steephill.tv bike travelogue and cycling live video
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
If Cyclists Designed Road Signs....
From the November 2010 issue of Bicycling. Illustrated by Jude Buffum
Sunday, November 21, 2010
2010 Iceman Cometh video
This is a great video capturing the action at the head of the race. Check it out!
Funky plumbing & compression socks.
I'll preface this post with my apologies regarding the discussion of medical conditions on a cycling Blog. I tire of listening to folks who feel the need to discuss their medical conditions (as well as the weather) to anyone who will remotely listen. Unfortunately, it is my turn so you can now call me a hypocrite. Kill me. What I will say if you make it to the bottom of this post is that for me, compression socks work. They may look dorky to the fashionistas out there but I don't care as long as they make my legs feel better.
As you can see, the plumbing in my left leg is a bit messed up. The veins in my legs pop out (especially in the left) and there was difficulty in moving the blood back out of the leg. After diagnosis it was determined to be a result of a compressed vein and the medical condition is referred to as May-Thurner syndrome.
OK, so I recently had surgery to have a stent placed in the left iliac vein followed by several months of anti-coagulants during this upcoming off-season.
I have several different pairs of compression socks although I'm currently digging on the Beaker Concepts socks. (Note, this is not my scrawny leg in the sock photo below).
Beaker Concepts link:
And I believe you can still take an extra 20% off the beaker Concepts Vaso Socks with the coupon code "beaker" so you can save some cheddar for that carbon wheel set you've been drooling over.
As you can see, the plumbing in my left leg is a bit messed up. The veins in my legs pop out (especially in the left) and there was difficulty in moving the blood back out of the leg. After diagnosis it was determined to be a result of a compressed vein and the medical condition is referred to as May-Thurner syndrome.
OK, so I recently had surgery to have a stent placed in the left iliac vein followed by several months of anti-coagulants during this upcoming off-season.
I have several different pairs of compression socks although I'm currently digging on the Beaker Concepts socks. (Note, this is not my scrawny leg in the sock photo below).
Beaker Concepts link:
And I believe you can still take an extra 20% off the beaker Concepts Vaso Socks with the coupon code "beaker" so you can save some cheddar for that carbon wheel set you've been drooling over.
2011 Racing Greyhounds Team applications
The RACING GREYHOUNDS cycling team is now taking applications for the 2011 race season. Deadline is December 1st.
Beginner, Sport, Expert and Elite levels alike (Cat 5, 4, 3, 2, 1), all are welcome to apply.
We are accepting MTB, Road and Tri applications. And, for those of you not wanting to race, but still wanting to join an awesome cycling family, you may apply for the Touring Club.
Do It! Apply today!
Application LINK:
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Racing Greyhounds Invitational Cyclocross December 4, 2010
Rider - "Because I can offer crowd pleasing dismounts such as this":
Jeffro, aka CX Czar and el Capitan for our Cyclocross Team has decided to host an underground Cyclocross race. SWEET! He has placed a great deal of time and effort into making this first annual event a slam dunk success. I have confidence we can pull it off. I believe this event will embrace the true spirit of cyclocross in all aspects. The venue (like Area 51 - TOP SECRET) will provide plenty of terrain variety. I won't be racing although I have volunteered to work the Tequila Shot shortcut. Check out his Blog for details and hopefully, we will see you out there. Hell, it's even FREE. DO IT!!
BLOG LINK:
Jeffro, aka CX Czar and el Capitan for our Cyclocross Team has decided to host an underground Cyclocross race. SWEET! He has placed a great deal of time and effort into making this first annual event a slam dunk success. I have confidence we can pull it off. I believe this event will embrace the true spirit of cyclocross in all aspects. The venue (like Area 51 - TOP SECRET) will provide plenty of terrain variety. I won't be racing although I have volunteered to work the Tequila Shot shortcut. Check out his Blog for details and hopefully, we will see you out there. Hell, it's even FREE. DO IT!!
BLOG LINK:
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Stranger in a strange land.
Having spent 13 of my formative years as a local in Vail, Colorado I thought I had a clear definition of the term "tourist". Upon my arrival in Amsterdam it was apparent that I was clearly the tourist. Fortunately, most Dutch speak English and there were never any language roadblocks to overcome. I tried to avoid pulling my city map out when I was obviously lost. I now have a new found appreciation for the locals who have to deal with myself and the throngs of tourists who invade their space each day.
For the Dutch as well as most Europeans, cycling is just another facet of life. In Amsterdam the crappier the bike the better. Nobody is comparing components here. I was fine with it and enjoyed watching the locals take to the streets on their bikes versus driving. Belgium was pretty cool too.
Since this is a cycling blog I will avoid boring you with all of the dorky tourist shots and focus primarily on the the dorky tourist cycling shots.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
On vacation!!
Holy cow! Time for a real vacation. This Saturday I will be heading over to Amsterdam to celebrate 25 years of bliss with my bride, Lynelle.
The adventure will begin as we stretch out in a First Class seat:
I plan to ride a bicycle just like the natives:
I plan to check out a coffee shops:
I plan to take a side trip to Bruges, Belgium:
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
2010 Lumberjack 100 recap
In retrospect and comparison, this years Lumberjack 100 was everything that the Mohican 100 wasn't and more. I know, it's apples and oranges and yadda-yadda. In a nutshell, this years Lumberjack was a success for almost all of those involved. The weather (mid-70's) was a winner. The trail was amazing and the new 33 mile lap made it possible for more competitors to finish. Regardless, the ride was still a motha' and anything from easy.
Our team camped nearby at the group campground and it was nice to spend time with new and old friends.
The day was perfect. I made it over to the start area and set up my tent compound. The start was fun and I went into the race with a more relaxed attitude than usual and enjoyed the ride. My left leg has been bothering me so I wanted to stay hydrated and avoid any cramping issues as the day wore on. Lap one was a blast. the trail was tacky and smooth. Not a rock to be found anywhere. Upon completing lap 1 I saw the clock showing 3 hrs. Cool. My hopes of finishing under 10 hours was a possibility. Lap 2 went pretty much like lap 1 although it was getting harder although I was still at the 6 hour mark after 2 laps. Cool. I just had to get the last lap in under 4 hours to make it under 10 hours. I was having left foot swelling and my big toe was in incredible pain. I had been removing my shoe at the aid station and pit area on every lap in an effort to minimize the swelling. On lap 3 I had to stop several times along the trail to take off the shoe and rub the foot to get the blood flowing out of the foot. Pain in the ASS! I kept leap-frogging riders who would catch me while I was messing around with my foot. Frustrating. I eventually finished the lap and ended up at 9:30:xx. Success. Still, it felt good to ride a fun trail and make it to the end. The team represented today and we had many riders out there. Go GREYHOUNDS!!
A huge thank you to Rick Plite, his crew and the volunteers for making this event a huge success!
RESULTS:
2010 Mohican 100 recap
MOHICAN 100 MUTHA!!
Mens Open class podium:
Womens Open class podium:
Singlespeed Class podium:
Masters Class podium:
I am going backwards in posting this well beyond the event. Now that I look back, this "race" remains a muddy blur etched in my psyche. It had been consistently rainy in the week leading up to the event. I caravaned down to Loudenville, OH. with teammates Chris Roper and MIKEWOODS!! Upon arrival to Mohican Adventures as if on queue the sky opened up and it started to pour. Crazy. We went next door and scarfed on some killer pizza while the first part of the storm passed through. We then set up camp and headed down to the registration area. While there another storm blew through and we waited it out watching the rain blowing sideways and the lights flickering.
We returned to the campsite and discovered the campsite strewn about and the EZ-up bent over. The weather cleared a bit and we re-grouped. Some teammates arrived and we threw together some food while preparing for the next days ride. Amazingly, I slept pretty well and before I knew it it was 5AM and time to get going. A big bowl of oatmeal and we were off to the start line.
Little did we know that the pavement leading to the start line was going to be the driest part of our day. We gathered, waited and rolled out through main street up the mile long climb out of town. Once we hit the singletrack it was easy to see that conditions were a sloppy, muddy mess. Deep, soft, squishy soil pulled at the wheels making every pedal stroke feel slow while the wet roots and off cambered sections placed added demands on your technical skill handling.
In a nutshell, the first 24 miles of technical singletrack were a bitch. It took over 3 hours to reach aid station #1 and I grabbed a few items and went to refill my Camelbac to discover there was no water. What? The worker told me with a smile, "it's just another 14 miles to the next aid station". So I pushed on. The rest is a blur and I set my sights to reach aid station #2 and the power wash. My drive train was coated with a thick mix of clay and slop and shifting was getting tough. After what seemed like forever, I reached aid 2 and refilled my bottles and Camelbac. They were out of Heed. Crap! It was like I was following a swarm of locusts consuming everything in their path. I cleaned off the bike and headed out. Blur, blur. I finally reached Aid 3 and was greeted my a smiling MIKEWOODS!! He was out with a mechanical and was offering his services at the aid stations. I was 6.5 hours in and only to mile 47! I was done. My first DNF ever! I hung out a bit and headed back on the road to the campground. Midway on the road it started to pour. I pushed on through the deluge although I was having difficulty breathing with the water on the face. It was surreal although it cleaned me off somewhat. I ended my day with 57 miles in 7 hours.
I cleaned up and headed back to the finish area and relaxed. The Great Lakes and Belles beer was flowing and there was plenty of Mongolian BBQ to consume. We waited a long time to see the other riders from our group trickle in.
The major win of the day for our group was Roper and Big Orca coming across the finish line together after 13 hours out there. Such a great accomplishment for those two under such difficult circumstances.
Looking back I should/could have done a few things differently.
1. Lowered my seat a bit in the technical singletrack.
2. Taken more air out of the tires.
3. Carried an extra bottle of fluid.
4. Screw the camping in the rain! Rent a room or cabin.
I told MIKEWOODS!! to remind me about this day when I start talking about doing this race again in the middle of February 2011. At this point I'm not so sure I want to put myself through it again. Who knows?
Results and report:
Mens Open class podium:
Womens Open class podium:
Singlespeed Class podium:
Masters Class podium:
I am going backwards in posting this well beyond the event. Now that I look back, this "race" remains a muddy blur etched in my psyche. It had been consistently rainy in the week leading up to the event. I caravaned down to Loudenville, OH. with teammates Chris Roper and MIKEWOODS!! Upon arrival to Mohican Adventures as if on queue the sky opened up and it started to pour. Crazy. We went next door and scarfed on some killer pizza while the first part of the storm passed through. We then set up camp and headed down to the registration area. While there another storm blew through and we waited it out watching the rain blowing sideways and the lights flickering.
We returned to the campsite and discovered the campsite strewn about and the EZ-up bent over. The weather cleared a bit and we re-grouped. Some teammates arrived and we threw together some food while preparing for the next days ride. Amazingly, I slept pretty well and before I knew it it was 5AM and time to get going. A big bowl of oatmeal and we were off to the start line.
Little did we know that the pavement leading to the start line was going to be the driest part of our day. We gathered, waited and rolled out through main street up the mile long climb out of town. Once we hit the singletrack it was easy to see that conditions were a sloppy, muddy mess. Deep, soft, squishy soil pulled at the wheels making every pedal stroke feel slow while the wet roots and off cambered sections placed added demands on your technical skill handling.
In a nutshell, the first 24 miles of technical singletrack were a bitch. It took over 3 hours to reach aid station #1 and I grabbed a few items and went to refill my Camelbac to discover there was no water. What? The worker told me with a smile, "it's just another 14 miles to the next aid station". So I pushed on. The rest is a blur and I set my sights to reach aid station #2 and the power wash. My drive train was coated with a thick mix of clay and slop and shifting was getting tough. After what seemed like forever, I reached aid 2 and refilled my bottles and Camelbac. They were out of Heed. Crap! It was like I was following a swarm of locusts consuming everything in their path. I cleaned off the bike and headed out. Blur, blur. I finally reached Aid 3 and was greeted my a smiling MIKEWOODS!! He was out with a mechanical and was offering his services at the aid stations. I was 6.5 hours in and only to mile 47! I was done. My first DNF ever! I hung out a bit and headed back on the road to the campground. Midway on the road it started to pour. I pushed on through the deluge although I was having difficulty breathing with the water on the face. It was surreal although it cleaned me off somewhat. I ended my day with 57 miles in 7 hours.
I cleaned up and headed back to the finish area and relaxed. The Great Lakes and Belles beer was flowing and there was plenty of Mongolian BBQ to consume. We waited a long time to see the other riders from our group trickle in.
The major win of the day for our group was Roper and Big Orca coming across the finish line together after 13 hours out there. Such a great accomplishment for those two under such difficult circumstances.
Looking back I should/could have done a few things differently.
1. Lowered my seat a bit in the technical singletrack.
2. Taken more air out of the tires.
3. Carried an extra bottle of fluid.
4. Screw the camping in the rain! Rent a room or cabin.
I told MIKEWOODS!! to remind me about this day when I start talking about doing this race again in the middle of February 2011. At this point I'm not so sure I want to put myself through it again. Who knows?
Results and report:
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Taking a break...
Summer is here. It's time to get out and ride as much as possible. While I ride myself into a lather I will not be updating this blog regularly until things slow down. The Mohican 100 is a blurry memory now and the Lumberjack 100 is just around the corner. I'll post up some updates soon. In the meantime enjoy the ride!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Time for an update...
Mothers Day off road ride.
Mileage to date:
Distance - 2,155 miles
YTD rides - 54
Ride time - 132:15:49
Man, I guess I have been busy and realized it has been about a month since I last updated the Blog. Spring has decided to act like Spring and we are now in a pattern of heavy rain and quirky weather. Since I am a lightweight when it comes to riding in crappy weather I have been planning my rides around the weather. For me, essential rest days are welcome when it's raining cats and dogs.
A few weeks back I was on a training ride on the road bike when I found myself hammering at the bottom of a long decent as I approached a railroad crossing. Rather than use good judgment and slow down prior to crossing I decided to try and bunny-hop the crossing. I cleared about 95% of the tracks. Long story short I jacked up my wheel and limped home. Until the wheel was fixed it forced me to take out the mountain bike for some back road training. I realized that mixing up the bikes had a benefit that put some fun back into the daily rides. During the Spring thaw I was forced to train on the road but my route options were limited to a few SAFE 40-50 mile loops that served their purpose. When I was forced to hit the dirt roads I realized there were endless route options and I found myself venturing further North and West. I mapped out a great 25 mile route to the Hudson Mills Metro park and Pinckney Recreation Area, home of the Potowatamie trail. Here are a few images from the rides:
I rode the Poto single track:
I chased an Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake:
I stumbled upon the U of M Peach Mountain observatory:
Mohican 100 is coming fast...
Mileage to date:
Distance - 2,155 miles
YTD rides - 54
Ride time - 132:15:49
Man, I guess I have been busy and realized it has been about a month since I last updated the Blog. Spring has decided to act like Spring and we are now in a pattern of heavy rain and quirky weather. Since I am a lightweight when it comes to riding in crappy weather I have been planning my rides around the weather. For me, essential rest days are welcome when it's raining cats and dogs.
A few weeks back I was on a training ride on the road bike when I found myself hammering at the bottom of a long decent as I approached a railroad crossing. Rather than use good judgment and slow down prior to crossing I decided to try and bunny-hop the crossing. I cleared about 95% of the tracks. Long story short I jacked up my wheel and limped home. Until the wheel was fixed it forced me to take out the mountain bike for some back road training. I realized that mixing up the bikes had a benefit that put some fun back into the daily rides. During the Spring thaw I was forced to train on the road but my route options were limited to a few SAFE 40-50 mile loops that served their purpose. When I was forced to hit the dirt roads I realized there were endless route options and I found myself venturing further North and West. I mapped out a great 25 mile route to the Hudson Mills Metro park and Pinckney Recreation Area, home of the Potowatamie trail. Here are a few images from the rides:
I rode the Poto single track:
I chased an Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake:
I stumbled upon the U of M Peach Mountain observatory:
Mohican 100 is coming fast...
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