Decorah, Iowa August 9th and 10th + Poison Ivy

A very clean looking Vassago 29er

Nice Bikes parked outsid T-Bock's






Poison Ivy, my best friend besides my Gunnar Ruffian

Giugi at Dunning Spring

The Fargo at Van Peenan Forest Preserve

Doing my loop up Locust to Clay hill to Whitetail Rd. All Hills

Dunning Spring

Dark skies coming over quickly

Had to run and join the locals in Decorah, Iowa

A bad case of Poison Ivy that eventually spread to both legs

and then started on my arms.

Cutting trail along the powerlines in Sycamore, IL.

Been a long time since I posted but the summers go by flying when you wrench at the shop and spend the rest of the weekend serving at the restaurant to make ends meet. We have been commuting with Helmut and he has had chance to get out on some longer rides. Our season is about to commence. As soon as it gets colder, darker and wetter we will be out there pounding out the miles. I did have a lot of Asthma this year due to the excessive amount of rain, humidity and messing around in the woods trying to get the powerline trail rideable. I have been taking Zyrtec and that helps out a lot. I chopped the larger weeds down with the machete and I would do 50' sections at a time. Then Helmut and I bought Grass Wisps and trimmed further. I picked up the poison ivy there and it drove me nuts. It was oozing and weeping and itching and driving my fuckin' crazy when I had to wear my dress pants to serve. I used calamine, Ivy Dry and then Hydrocortisone and now after 3 weeks it is much better.

This Sunday we left for Decorah and drove the 250 miles in around 5 hours. Stayed at the super 8 as usual and did our usual routine. Met up with Eric from Surly at Tbocks on Sunday and then yesterday I met up with Ben Shockey as we were leaving town. It was great to see him and be able to chat for a few minutes. Did some riding with the wife and daughter and then on Monday I geared up and hit some gravel roads. I came around Clay hill rd and entered Van Peenan and did some singletrack. The trails were super greasy and my Vulpines on the Fargo were all over the place. I also did the river trail single track. The Fargo amazes me and it is truly the do everything bike.

We stayed in Decorah close to 8 pm and then headed home. Today I feel better, my poison ivy does not itch and it is time to pack up and head out to Syracuse, N.Y. this saturday to visit Dr. Giggles. I will be bringing the Gunnar Crosshairs equipped with some road meats since Giggles has promised to spank me on some hills.

hope everyone is good,

Ari