A lot has happened since my last post. Time for an update! First off, I graduated! Hell Ya! The ceremony was a bit dull, the CEO of the Farm Bank spoke (College of Agricultural Sciences) why the Department of Landscape Archtiecture is a part of the school of ag at CSU I will never understand. I'm guessing it has something to do with politics knowing my professors
. Had a huge blowout party at the casa de Mountain with 5 kegs and over 100 burgers/brats. I have know idea how many people showed up and my memory of the evening is somewhat foggy so I will let the pics speak for themselves. The kegs were dry in 4 hours.
My baby and I
Side of the house with an equal crowd in the front, back, and inside! The neighbors already hated us but this really did it.
Dad hitting the flabongo! (beer bong that looks like a flamingo)
Mom hitting the flabongo!
The aftermath
Instead of cleaning we wrenched on the bikes for a bit then dropped the hottness for a couple of hours. Cleaning can wait.
Followed up graduation with a monster ride the following week. Stats ended up at about 9000 vert feet of climbing in about 85 miles. Definitely kicked my ass and showed me how the real gangstas do it. I have got a long way to go before I start doing that on a regular basis!
Top of Rist Canyon, steep as shit!
That sign says 12% grade, which in bike terms equals 60+mph!
White Pine Rd. loose, steep, rocky, steep, technical, steep. 2500 vert in 2.5 miles, did I say steep?
Low Clouds and freezing rain at 10,000 ft. brrrr
Climbing up that 12% grade in freezing rain to put the final nail in the coffin. Pictures never do grades justice.
The above ride would have been an absolute nightmare had it not been for my recently tweaked cockpit courtesy of a pro bike fit by Ryan and Sean at
The Cycologist in Fort Collins. These guys rock! They will do anything in there power to make your experience in the saddle the best it can be. When I get back in town this fall I hope to ride for them, be a part of their team and build up my
dream bike.
After waiting for over 3 months I finally got my
CDW Gear! I guess he's been busy, but it was well worth the wait, these things rock! Had Jeff pimp out the frame bag with double pockets with a zip-out removable divider to create one big one or two smaller ones, a document pocket, waterproof lower zippers, and stretch gussets on the top zippers. The handle bar bag and seat bag are pretty standard. The thought and labor that goes into these suckers is incredible! All the major seams that see a lot of wear or stress are either double stitched, tripled stitched, or stitched to the nines with thread covering the whole seam! These suckers will not rip unless you stab 'em with a knife. Took them out the other day for a overnight test run and ended up putting through the ringer.
top compartment fits a 4L MSR Dromlight bag very nicely
The sun came out the end for some magical light shows
The conditions were the worst I had ever ridden in. Constant rain, deep sand, slimmy, sticky mud which rusts steel on contact, etc... My sleeping bag did get a bit wet but I think it was due to condensation not penetration. Still kept me nice and warm through the night though. Probably gonna through the sleeping bag in a dry stuff sack just to be on the safe side.
That about sums it up. Gotta go crank up Little Park Rd. for a couple hours now.
Cheers.
