why cars suck

from the last issue of dirtrag comes an article by nick goddard who puts forth the hypotheses if a car gets so many miles to gallon of gas, what does a bike get.

he found research stating that a gallon of gas contains 31,000 calories of energy. in a very un-scientific experiment he planned to cycle as far as he could, recording how far he could go while burning 31,000 calories of enenrgy. using a monitor that calculated calories burned based on his heart rate etc.; he cycled 633 miles. nice.

his final conclusion...it doesn't really matter, what counts is being on a bike...and that the earth loves you for it. even better.

just in case . . .

. . . anyone still needs a little encouragement to come out and race tomorrow, see Patrick O'Grady's article on cyclocross--a dirty girl, but a pretty one nonetheless.

dept. of skidding

press play.

one more time...

Hi Friends and Neighbours!

This Sunday is your chance to see Manitoba’s best cyclists battle for the gold medal at the Belgian Club Supercross. Riders will be competing in a discipline called cyclocross – a European winter race involving obstacles and running. Starting from the Belgian Club at 407 Provencher Blvd., riders will contest the race on a short 1800m course that twists and turns down Provencher and through the park along the Seine River. The short course will offer you great opportunities to cheer racers on with shouts, the traditionally-used cowbells (doesn’t everybody have a cowbell or two around the house?), or whatever noise-making apparatus you can dream up (accordions are a common Belgian instrument, you know, but pots and pans will work). Age group racers and women race at 11 a.m. for about 45 minutes, elite men race at noon for about an hour.

After the event, (at about 1 p.m.) join the racers inside at the Belgian Club for traditional Belgian music and folk dancing (your participation is optional), ‘frites’ with mayo and a hot coffee or a cold Belgian Brew.

This event is presented by Team Olympia Cycling and the Belgian Club, and is sanctioned by the Manitoba Cycling Association and the City of Winnipeg.

Please join us for this celebration of sportsmanship and Belgian culture in St. Boniface. Hope to see you there!


Ian Hall
Team Olympia Cycling

seven

Word of a new week-long enduro race is making its way around the web. Victoria to Whistler in seven days. Similar format to Trans Rockies, it seems, but the stages are a bit shorter. Interesting.

pisgah

My friend Alex (dude in the red jacket), who lives in North Carolina, sent this race report on Double Dare, a two day adventure race in Pisgah National Forest in western NC. I've ridden out there with him once before (Laurel Mountain) and it's one of those epic rides that ends up permanently etched in your memory. I've been wanting to get back ever since, but it hasn't worked out. Sounds like a sweet race. Essentially a mtb enduro alleycat. For more information, see the official website. For confirmation, see the report from Rich of Bad Idea Racing. There is another race in spring, but only one day not two. Anyone interested in heading down to the Christ haunted south for a bike race? Seriously. I've been meaning to get together with Alex for some riding, and this might just be the perfect opportunity. He also has a lake house close by that could be used as a base for more riding.

My goodness there are a lot of trails in Pisgah. I rode for 22hrs, 125+ miles this weekend without ever riding a trail twice and cannot have covered more than 1/3 - 2/5ths of what is there. And it is good stuff as well.

The race was a bit crazy. My bike was 10lbs heavier than normal b/c loaded with spare tire, tubes, lights, clothes, emergency blanket, etc. I also had some pretty heavy Mary bars. I broke my thumb a few weeks ago (although only went to the doctor and got x-rays yesturday) and those swept back bars were the only ones I could use w/o pain. It was hard to see rocks and roots under all of the fallen leaves on many of the trails too.

My partner and I hit it hard the first day, getting 9 out of 11 checkpoints in 10hrs, 45min. We were screwed a bit by faulty lights. We had to make a 30 min detour back to camp to swap those out. We ended up on the top of a ridge at the end of a long day at 10:00pm, low 40's and 20-30mph wind gusts. It was miserable. I was cold for the next 3 hrs, even when wrapped up in my sleeping bag.

But, 5:00am came around before you knew it and it was time to go again. We pushed hard initially but my partner faded fast. I don't think he ate or drank enough the day before. You have to eat not just for that day, but also to insure you will have somethng in reserve for the next. As a result, mthe rest ofthe day became a sort of long long recovery ride. WE ended up on the blue ridge parkway where I helped by pushing him and then leading himmfor drafting when itmleveled off. Lastly I had to keep encouraging him to keep pushing it as we flew down the mtn, trying to beat the 6:00pm cutoff. We got in at 5:55!

Exciting stuff. Only 10 teams showed up and we took 3rd. We should have had 2nd, but 1st was untouchable.

And the weather was awesome. It rained the day efore and could ahve been miserable, but cleared up just in time.

Start making plans for a team for next year. You may want to consider a team for the one day mtn bike adventure race in the late spring. Registration opens on Feb. 1 and fills fast.

Other news of note:

Parts 2 and 3 of the Amber Landis interview are up over at Daily Peloton.

Yet another fixed gear article, this time from Pez. Essentially a how-to primer, so if there's anyone who's still looking for a spot on the bandwagon, here's your opportunuty to figure out how to go about climbing aboard.

The Belgian Club cx race is this Sunday. Last I checked, the forecast is for +5 with a chance of rain. Perfect. Ian's looking for help getting the course ready. Saturday between 10 - 2, and Sunday morning starting around 7am. I'll try to head over for a bit on Saturday and likely Sunday morning too. If you want to head over together, let me know.

OTT: Fred Eaglesmith, Angel of the Lord

will this cyclocross stuff ever end....NO

from our friend the poosher....

Toward a Cyclocross Ethic / Why an outlaw bicycle race is a perfect
metaphor for opposition to the Bush administration's greed-based
Ownership Society

.... About a month ago I was jogging along with my wife and daughter
through a wooded part of San Francisco when out of the brush popped a
man on a skinny and knobby-tired bicycle, pedaling as though the devil
were behind him. He turned onto a dirt path, quickly swung his right
leg over his bicycle, swishing it between his left leg and the bike
frame, then snapped his left foot with a twist. He hit the ground with
a running stride, hopped over two logs, set his bike on the ground as
he continued running, then leapt through the air onto his bike seat,
all without losing speed. Five more cyclists followed him in exactly
the same way. Then five more. I had to stop and watch. The next week I
joined them. The following week I chatted with Snodgrass and learned of
the secret race series' glorious outlaw creed. To distinguish these
races from officially recognized branches of bicycle racing -- which
take color-coordinated spandex and $7,000 bicycles very seriously --
Urban Outlaw organizers give special awards for cross-dressing .....

continue reading.....

this could be the antitheses to the rhizome posting (i enjoyed the posting...really...but i also work in the ivory tower; but not at the same level as dr.h). lifted sometime ago from how to avoid a bummer life and waiting for the proper time to use

more rhizome

while my potentially negative response to the rhizome discussion Friday night might have suggested that I cared little for the topic, it has rattled about for a bit.
My poke at the exclusivity of language in the ivory towers only sent our ivory tower dweller into a bit of a sullen silence on the matter... (Incidentally, that silence is a very effective tool... leaving the less enlightened to wallow in their ignorance. Usually I'm ok there, but curiosity got me...)

Today's reread of dr. h's posting proved relatively fruitless. What next? The people's tool of course, where people can pretty much make up whatever they want and pass it off as correct. Hurray for Wikipedia.

What really prompted me to post this, however, was the wikipedia entry on rhizome. Further down in the "See also" section, is a link to Critical Mass... described as a "rhizomal self-propelled rider event". Not bad, but not as good as "we are exactly what we are".

psychocross, snow and fixies

pictures from psychocross and the ride home today...

there is a lemans start, bikes are mixed up and moved from where you left them

ian digging his bike out

the benson boys take a more relaxed attitude to the race, we were debating if they may have been down a lap before they even got to their bikes. i think they may have completed two laps with two bananas, two beers and two cigars consumed during their race (i think there is huge upside for future fgbc participation in this event, taking the benson lead)

bill "vampire boy" algeo over the barriers

dallas, a.k.a. jan, making the turn around the toboggan slide

winter arrives, different mindset, different challenges

first ride of winter is always cool

same ride, different view

no wipeouts on the first snow fixie ride, potential is there

race scene

Tomek sent me a bunch of pictures from pyscho-cross today, including this one of Hal and Cam. I think it's his way of saying you shoulda been there. Don't know the results, but I'm sure Hal kicked ass.


Belgian Cross is next weekend. Ian's cool poster is worth another look. There will be a sign-up at the F&H on Tuesday for those willing to help set up the course.

The following weekend is the MN State Cyclocross Championships in Minneapolis. Hal & I will be representing the FGBC. More info here.



Finally, the dates for Icebike 2007 have been announced. Mark it down on your calendars for February 4.

OTT: Tricky, Feed Me

last dance

Sweet ride this afternoon on the southern section of the TCC. Juan, Jonny G, Johnny S, and myself. This may be the last ride out there before the snow flies. Word is the hunters take over next weekend.

Yes, they know they look like dorks all kitted out in FGBC team colors. Why Juan Eppstein isn't wearing his is unclear. Still bitter about his failure to get some jersey space for Epp Siepman, perhaps.

He loves it.

Juan's new wheels have officially been christened.

He loves the Softride, but Johnny S isn't so big on climbing.

Darryl and Jonny G did the FGBC proud rockin' out in Paul Bergman's show at the Krahn barn last night in Neubergthal. Cozy post-concert gathering followed at the Bergman homestead.

Our honorary captain back out on the road with his bike, only one month removed from receiving his new hip. And Daily Peloton interviews his lovely lady, Amber.

OTT: The Postal Service, Sleeping In.

Juan's jueels

Looks like the 2006 FGBC season is ending just like it began. Juan Eppstein has stepped up to the plate and acquired some new wheels, namely Dave L's old wheels. I know there are some in the FGBC who thought this day would never come. Better get a roof on the pig pen Darryl, because the old sow's about to test her wings.

Needless to say, Juan is eager to try out the new ride. Maybe Saturday.

Somehow Johnny S manages remain faithful to the Softride. How does he do it?

OTT: Wheat, Working Man's Manifesto

word of Floyd

I suppose this shouldn't be terribly surprising. Sounds like Floyd's working on a new book. Here's what the press release says:

"Rather than stand on the sidelines while he is publicly vilified for a doping offense he didn’t commit, 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is will tell his side of of the story in a book tentatively titled Positively False: The Real Story of How I Won the Tour de France. Mel Berger of William-Morris Agency today submitted the book proposal on Mr. Landis' behalf to major publishing houses. As its working title suggests, the book will express in Landis’ own words what really happened on the historical, and now controversial, ride that brought him to international prominence. Landis will expose intimate details of his life; telling the story of his Mennonite upbringing, relating the personal struggles he faced to rise to the top ranks of his sport, talking about his years working for Lance Armstrong, and giving new and unique insights into his fight to clear his name."

OTT: Nothing. I'm watching Detroit vs. St. Louis, game 4. Go Tigers!

Rhizome

That video reminds me of Cairo. It also brings to mind Deleuze and Guattari's notion of the rhizome:

"Principle of asignfying rupture: against the oversignifying breaks separating structures or cutting across a single structure. A rhizome may be broken, shattered at a given spot, but it will start up again on one of its old lines, or on new lines. You can never get rid of ants because they form an animal rhizome that can rebound time and again after most of it has been destroyed. Every rhizome contains lines of segmentarity according to which it is stratified, territorialized, organized, signified, attributed, etc., as well as lines of deterritorialization down which it constantly flees. There is a rupture in the rhizome whenever segmentary lines explode into a line of flight, but the line of flight is part of a rhizome. These lines always tie back to one another. That is why one can never posit a dualism or a dichotomy, even in the rudimentary form of the good and the bad. You may make a rupture, draw a line of flight, yet there is still a danger that you will reencounter organizations that restratify everything, formations that restore power to a signifier, attributions that reconstitute a subject -- anything you like, from Oedipal resurgences to fascist concretions. Groups and individuals contain microfascisms just waiting to crystallize. Yes, couchgrass is also a rhizome. Good and bad are only the products of an active and temporary selection, which must be renewed." (From A Thousand Plateaus)

OTT: The Smiths, Bigmouth Strikes Again

not so long line of cars

cool, but what do you do when the cars don't stay in a line

long line of cars

press play.

concert - late notice

sometime fgbc rider (this year's spring ride), Paul Bergman, is doing a little CD release event Friday in the hamlet of Neubergthal, just outside Altona. All welcome is my understanding, as is BYOB. (I have understood incorrectly before, so I'll check with Paul and correct if necessary.)

Jonny G (our horse-riding friend) will be one of the musical sidemen, and it sounds like i may lend a little something to the proceedings as well.

long time rider

sorry i couldn't meet ya'll last night... this was likely my one personal leave due to work...

in the meanwhile, it looks like jonny g. has been a rider for a long time... does he smile this much when he's riding a bike?

sweet jersey

Courtesy of Gary Sewell via the MCA.


Hal marking the official race debut of the new FGBC jersey. And he was doling out singlcspeed hats last night at the F&H.

OTT: Say ZuZu, Moonshiner

Belgian Club race

If you thought menno-cross was a blast . . . then wait until you experience the spectacle known as Supercross--i.e., the Belgian Club cx race, which is set to take place on Nov. 5. It's never too early to start planning ahead.

A note from Ian Hall: The course is going to be awesome – we are keeping everything that was good from last year, improving the flow a bit, adding a few more technical sections (a flight of stairs, courtesy of Hal), and then Tom is adding some serious off-camber speed sections. All in all, it’s still a bit easier than some courses, so good for first timers. It’s also a really great course to watch a race at – you can see almost the whole course from a couple of vantage points, and there are places to warm up if it’s chilly. Cowbells (I need more cowbells!) and pots/garbage can lids/air horns are encouraged. Of course, the fact that there is a bar at the finish line with a half-dozen kinds of Belgian brew on hand also helps.

For those who do not have race licenses, one day licences will be available.

If anyone's available to help set up the course earlier in the morning, that would be appreciated too.

OTT: Jason Ringenberg (with Steve Earle), Bible and a Gun