Hailstorm in Grinnell, Iowa Check it out.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/videos/runners-battered-and-bruised-by-hail-16995#16995


Quick, everyone with their bubble suits to the starting line!!

ari

Two week countdown

My possible ride. Gunnar Crosshairs. Will be third Trans Iowa if picked.

I have lower the gearing. It will be 34x45x11x34

Forcing myself to sit on the couch and relax. I just want to ride Now!!!

This is my third day off. I was adviced by the Northern Committee on taking some days off the bike. I will ride tomorrow night again to get that spin worked out. I am ready to compete and I think it will be a grand race. Everything is prepped. I have 4 bikes to pick from. I will determine this according to weather.

Salsa Fargo if the weather goes to shit.

Salsa La Cruz if it is sloppy but manageable

Gunnar Crosshairs if conditions are good and I feel I need the extra comfort

Salsa Chili con Crosso if it is bone dry and I plan on breaking records.

I have a feeling I will roll with the Gunnar this year. I must change the drivetrain and give it a once over.

Nutrition will be Perpetuem, carbo rocket, Nuun, Gels, pretzels, gas station food.

Ibex knickers, wool undershirt, wool jersey, arm warmers, leg warmers, gloves, balaclava, wind and rain jacket for extra insulation.

Canon d10 for a ton of photos. I promise i will take a lot of pictures.

best,

aRi

Canon Powershot D10 and day off the bike

Daughter and I

Past Trans Iowa racers working a perfect echelon through the gravel roads of Iowa

Charlie and his Famous rear flat tires. Notice the eterna-smile

Trans Iowa racer loading up on some free milk. Notice Aluminum Bottles

Capricious April Weather. You'll either cruise in delight or Join Dante in Inferno

Got the doctor visit in yesteday per Mr. Jason and I did get prescribed the necessary medicine to control that pesky Asthma. I was also suggested to start treatment on allergy medicine to build up before the pollen hits the airwaves. Got a lot of errands done yesterday. I am thinking about riding road when I get back and give the gravel at least a week off. Picked up my new riding camera and I am very happy with it. It is a waterproof, shockerproof, freezeproof Canon Powershot D10. It is 12.1 megapixels and I hope to shoot a lot of photos of the upcoming festivities. Took the day off the bike yesterday and it felt good. Wednesday ride was harsh with 20-25 mph winds, soft conditions on the gravel and a cold spraying of water and sleet upon us. We rode solid for 3 hours 29 minutes and the legs felt great.

best,

Ari

Chris King Maintenance

thought you mike like this Jay.

make it nice,

Ari

Some things that are done so far

My ever messy workbench

1) Finally gotten my legs to where I wanted them to be.
2) Dinotte Lights are going to Iowa with me. (made in U.S.A.)
3) Epic Research feedbag for food, gu bottle and batterie pack (made in U.S.A.)
4) lower gearing 45x34x11x34 more spinning less Hulking.
5) Carbo Rocket individual packets. Less mess, less cramps, (Made in U.S.A.)
6) Ibex Knickers. Wool, fantastic Chamooah (Made in U.S.A.)
7) Noxzema, Vaseline, Bag Balm (Chamooah lubrication)
8) Look Quartz pedals, light, floaty and with lots of mud clearance. (Made in La France)
9) King Hubs, Headset, BottomBracket (Made in U.S.A.)
10) More Salty foods to keep cramps away.
11) Thinner layers to adjust body temps. No thick layers this year.
12) Schwalbe Marathon Extremes. Folding, grippy, No tools to mount, Puncture protection
13) Better tactics, better time management, less time off the bike.

These are things that I have been working on lately. Now we can start to taper off and try to losen out those knots. Make some maintenance on our tired ponies, get things dialed in and soon it will be all over.

best,
Ari

Slender Fungus lays an Easter Egg

Heading back home through Fermi Lab

31st. in Oakbrook. Heading west, towards corn country

5:00 a.m. at the starbucks in Elmhurst

Trail riding through the night

Salsa La Cruz taking a bathroom break.

I know that we are supposed to taper off for the ride but we still had some through the nigth issues to work out. We wanted to make sure not to fall asleep around the dreaded 3:00>>>6:00 am period. I loaded my bag with food, gels and two cans of Starbucks Double Shot. It seemed to work like a champ. I also consumed some Jameson Irish Whiskey at that time. I was frozen, since I only had leg warmers and no booties. The Jameson sent a warm streak all through my body.
We started the ride at Midnight Saturday and had planned to be back around 10:00a.m. so as to not disturb any Easter festivities with family. We rode east, got into St. Charles before 2:00a.m. then hit the Prairie Path , other Great Western trail all the way to Elmhurst. We rode steady and well. On the way back we had a nice tail wind and the sun warmed us up nice. I think we could have used more real food, as in salty and more liquids. We both had some crampys wanting to show up but we shot them down. I estimate we rode over 70 miles off road, with closer to 80. We totalled 115 miles and I entered the house at exactly 10:05 a.m.
I did not nap at all and I have been a zombie all day. I will go to bed early and have an easy day tomorrow. Maybe I will consider that word Taper.
Things are starting to take shape and there is just a couple of details that I have to work on. I am still searching for a tough camera to take with. I could not stand not taking photographs.
I hope everyone had a great Easter Holiday.


best,

Ari

Slender Fungus Cycling Association

Gumby and I terrorizing the Coyotes.

Click, enlarge and check out the owl. I wished for my canon G11

Too bad nobody else showed up except the Gumbalaya and meself for the wednesday ride. We couldn't figure it out. There were mild temps, slight winds, no ice, no snow. Anyway. We had a fantastic ride. Gumbalaya showed up on his Orbea and I was on the newly positioned La Cruz. We took Old State road, The GWT , then ended up the I.C. Trail rd to empire to swanberg to Silver Glen to Burr rd. headed south to Dean St took the GWT home. It was a great ride with 45 miles covered at a brisk pace. It was the first ride the Slender Fungus did not experience frozen feet. The first time since november that i rode without gloves and without my balaclava. The La Cruz was on fire and worked flawless. The legs are feeling really good as we speak. Still working on some position issues. I tried to ride more upright with an shorter stem and more rise and all it did was give my plumbing area bad pain. So I installed my 130mm ritchey stem and stuck to my snoby road position that I have had for the past 20 odd years. As C.P. says "you can't teach an old dog new tricks".

I also had the luck to photograph an owl sitting on a branch, in the wild. I really love owls.

best,

Ari