage match knockdown, followed by a gathering at David S's house for prizes, hockey dogs, and watching Duke exact its revenge on Carolina. More info coming soon.

OTT: John Prine, Take a Look at My Heart

don't be afraid of the dark

just a bunch of dorks in sweet jerseys

(stolen from cyclingdave)

Lap 3 of 'stache-cross goes down tonight at the F&H. This last lap was a tough one: 4 DNFs. Enthusiastic early energy is spent, and morale is apparently starting to fray. It's not going to get easier any time soon. But like all endurance races, this one's as much about desire and mental toughness as anything. Definitely immoderate.

Word is that we may be joined by a special, mustachioed guest from Altona. Be there.

OTT: Amy Winehouse, I'm No Good

just a memory

Here's a few memories from just hours ago... too bad I didn't get any video of the single track regions, but some people were in a bit of a rush...

24 Hours of Ass. - Done

24 Hours of Ass. is done. And so am I. 9 laps, 215 km, plus 5 painful and seemingly interminable minutes in front of the microphone in Ian & Donna's basement. Good enough for most individual laps, and first prize for the team of Alberto and myself. Definitely more riding in the first 12 hours than the second. The combination bone chilling cold and wet gear proved to be less than inviting. 7 laps plus Ian's Thriller Chiller bonus lap before midnight, but 1 very cold lap from 1:00 to 2:30 am was it, before the Falafel Place breakfast lap cranked it up again at 8:00 am. Cyclingdave's announcement that the race was immoderate and subsequent abandonment took a little pressure off. Which is good, because my right knee was pretty much cooked by that point. The Big Lebowski eased the pain for a while, but it got pretty quiet between 5:00 and 7:30 am for 2 at race HQ.

Special thanks to Mrs. Dr. and the kids for putting up with a slightly more chaotic day than usual. Thanks to the Fort Garry Brewing Company for prizes. Thanks also to all those who brought food and drink to share. Fuel is good. Lots of assorted stuff left behind at race HQ. If you're missing anything, call or come and look for it.

Overall standings:

Teams (includes Thriller Chiller 2 lap bonus):

1) Alberto/Mr. Dr. - 17 (Mr. Dr. performed Wanna Be Starting Something)
2) Cyclingdave/Juan Eppstein - 13 (Cycling Dave performed Baby be Mine)
3) the secretary/Jonny G - 12 (the Secretary performed Billy Jean, and won the lap)
4) Paddy/Tenacious V - 12 (Tenacious V. performed Beat It)
5) Jonny B/Jonny S - 9 (Jonny S performed Thriller)
6) The President/Naomi - 8 (Naomi performed The Girl is Mine)
7) Shona/Bob - 2.5
8) Unger/Ian/James - 2

Solo (riding laps only, though Thriller Chiller participation breaks ties):

1) Mr. Dr. - 9
2) Cyclingdave - 7
3) Jonny G - 6
4) Alberto - 6
5) Tenacious V - 5
6) Paddy - 5
7) the Secretary - 4
8) Naomi - 4
9) Jonny B - 4
10) Juan Eppstein - 4
11) Lindsay - 4-ish (or perhaps closer to 6?)
12) Jonny S - 3
13) Shona - 2.5
14) the President - 2
15) James - 1
16) Unger - 1

A few pictures:

Pre-race consultation; the mood is high

pit area

the Grand Depart

No, it's not snot

OTT: Steve Earle, Jerusalem

race update - for gary

hey gary,

i know that the race updates are just not there, but those that write to the blog are too busy racing (dr. h. has a goal of 300km tonight, paddy - 200, not suse of cyclingdave - closer to dr. h.). the course is excellent, fast with a good combination of single track and wider paths, all of this and minimal time on the road; what more could you ask for of an urban 24hr event. i believe 9 teams of 2 started the ride - how it comes out in the end remains to be seen. pictures and words will follow. the reason i am posting now is that i am taking an extended mid-lap break to have dinner and wine with laura who has been away for 10 days in atlantic canada; i will rejoin the race later and hope to make my goal of 200km.

ciao,

rock and roll

Looks like we're all set to go. Picked up 4 FGD toques, 4 FGD t-shirts (size XL--when they heard "bike club" I guess they were thinking Harley's), and 4x6 FGD from the fine folks at the other FGBC this afternoon. You will have to earn them, however.

Just over 12 hours away. Sleep well.

Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors... and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and... up to... Pismo. He died, like so many young men of his generation, he died before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives. And so would Donny. Donny, who loved bowling. And so, Theodore Donald Karabotsos, in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Good night, sweet prince.

OTT: Annuals, Carry Around

looming

The 24 Hours of Ass. hype machine is in full swing. Paddy and I were both contacted by the media on Monday to be interviewed about the race. Seems some people think the idea of a 24 hour race in winter is newsworthy. Others are apparently less impressed. I'm told that in Tenacious V's household, it is being referred to as a glorified sleepover. We are exactly what we are, and 24 Hours of Ass. is exactly what it is. But exactly what it is will no doubt take some time to sort out. Which is okay because we will have some time on our hands.

A few things are, however, known at this point. A couple of final comments:

Be at the race HQ at 11am to determine teams, receive instructions for certain specially presented portions of the race, admire mustaches, etc. The first lap departs at 12 noon. The course will be unmarked.

Sounds like there will be somewhere around 15-20 participants. Good times.

Bring food and beverage for yourself. If you run out, or are too lazy to plan ahead, there are some fast food options just off the course. If you’d like to bring some sort of snack-like something for everyone to share, that wouldn’t be refused. Hal is promising to bring some veloartisan bread for Sunday morning, and has suggested others contribute to a sort of breakfast potluck. And then a few minutes later he suggested a Sunday morning themed lap that would incorporate the Falafel Place for breakfast. I leave it to you to figure out what to do in light of that apparent conflict of culinary options. Kitchen appliances are available. Will try to clear out the fridge as much as possible, but fridge space will no doubt be rather limited.

There will be a dog-fest at some point. Bring dogs and buns.

If you are planning to catch some sleep at any point, bring whatever you need to facilitate that.

Many more movies have been suggested than can be watched in 24 hours: The Big Lebowski, Fight Club, Apocalypse Now, to name but a few, not to mention Tomek’s collection of cyclocross races.

A number of ideas for themed laps have been suggested as well. I leave it up to others to pull that off. Ian has something in the works. But it's top-secret so I can't say any more at this time. Details will be provided at the start of the race.

There was a discussion on Tuesday night about mandatory laps, say every 6 hours. It's less clear whether there will be mandatory periods of rest. This will all get sorted out during the pre-race consultation.

Wayne from the other FGBC is donating prizes. So expect primes to be available at regular intervals.

Current Environment Canada forecast is calling for a high of -12 on Saturday and a low of -14. Perfect. For Sunday they are predicting a high of +4. The last few laps could be rather interesting. At least the Icebike folks will be happy. Then again, there's always the possibility of warmth-related mishaps.

OTT: The Subways, Oh Yeah

lap 2 is in the books

'stache-cross update as of Tuesday, 11:45 pm:

Wednesday, 2:33 am: Paddy has cracked. At 9:20 am comes word that Tom got tangled up on the barrier known as Valentine's Day. 2 more DNFs. Talk is cheap. The President needs to consult the rules regarding chin whiskers. Not allowed. We'll let him stay in the race for now, but he has received a warning. How are things looking in Altona?

Last shift of the hockey game last night I somehow wrecked my back. With 24 Hours of Ass. a mere 72 hours away, this is more than a little bit disconcerting.

OTT: Tuscadero, Paper Dolls

Happy Valentine's Day

librarian humor

got to love those new technologies

lap 2

'stache-cross continues tonight. Riders finishing lap 2 are due to roll in to the F&H sometime after 11pm.

Also on the agenda: fine tuning any remaining details for 24 Hours of Ass. this weekend. And much, much more. Be there.

OTT: Wintersleep, Snowstorm

24 HofA course

Final recon is done. The course is set. Here are the details from a just completed test-run:

Time: - 1.08.32
Dist: - 22.97 km
Avg: - 20.0
Max: - 33.0
Temp: -31 (-24F)
Wind chill: -42 (-44F)
Cold related mishaps: zero

The course kicks ass, which is appropriate, I suppose. 2 river crossings, plenty of snowy single-track, a few barriers and dismounts. Can't wait to get started. Only 5 more sleeps.

OTT: Hard Fi, Cash Machine

recon ride

Another recon ride is going down Monday morning, 9ish. The plan is to ride through the entire course, now that all the various portions have been determined. Late notice, I know. But if anyone wants to join, let me know and we can try and work something out.

Good news and bad news on the weather. The good news is that it's not supposed to snow before the weekend. The riding conditions are perfect right now. The bad news is that it's not entirely clear that it's going to get any warmer. Then again the -20 days this weekend felt like spring after the string of sub -30 temps we've been having. Note, however, that the race will not be cancelled no matter what the likelihood of cold related mishaps.

Some indication of who plans to participate would be appreciated. Teams will be determined--by a random draw--just prior to race start. 2 person teams. But it's not a relay--i.e., teammates can be out on the course at the same time. Together, separate. It don't matter. Team score is the total number of laps accumulated by both riders over the course of 24 hours plus 1 lap. In effect, this means that everyone is entered in the solo division and as part of a two-person team at the very same time. Happy now, Paddy?

Plan on an 11am arrival at the HQ. Lap 1--a controlled start--begins at high noon.

The rest of the details will get sorted out at Tuesday's meeting. If you have any good ideas or strong opinions (not the same thing), be there to share them.

Guess who went for a ski this afternoon?

OTT: Copark, A Good Year for the Robots

party pics and minutes

the following pictures and minutes are in addition to what the good doctor said...

first, i had no idea this was to be a surprise ride and gathering, because, well, jon (i have to hurl) g let that cat out of the bag two day earlier. i do, however, acknowledge my inability to correctly relay the start time of the ride and thank mr. dr. for making the much needed correction.

the ride started with mr. dr., the secretary, and myself picking up cyclingdave at his place with the idea that we would



proceeded with the ride from his place...or so we thought. members of the group had difficulty that night remembering to bring essential elements needed for the ride, including a flask (it was cold that night) and gifts for birthday boy - so additional trips to hq and then back to dave's were required before the ride could officially begin. it was qucikly decided that we should test portions of the 24hr route and then proceed to olympia to see if paddy and tom would be joining us that evening. the ride started smoothly until we hit the trails at assiniboine park which are a part of the race next weekend. as it was dark, those with lights certainly had an easier time navigating the narrow trails, and those who had not attended the winnipeg chapter of the altona scotch society had an even easier time. several ass over tea kettle dismounts by one member of the group had us split into two with the more challenged member deciding to take the road to olympia and the rest of us continuing along the trail. several minutes later the group was reunited inside the olympia store. tom was not working that night, but paddy was interested in joining us for the ride that evening. before paddy could join us he had to check the home front and the possibility that he would have to honour some previously promised "parenting" duties that evening. with paddy leading the way we rode to his place (paddy ran of course) and this was...well adventurous to say the least. the good doctor misjudged one corner and ran into a church (as dave said) and the sectretary decided that a wheelie attempt in an icy rut filled backlane was a good idea which it was not (these are the reasons why i so enjoy these rides). finally arriving at paddy's we quickly found out that he had to play chauffeur that night so he was out. at this point the rest of us feeling like we had accomplished the mission of honouring the dr. with a ride decided to head back to his place to continue the evening.

the fun continued with a small gathering of friends with the discussion of music and ipods being the main theme of the evening.



plenty of good food was avialable and this plate of brownies was soon halved



finally it was time to leave. now, i know this picture is kind of blurry but it might be actually be fairly representative of the fog some of us were in when the last of us left the party (we had purchased some bottles of half-pints for the party, which just came out with their new line of beers; the father, the son and the holy ghost. that night we sampled the father and the son. the father is brewed in a belgian dubbel style at 7.4% alcohol which would explain the foggy state i awoke in the following morning).



ciao

Friday night carnage

Sweet little ride last night. Just Alberto, Dave L, the secretary and myself. No Jonny G, however. He was in bed contemplating the F-O route explanation supplied by the President a while back. Second time this year too.

Previewed portions of the 24 Hours of Ass. course. It is all coming together rather nicely. I plan to ride the entire course sometime in the next few days. Next week at this time lap 1 should be just about complete.

Unfortunately, the Secretary had a rather difficult time staying on his bike--or rather Jonny G's bike that he borrowed on account of the Univega's frozen freewheel issues. Even the wheelie prowess we have come to expect from captain catwalk was AWOL, resulting in a shattered fender and a near concussion in Paddy's back lane.

Post-ride gathering at the 24 Hours of Ass HQ, together with an additional cast of questionable characters. Good times.

People are asking what's up with the honorary captain these days. It seems this ongoing saga keeps getting wierder and wierder.

Though officially dq'd from 'stache-cross, there's some evidence to suggest that he's a supporter of the cause.


Also, Jonny B has DNF'd. But at least he gave it a go. A DNF is better than a DNS.

OTT: Townes, Be Here to Love Me

8, not 9

Officially, this is supposed to be a surprise. But I believe it's an 8pm start, not 9pm.

ride tonight

meet at the good doctor's house just before 9:00

disqualified

i am officially disqualifying the honorary captain for failing to adhere to the rule of no other facial hair other than the mustache. i expect his $2.50 to be sent to hq promptly.

still racing

lap one

Lap one of 'stache-cross is in the books. Who is in and who is out? Sadly, it's not entirely clear. Hopefully by next week the first eliminations can be safely determined.

Warning: What follows is not entirely flattering for some. Scroll down at your own risk. Snicker if you must. But be warned that the poosher may be lurking around the next corner waiting to capture you on film.









Paddy has anted up too. So have Jonny S and Ian. Jonny B has dropped a few hints, but concrete evidence gathered at a future meeting will be required at some point.

OTT: TV On the Radio, Wolf Like Me

strong evidence

historical evidence showing the link between the bike and the 'stache (don't know what's up with jim)

haiku-cross

It just keeps getting better and better. This one's being planned by cyclingdave. Jonny S, make sure the haiku-master in Altona gets word of this one.

One question: isn't it 5-7-5?

Geburtstag Cross

Really more of a ride...

The good Mr. Dr. has enriched our lives with his existence for another year. So, in recognition of his birth, and the man himself, there will be a ride on Friday evening. Post ride festivities will take place at the 24 hours of ass. HQ.

I'm thinking we will possibly leave around 7 or 8 and get back around 9, 9:30.

good times

minutes, february 6, 2007

present: juan eppstein, president, Dr. Mr, Mr. Dr, jonnyg, tenacious v, cyclingdave, secretary

The meeting could be summarized by the statement: sweet laughs. Man, the creative energies were flowing. A quick glimpse:

• Dr. Mr was attempting to bestow doctorates on people in a rather willy-nilly fashion... it takes time Dr, it takes time.
  
• many ideas on how the 24hrs will be spent at the 24hr race... most of them did not include riding a bike... the best idea began with a discussion of an FGBC theme song... that very quickly spun out to operetta, opera and rock opera. Questions of plot, tension, love interest were all debated... and then Dr. Mr began a bit of impromtu composing... attempting to render something relating to the tension found at that point in the race, when you realize you are losing it, in his best operatic tenor. Both content and form were a shade off, but the angst was right there. He was in the moment.
  
• a non-discussion and documenting of lap one of the 'stache cross.
• Dr. Mr sharing a dream of a riding jersey, in heavy metal stylings listing all the Nordi-Cross races this season, in wool, with a zipper.

Latest thoughts on the 24hr event:

• the race is from 12:00 to 12:00 as stated. If you want to go to Icebike, go for it. Icebike will not be listed on the Nordi-Cross wool jersey.
• teams of two to be chosen from a hat, laps will be added up. So, it's entirely fine for a team to ride together and rest together.
  
• hq at Dr. H's. First lap is to be ridden by everyone together so the course is known. Please don't show up at 12:05... First lap starts at high noon from the HQ.
• bring food, drink, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and most importantly, dogs and sundry for dog fest. A dryer will be available to dry gross stuff. A scotch fest has also been declared.

enough for now

moab cliff

Hey, look what I found on youtube!

game tonight

Speaking of grudes, it's round one of Duke vs Carolina tonight. Tip off is 8pm, I think. Some sort of gathering will take place to watch it somewhere. Round two is on March 4th following the completion of the Altona race. Go Devils!

we have our first grude

it is only february and we may have our first grudge lining up for this year's grudge cross. seems like fgbc members are not the only ones who read the blog (see the last comment).

time to step up to the line.

and in case you need some levity (if only he had a stache he would have hands down over magnum)

Yes Dr.

rule clarification

It has occured to me over the past few days that we have neglected to articulate what may turn out to be the most important, all-defining rule of 'stache-cross:

The first rule of 'stache-cross is that you do not talk about 'stache-cross.
The second rule of 'stache cross is . . . well, you get the picture.

No self-effacing humour. No hiding behind the manouvre known as ironic distance. When you feel those eyes zeroing in on your upper lip, as if begging for a conversation, you cannot capitulate. Most importantly, you cannot chalk it up to a race or contest or some such nonsense. That is way too easy. In fact, I wonder if self-referential remarks about one's 'stache ought to be banished altogether. You've got to own that 'stache. Or better yet, learn to appreciate the possibility of the 'stache owning you. Choice has nothing to do with it. Voluntarism is a dead-end street. Like it or not, it's yours. It penetrates the very fabric of your being. This is an endurance race. Those incredulous stares that you receive--or think that you are receiving--are a crucial part of what has to be endured. This will be hard to enforce, no doubt. But consider it an opportunity.

Tyler Durden was right: Only after disaster can we be resurrected.

We would talk about this at the meeting tonight, only that would be against the rules.

OTT: Kym Brown, Pygmalion

teammates

Or is it the FGBC Scheissbike salute? Our honorary captain would be proud.

The first lap of 'stache-cross is nearly done. The contenders will be making themselves known tomorrow night at the F&H. Remember, this is an endurance race. You don't want to go out too hard and risk blowing up. This one's all about pacing. I will try to remember to bring a camera for official documentation.

Still no word from President Penner. Is another intervention in order?

OTT: Tom Waits, Tom Traubert's Blues

more pics

dr. mr,no,not,??? and mr. dr. post-race


jonjohn - like his race, john thought only 2/3 of the laps around the cinnamon bun was necessary


bmx tom showing off his tricks

Scheissbike results

Very well done boys and girls. Scheissbike can safely be declared a resounding success. Plenty of potential, it would seem, for excuses, but some of us either didn't try very hard to find them, or are just plain stubborn. Pre-race yerba, post-race cinnamon buns and coffee, not to mention Brannigan's own special FG brew. Plenty of good times in between. 4 laps, the first of which was a controlled start to learn the course. Jonny S and Vic. decided mid-race that they were entered in the 3 lap division. Doubt you could get away with that in Icebike. The Secretary had mechanical issues. Everyone else finished the full four laps. Official race-time temp. was -31; -41 with windchill. The dog-sled race was cancelled just as we finished lap 1. But Scheissbike would not be thwarted.

Official results:

1. Mr. Dr. (fixed)
2. Alberto (ss)
3. Dr. Mr. (ss)
4. Jonny G (ss)
5. Ian
6. Jonny S (winner, 3 lap division) (ss)
7. Tenacious V. (ss)
8. The Secretary (frozen freewheel = official race photographer--pictures coming)

pre-race yerba

If you look real close, you might be able to see that 'stache-cross has begun

Next race on the docket is 24 Hours of Ass. Race headquarters have shifted to my house. Start time might shift too, in order to accomodate those who still want to participate in some race called Icebike. Either way, it begins Feb. 17 and ends Feb. 18. More details to come. Stay tuned. You won't want to miss this.

Jonny S has been dropping a few hints about plans for the Altona race on March 4. Sounds like it's going to be well worth the trip--especially when Duke lays a licking on Carolina.

OTT: Bedouin Soundclash, Shelter

Penner???

wha???

Scheissbike imminent

Scheissbike recon is done. We are ready to race. Jonnys G & S, Tenacious V, and Hal joined me for a ride this afternoon to plan the course. Unfortunately, the day ended too early for V. His left crankarm fell off about 1.5 km in, and his day was done. Hal bailed early to go curling. Which is too bad, because he missed a nice mid-afternoon pit-stop at the Royal Albert. Classic.

The course isn't as adventurous as, say, last year. But it will do. About a 4 km loop. Meet up at the covered ice rink or, better yet, in the skate changing area inside. You will see the bikes. Race starts at 12 noon.

still bitter

A quote from today's WFP:

Organizers of the sixth annual Ironman Outdoor Curling Bonspiel on the Assiniboine River at The Forks didn't cancel their event, and teams were playing Friday evening despite a windchill of -35 C.

In case anyone is wondering, today's ride is on, as is the (first annual?) Scheissbike Race tomorrow. How humiliating would it be to be shown up by a bunch of curlers? Even more humiliating than the pathetic excuse for a mustache that is making an appearance on my face.

Also of interest is this article from today's NYT:

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- A 62-year-old man is suspected of stringing wires at neck level across a popular bike path, as well as scattering nails, broken glass and rocks across the trail in a series of traps set because he wanted to protect the environment, police said.

''This could kill someone,'' said Dewayne Wallace, an avid cyclist who said his friend was cut across the neck by one of the wires and was thrown from his bike.

A grand jury was scheduled to review the case next week, to see if the man will face two third-degree felony charges of attempted aggravated assault with a weapon. Each count carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Detective Rene Martinez said he questioned the man about the traps set over at least a yearlong period, and the man told him he just wanted to protect wildlife.

''He just loves nature,'' Martinez said.

Shee-ite! Be careful out there.

OTT: Feist, Lonely, Lonely

scheissbike schedule

Ride on Saturday to scout out a race course for Scheissbike.

Meet at my place at 12 noon, or the Forks at 12:30.

cultural happenings 2

wanted to sneak this in...laura and her saxamaphone dude are having a recital at eva clare hall (uofm) on monday, feb. 5 @ 8:00.

bring it on

Interesting that the NYT should run an article today about bike racing on ice. Good coverage of the Minneapolis scene--all 4 of them. But it also includes this note about Winnipeg: "Winnipeg’s Icebike 9, its ninth annual ice biking event, is scheduled for Sunday at the Forks National Historic Site near downtown. Up to 200 competitors pedal a course that travels on river ice and into the woods (www.icebiking.com)." Nice press. But a bit of a wasted opportunity, it seems, since anyone who clicks on the link will be greeted with the words "Icebike 9 Cancelled."

But Scheissbike lives on. No media coverage, no entry fees, no prizes, no commissaires, no course marshalls, no whining. See you on Sunday.

scheissbike

So Icebike is cancelled because of a forecast for "extreme cold." The website further explains that this is an attempt to prevent "cold related mishaps." Right. And yet they didn't bat an eye at the prospect of sending us hurtling down a cliff last year. Anyone else think all of this has a rather foul smell to it?

For those who don't like bullshit excuses, and those who like to live on the edge by flirting with the possibility of "cold related mishaps," and those who just want to race their bikes:

The Fort Garry Bike Club brings you Scheissbike.

Sunday, Feb. 4 at 12 noon at the Forks.

Stay tuned for further details.

Tom, can you come up with a poster?

bullshit!

What? Are you kidding me? Isn't the whole point of Icebike that the race goes on? That we will not be defeated by winter. I propose we race anyway--if only out of a sense of spite or moral superiority. Besides, isn't it a little too early to panic and cancel? What forecast are they looking at anyway? Environment Canada says they LOW is -29 on Sunday, but posts a high of -23. Definitely raceable. This will not do. Look for a Saturday ride to scout out a potential course. And some sort of race WILL take place on Sunday. Penner changed his work schedule for this! It's bad form to let down the president.

OTT: The Hold Steady, Multitude of Casualties

this just in...

a message from the icebike organizers

Hey all.
The forecast high for Sunday Feb 04/07 is -29C not including the windchill. We will NOT run the race as it too cold and dangerous to the participants. With Festival starting the weekend after and all the scheduled events planned for the Forks we will not reschedule. Apologies for any inconvenience and special thanks to Nolan Koop, Ron Reimer, and Daniel Nemetchek who came out last Saturday to help clean up the course, which promptly blew back in on Monday (but hey if it was warm it would have been far easier to reclean it). Stay warm and hope for a better weekend for Icebike #10.

at least we have mustache-cross (i have made no progress as expected)

I think we need to look at Sten-Erik for the future potential look of the president. Click here for more.

inspiration

It's been 25 years but we still miss you, Duane. I think my old Allman Bros. LPs will be on heavy rotation between now and June 8. Best 'stache ever.

OTT: Deftones, Cherry Waves

'stache cross is on

The honorary race director.

In the confusion created by Tomek's absence, Ian stepped up to the plate last night and grabbed the mustache by the horns. Previous attempts to dissociate himself from this event are a distant memory, and he's now clearly the boss. A few declarations were uttered. No one was willing to challenge his authority. So it appears these are the rules. There will be no weekly payments. The race is about pride--or lack thereof. The finish line is the Bourkvale Community Centre at the kickoff to the RedAss 300 0n June 8. In the event of multiple finishers, a celebrity judge will be brought in to determine the winner. Fred Penner will be given the first opportunity to fill this post. Given that nobody actually ante'd up, it's not entirely clear who is participating in the race. But hopefully by next week there will some evidence of who's in and who's out. As for me, it may well be a couple of weeks before evidence is discernible. But I'm in.

OTT: Mars Volta, Vicera Eyes

'stache cross - tonight

Mustache cross kicks off tonight. The mother of all endurance races. Bring your $2.50 to the F&H tonight. I have a feeling that this one could get ugly--literally. Perhaps because of this, Ian wants to set the record straight on a few 'stache-cross related matters.

READINGS

The good Dr. packed them it. It was a fine event.

well done!

Some fine support from the FGBC was present.
(not quite sure if the B is ready to stand for BOOK yet)

cultural happenings

come see this man


read from this book


tonight at this place (8:00 start time)

Better than Nothing

Some highlights from today's race. Nice touch with the obstacles in the middle of the course. Can't wait to watch the whole thing. Will it be here in time for 24HofA?

too good to be true

well...i signed up for the wcsn feed in order to watch the world cyclocross championships and it appears that it is blacked out in canada; of course one can only discover this after one signs up. prior to subscribing to the service i checked their list of blacked out events and according to their web site the "UCI Track championships" were not available in canada, but cyclocross, mountain and road championships were not listed as blacked out events. after subscribing i went to the list of archived broadcasts and tried to watch a uci cyclocross event from earlier this year - nothing. attempted viewings of all other uci events brought up the same result. i guess i was a little too literal in my understanding of wcsn's list of blacked out events - 'hey, they list track, but not cyclocross; excellent.' sigh. i guess i'll just have to wait until tom orders the dvd (tom - let me know where you get this stuff, i'd be happy to chip in). long story short - no cyclocross this evening.

24 Hours of . . .

Just got word that Rene Haselbacher has graciously signed on to help promotional efforts for the upcoming race of the season--24 Hours of ASS(iniboine). We may want to consider adding him to the roster as honorary co-captain. Like many a FGBC member, he goes hard, but has a hard time staying up on his bike.

A recon ride of sorts went down last night. The President, Tenacious V., Jonny's G & N, James and myself scouted out some potential parts of the course. The monkey trails are in great riding condition right now--provided you have lights sufficient to keep you on the trail. And the forest trails are in great shape too. Throw in some of the best that Omand's Creek has to offer, a river crossing or two, and linking it all together with the bike path and it looks like we've got ourselves a race course.

The president, Jonny G, and myself payed a post-ride visit to the clubhouse to end the ride the right way.


The details for the race are beginning to come into focus. Looks like the race headquarters will be Hal's place. Each lap will begin and end there, by the oven, with a genuflection in the presence of the old CCM.

This will be a two-person team event. Teams will be determined at random prior to the start of the race. Since it's a cross race, it will officially be 24 hour + 1 lap. We've been granted permission from the appropriate governing bodies to waive the 3 km lap limit for this event only.

Ian has offered to sponsor a portion of the race. A race within a race, or at least an event within an event, likely consisting of some sort of themed multi-lap segment. Other proposals are welcome.

There will be a screening of The Big Lebowski at some point, and The Triplettes of Belleville too. Maybe some cyclo-cross dvd's as well, if Tom is willing to share his collection.

Penner has been in touch with our man Wayne, from the other FGBC. Word is that t-shirts, caps, and beverages have been secured.

There's another 24 hour race taking place that same weekend, but it will be taking place sans snow and in slightly warmer climes. Hardly worth calling a race under those conditions. In case anyone is wondering, the average daily high for Winnipeg in February is -10C/14F. But since this is a 24 hour race, it may be worth noting that the average daily low is -20.6/-5.

Three weeks from now, the festivities will have just gotten under way.

OTT: Captain Sensible, Smash it Up

there is a way to watch

never tried it but there is an internet sports network that looks like it is going to show the world cyclocross championships.

the name of the company is wcsn.com, and their mandate is to provide access to sports not typically found on north american stations. according to their schedule it looks like they are showing the championships on Jan 28.

and just for the fun of it

Wereldkampioenschap

CX World Championships go down this weekend. Unfortunately, there's no way to watch. So here instead is the promo video using footage from past races. See also the nice preview from pez, which includes my favourite picture of Bart Wellens karate kicking an annoying fan during the race.

OTT: Morningwood, Jetsetter

RIDE??

Just Finished my long stretch of nights. Missed tuesday's events.
Not feeling that I need an intervention but I would really be up for a ride and reprise at the clubhouse.

takers?

penner

'stache cross

Fast on the heels of one race announcement comes another. Nordic Cross #3, courtesy of Ian Hall. Yet another classic endurance event, this one is sure to test your mettle. If ever there was a race that had Jonny S written all over it, this is most certainly it. I suspect it may well drag on to the spring ride.


OTT: Arling & Cameron, Weekend

coming soon

More details to follow. Stay tuned.

OTT: The Smiths, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

minutes, jan 23

present: jonny g, jonny n, tenacious v (vic), alberto, james, secretary, and the newly self-proclaimed Dr. No (formerly known as Dr. H and Mr. Dr although some confused that with Dr. Mr.)

• Spring Ride. most significant, and least surprising on the slate was another shift of the spring ride date... it seems the june date conflicted for a lot of people... so, with trepidation, the date has been moved to the weekend before the may long weekend: May 11-13 Yes, there is awareness of potentially challenging weather... Yes, the FGBC can take it... and, yes, there is a back-up accommodations plan which will be kept in-camera until appropriate consultations can be made... but, know that it is heated, and would not cost $$.
• while the thought of the weather was concerning for James, it didn't seem nearly as grave a concern as the seating arrangements... He brought a chair last year, but didn't always have a chair to sit in so he sat on the bench so his butt got sore... much advise was shared on how he could assert himself next time 'round, but really, please bring a chair and don't sit in James' because the whole business seems deeply vexing to his being. Could someone call a shrink?
  
• Icebike. you need to register. it's going to be fine.
• 24 hrs of Ass February 17-18 The check/crash point has yet to be determined... it's location is swinging wildly back and forth between Dr. No and Hal's. You need to mark the calendar for what is promising to be quite a gathering. Concerns again were raised over the intensity of the event. The race director assured all that it will be open to very different levels of racingness... like, it is rumoured that some may enter the race but have no intention of riding...
• FGBC registration? Apparently, for as little as $25, we can register as a team with the MCA and race under our colours... there are also a few pricier options. What seems of greatest value is the possibility of some insurance on Klub rides... it really doesn't matter what it insures, as we have a president who seems capable of testing and defying any statistical measures of "reasonable risk"... Bring on the insurance, we'll take whatever we can get. The race director will post further info. One meeting attender was having trouble with team allegiance...
  
• speaking of insurance, anybody got $2500 kicking around? Birch teeters on not being accessible again due to various liability and whatever costs.
• The Tinker Creek Klub plans to host a race in their back 40 this summer... there will likely be opportunities for us to volunteer.

that's it for now.

tuesday night ride

i have to work this evening, so if you will indulge me, we will meet at omand creek park (meet at the sign for the park) at 9:25. proposing a ride out to the forks to check the river trail which they started plowing just recently.

sunday silly file - a day late

too much red wine (still a part of my training regime) and food on saturday, and 2 hours of riding on sunday left me too tired to post (lame excuse) this link yesterday. very funny.

Minutes ??

Seems to be a distinct lack of minutes from the secretary.
(I’m sure he would like to relinquish his portfolio, but seeing that portfolio's are lifetime appointments and I cannot pass on the figurehead presidency, neither can he).

Since I am not entirely sure of the goings on at last week, I will post some previous minutes which still have some pertinence for yours truly.

A snippet posted from the Technical director (April 29, 2003) In reference to the First Spring ride.

• it doesn't really matter which multi-tool, you should just have one when you're riding alone. (tools will be available at our event.)
• to reiterate from a previous meeting: everyone should have an extra tube for our ride.
• lots of water is also important

Words to live by from the DR.

Hal and I did discuss a potential showing of “THE BIG LEBOWSKI”.
The plan:
When Laura is away. We will ride, drink, ride and watch at his house, not necessarily in that order. Date yet to be confirmed.

Speaking of dates. More about the spring ride. Not entirely written in stone yet.

when is a brake not a brake?

Some will recall the discussion back in August about how to determine when a brake is really a brake. This grew out of the legal case in Portland, where a messenger was ticketed for riding an illegal bike--namely her fixie, which is illegal because it doesn't have any brakes. The law reads as follows:

A bicycle must be equipped with a brake that enables the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement. Strong enough to skid tire.

And while the trial involved an interesting discussion about the limits of such a definition of a brake, the judge concluded that the combination of legs, gears, chain, and pedal many of us rely on does not satisfy the legal definition of a brake. And then, doing his best Dick Pound imitation, he turned to her lawyer and offered up the money quote:

“If your client had a stick she could rub against her tire, you’d have a case. I don’t believe the defense has convinced me to broaden the definition of a brake. I find the defendant guilty."

In a Nietzschean moment of eternal recurrence, somehow all of this came up for discussion at Scott and Deanna's place on Sunday, while we were waiting for Hal to sort out the answers to his own inane questions. Not exactly sure how or why it came up, let alone who raised it. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is that this allowed Ian bring to our attention the video of cyclists in Portland testing out the feasibility of the judge's stick-braking suggestion. Various methods were tried, with some being more successful than others. Watch it for yourself on youtube. Make sure to stick around for the conversation with the cops at the end. Thanks Ian.

OTT: Buck 65, Blood of a Young Wolf

"cycle to work" scheme

The Independent runs a regular cycling column, which is interestingly located in their "motoring" section. Fairly standard stuff most of the time, but worth reading anyway--if only to support the idea of giving regular attention to this sort of stuff by a major newspaper. Last week's column, on why Londoners should commute by bike in January, is particularly noteworthy for the reference it makes to what it calls a "cycle to work" scheme. Here's how it works:

If your excuse is that you can't afford a bike, then it's worth asking your employer whether they offer a "cycle to work" scheme, which effectively grants you an interest-free loan to buy one, repayable in monthly instalments taken directly from your pay cheque. The deductions are made from your pre-tax earnings and you don't pay VAT, so you can save yourself up to 50 per cent on the regular retail cost of a new bike.

If your employer doesn't offer such a scheme, it's worth twisting their arm to start one. As well as any latent benefits from increasing staff's fitness and happiness, companies can also make savings on their staff national insurance contributions. For more information, tell them to take a look at the Department for Transport's website (www.dft.gov.uk) which has all the details.

I've never heard of such a program in this fine country. But it would be worth investigating. Who's in charge of the FGBC public policy portfolio?