A Slender Fungus Training Weekend

I am blessed to have the group that I have. I remember this all the time and once in a while I have to send that email out and remind all my gang that I truly love them. The Slender Fungus is an amazing group of people. We work together, we stay in touch. We have different levels and different skills yet we are able to ride together and support each other. Yes, I am blessed to be the President of this Association. So, for 2014 we have lots of riding plans. We are going to race, ride, get together and continue what we do so well. So.....
on Saturday Jakey La Cruz and A.G. and the Giaco and Me self got together for what we were planning to do:Get the heart pumping.
We met up at Palos hills and did the 9 mile yellow loop for a good warm up. Then we hit the stairs to get the legs hurting and the heart moving. We believe that riding long distance all the time becomes so routine that there is never any improvement. So, doing some "crosstraing" or "CrossStraining" is what is needed. I was trashed after the 10 repeats on the Stairs, all 125 of them straight up this long, steep hill. 
I later went to work and spent the rest of the night on my feet. My legs were mush. I slept somehow, then I woke up to drive out to Woodstock to meet Cookie. 
He was on his Pugsley and I was on the Mariachi with my leaky ghetto tubeless tires. We rode from the Woodstock square with the company of the Bonk King and headed north to Wisconsin. Our goal was to make it to Lake Geneva and hit the great trails at Canopy Tours where there is some great singletrack. 
We rode and rode and I enjoyed the heck out of this day. We met Butch, the trail builder at Canopy Tours and it was great to chat with him in the woods. 
We rode back heading south to Woodstock into a stronger and stronger South East wind. My legs were dying and my leaky tires made it worse. So, I stopped to pump the rear since it was so low the sidewalls were getting wrinkly. We made it to woodstock and i hit a coffee shop. I was shot to say the least but felt great being able to spend time with some of my best friends. 
Thanks, thanks, thanks,
Ari 

Cookie and the BonK King heading to Wisconsin. 

Coming into Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. 

Pure metal, no suspension and ready to hit the trails. 

Cookie could not get enough of the fall colors. 

Great Bikes that we rode for 100Kms on this day. 

Zip Lines adorn Canopy Tours. What a great place.

Butch, on left , is responsible for the great trails. 

Saturday riding with A.G.., Giaco, and Jakey La Cruz

Gang photo. 

Hiking without the bikes. Its good to diversify

Balance, Balance

Leaving Lake Geneva on Sunday.