Windy Ride Home..

stopped for a short safety break with Craig at Carney Marsh outside of Ankeny. Then I slowly battled the wind home.

stopped again to check out thee Neil Smith black label just off of Morning Star dr., its not quite ready for skinny tires yet...this is a shot looking south into Des Moines...there was alot of slushy ice.

looking too the west along I80/35 looked to be clear for quite aways...I could just barely see snow crossing the black label at the farthest point of the photo.

Putting home again today....although I'm rolling the Traveler with fenders:) Jason you comutting? Want to meet?

Update on the Spoke Pony Showdown course:

Trail Conditions Update 03.12.08
Written by Craig Stoeltzing
Wednesday, 12 March 2008

I just got back from riding the Spoke Pony Showdown loop. I went just to see how things were progressing with no real intention to ride. I headed up the climb to the Spaghetti Bowl and things looked good. So I continued on to Dave's Maze, then the doubletrack, Will's Wanderer, Rim Job, and Tasty Goodness...before I knew it I had finished the entire 8.1 mile loop. I was completely amazed. There were a total of about 30 feet of soupy trail on the entire loop, the rest was a mix of hardpack and slightly tacky trail.

(I can't vouch for the rest of the trails at Landahl, but the SPS loop is in good shape.)

That's the update for now, stay posted. The weather forecasters are still predicting a chance of rain in the 70-80% range. We'll continue to monitor the trails and update the website as the weather changes.

Stay away rain!

Peace

60+ degrees= 3hrs of thee Road

Rick, Fuller, and Teri Sue....rolling thee south side of Des Moines

Pat and Gabriel rolling the long bike....moooo

climbing hills back by Moffit Lake...

rolling hills on our way too Orilla...

stopped at Bambino's for a beer...this was their first Sunday too be open for a buffet....damn it looked like the best grub around

Teri Sue loving life....she almost wanted to bail early on the ride, then she got her legs under her and road hard the rest of the way....

Rick and I hanging waiting for Fuller too change a tube...

rolled up by the airport on the way home.....

Snow covered ground this morning...how depressing after yesterdays melting:( Not long now mates:)

Peace

3hrs Saturday...

Johnny rolling Commerce...

Jeff Madison....yes that really is that guy.....

peanut butter conditions in Iowa....

been a long time since we've been out.....

3 bikes needing some cleaning love....

riding today not sure when....I'm hoping Teri and I can get out together for a putt-putt.

Peace

Full Moon Snowy Action

2hrs of black label with Johnny....thee full moon was awesome last night, while the black label was fast and clean. Don't forget about Dirty Kansas opens today.....


Peace

Fresh Tracks This Afternoon..

Weather man sayeth snow coming.....4-8 inches...depending how bad it is this evening I may get out in it for some fresh tracks. Looks like I made it into thee Almanzo 100 a gravel grinder race in Rochester Minnesota put on by none other then Chris Skogen. That name may sound familair too some of you that partook in thee CranksGiving Race, Chris has won thee outta towner class both years. Signed up running a fixed for a hundy...fuck yah! Anyone else want some of that Minnesota gravel? 1.5hrs on thee black label last night turned out to be purdy damn good....just as we got home from work....Loushous and Nathen pull into thee driveway after being out for a couple...Lou says stay outta Center...its back to ice only....well thats gonna change today:)

Fuck you PUNK...I'm enjoying these bird photos....cause when I look at them.... there I am flipping myself off thinking this.... fuck you punk ....you need to keep buckled down and dig deep this year ....ya know.... kick some fucking ass!

CVO Travels Abroad, Our Jedi brother has begun his year long journey of traveling by bike to places all of us want to go. Stay tuned to his personal blog above to see how his journey is going and too let him know we're missing his skinny ass....see you in the future buddy:)

Peace Mates

2hrs @ Thee Center Trails

What better way to start thee day....then

with these two plus Loushous, Steve Fuller, Rick and Rich...we road Roller Coaster, Standard J-11, Denmans, Squirrels Nest and Rhythm...then repeated them backwards:)

a nice gift from CVO awaited Teri and I when I got back from the ride.....

Same distance, much longer time to get home

Summer time rides home are right at 65 to 70 minutes for the 18 miles. Winter time snow rides home are 2hrs or 2.5hrs like yesterday. Decided to take the Neil Smith black label from NW 66th back to the city....knowing well it would be snow covered I prepared for a leg beat down. Once on the black label it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, there were 2 sets of vehicle tracks too ride in that made it much easier going. Ice still lingers under thee light coat of snow but there were no problems with slip sliding around. Once I made it to thee bail out that goes too Morning Star Drive the black label went to shit.....a couple of quads are the only tracks on this piece all the way to the creek bridge...that was a leg beat down. Of course after the creek bridge is where the city starts/stops its plowing for the inner city black label and all was good.

icy but a fast track to ride in....
clear trail heading into the city.....
a workout coming from Ankeny....
the things we see on black label....a doe deer head lay in the middle of the trail.....
I arrived at the shop just in time to witness a cell phone user fender bender....the lady in the van was freaking out after she rear ended thee other car.....go thing she was already on the phone for easy access to calling 911....

some dumb ass or in this case wet ass forgot to bring his fenders with him.......

Family coming into town this weekend, need to bust out 5 more ski bikes for the Des Moines Winter Games....gonna be fun racing ski bikes down that big hill at Sleepy Hollow:) CITA could use your help flagging some trail on Sunday morning at Summerset Lakes....check out CITA's website for details.

Peace

2.5hrs of Foggy, Icey Goodness

Sundays early morning ride welcomed me with lots of fog, slick streets, and slicker pave trails. No sooner then I was out Loushous texts me....Basso and Lou are at Hy-Vee having coffee. I rolled up just for a few minutes to bs, I had too ride early today as thee in laws were coming over around 10am and I wanted a couple hours of riding before getting back to hang out. Teri and I have a 30 day challenge going on.....she loves sweets and I love me beer.....5lbs in 30days.....no sweets, no beer:) I haven't had a beer since Thursday and the same for sweets til the mothernlaw brought over a banana cream pie yesterday. The deal was we'll drink all the beer eat all the sweets then start the challenge. The beer was gone but sweets still lingered, I was letting Teri take care of those. So yesterday I had 2 huge pieces of pie trying to kill it in a day:) There is another challenge that I'm doing.....thee other 30 day challenge....ride at least an hour everyday....I started this on Thursday also:) Riding sometime tonight...most likely after dark....we have to take Bianchi too the vet for shots, I'll be out once we're back:)

looking up Grand Ave..

somewhere in Clive on thee pave trail.....

waiting for Johnny and Govnr

Johnny...

Govn'r


Enjoy yer day mates:)

Peace

Time too get at it again:)

These bellies along with mine are brought too you by Budweiser. As usual my long (since October:) time off period is over once the new year hits. Well 2008 is here and I haven't a damn clue as to what I will be doing other then Crusty Butts Fat Tire Bike Week which is slated for June 18th - 22nd. Racing yes I will be racing.....just don't know when or where....I suppose I'd better look at some calendars in the next couple months ehy:) I also need to get ahold of good ole' boy Cully Todd and see if'n he's going to be doing some hundies.....and brutha Dennis Grelk is always up for long drives to race in unfamiliar places:) Only time will tell:)

Peace and Happy Fucking New Year!

Putt-Putt

Jeff Madison and Johnny C

Johnny and I stopped at Dans shop for some ink....he was out....damn it next time I guess.

A great goofy ride last night....had to ride me little wheels...my rear hub on the Monkey is shot. Little Haro was fun, looks like she'll be getting some more miles in this weekend:)

Peace

Legs Full O' Lead....

We had our Christmas party here at work yesterday....I ate entirely too damn much:) Thee ride home was purdy slow going..... I took 3 safety breaks just to give me belly a break. Today is another good day to ride, though I'm taking it off too do some tinkering this afternoon. Making a stand for me welding table to go on that is a break down so it don't take up so much damn room. Another ski bike is being built, I have a Kokopelli chain sculpture in me head that I need to get out....amongst other goodies. I suggest you enjoy your day unless your pussy is hurting...then I'd suggest going home too suck on your man binkies:)


this would make for one badass tattoo....clicky to make big too really appreciate the artist.

Peace & Good Day

Getting FIXED Today..

Going from a summers fixed bastard stepchild....

too a winters fixed bastard stepchild:)....


Another lovely day today mates best be getting out of thee basement for some fun miles:)

I WONDER IF SWEET JANE HAS ANY INK YET?

Peace

Too Warm for Ski Bike, Commuting Home Today:)

Gonna almost be 40 out today, you kiddies better get yer fenders out for some riding:) Maybe we can ski bike this weekend, till then if anyone wants too use'm just drop a line or call me.

Peace

Yesterdays Ride Home

An incredible afternoon for a ride home...the ice melting off of everything and dropping all over the roads/trails.....beautiful mates:)






Peace

Targhetto was a SaWheat ride home

single line through the leaves

my new Stanley 16oz thermos is perfect for cycling, although I recommend not putting it in your bottle cages as it catches a lot of dust:)

Thee sandy climb to the powerlines

Specialized Equinox II Gloves were perfect for the afternoons ride....30 degrees with sunshine....all good:)

city must have built up the edge....like thats gonna last:) We'll have a line in a couple of weeks:)

Peace

Turning Pedals Today:)

Heading home via thee Targhetto trail this afternoon, I should be at the Northern trail head at 2:30pm if anyone wants to join me:) 63lbs of deer meat in my freezer as of last night....yummy:) Sounds like we're going to have a very shitty Saturday, I'm thinking home projects:) Was going to finially finish the dinning room floor but now I'm thinking of painting Izzy's room:) Have a great day kiddies:)

Peace

Morning People...

I am one of thee above, hell when I wake up I'm already in a chipper ass mood:) Throw in a 17.5 mile bike ride to work.....hell I'm 10 times happier:) I was YELLING Good morning to the paper boy half a block away, I yelled hello to everybody I saw this morning. I can only imagine what their thoughts where:) Saw a HUGE buck this morning just past 30th....came right out of those apartments on the hillside.....nose to the ground like he was hot on thee estrus trail of a hot doe. Stopped 15ft. from me....tried to get a shot with camera but he bolted as I tried....damn it.
Just down the trail I hooked up with Jason on the Southern Trestle bridge for a morning chat and a nice mix of safety. Great morning for a commute...I think I'll try to do it again on Thursday:) Beggars night is upon us.....Izzy will be Princess Laya.....isn't it great....Izzy gets to dress up, dazzle candy filled hands for an hour or so....while Teri and I get all the goods:)

rolling out @ 5:20am.....Fucking Good Morning:)!!

Jason....rocks.....literally

our commuting steeds..

been awhile since I've had an Izzy photo up:) Such a cuttie:)

Barton Solvents burns....looking from the Saylorville Dam...really happy nobody was seriously hurt:)

Peace and Good Day Mates!!