Cross Curious

Mrs. PruDog is going to try her hand at Cyclocross this year. She likes mud so this may be the sport for her. Now I just got to get the K2 set up to 'cross so she doesn't have to lug the MTB around.

Jump in it

Despite feeling frisky in my head, the legs were not so excited about last night. But that was ok cause The Kid brought his A-Game last night! I suspected that the race would end in group and although we covered moves and made a couple efforts we rode more conservatively to save energy for the finish. I've wanted to get Erik a win all year and we came oh so close! Second at the line. But, I think we played it correct in the finish and maximized our outcome. Of course, this means we have to win next week....

Frisky. I has it.

Frisky. I has it. I like only to attack. So when I hear PR is having the races tonight? I jump in it.

Suffer the Ohop

So it'll take another week or so before I come off my Ronde Ohop high. You'll all just have to suffer until I do. Leila Kriske took some pictures of the 1/2 race, some of which you have seen in previous posts. Here's the rest.

I love it when a plan comes together

I have a dream. It is simple really: Two Days of Pain on August 13-14 2011. Day 1 features a LWV style kermesse in Eatonville or nearby, a real cross-crit in the evening and then Day 2 is Ronde Ohop back with a few more laps of the Ohop so Richter has to go really hard this time. All three races are independent but the rider who rides all three and gets the most points gets a jersey and the title 2011 "Lion of Ohop". Obviously, I am creating a competition ideally suited for me but let's not mention that.

That Bastardo No Longer To Exist in my Happy Mind

I was supposed to call someone out for looking at me funny last night. But gosh darnit I am just so happy that Dino-man & I attacked like crazed poodles last night that I just can't hate on anyone. I was really hoping he'd get in the winning break but it ended up being me, Nicos and some Excel dude I should know but was too busy trying to stay on to recognize. And thanks to Matt for opening the door for me and then slamming it shut so I could get across to Nicos clean-like.

I am pretty sure Nicos won (I was too busy celebrating making the break to really notice). Even if it is Masters it's nice to get a couple good rides in (two thirds in three days) after feeling pretty blah for a few weeks. Watch out next year after I loose some weight and train!

How The Ohop was won

In style by the guy in the center with the big brick to prove it. Congrats to Richter for dominating the race.

The Sweetest Taboo

After years of wondering why the race schedule peters out mid-July I now have the answer. Everyone is on vacation or at weddings. It's true; I suspect that the young kids are at NRC and the old dudes have families that suck their time once the weather clears up.

That said, I finish every year (even one I race lightly in) thinking I could have done more! I want to do more!

So, maybe it's time to address the greatest Taboo of all! No, not my spelling! Shut up you! I mean racing earlier. I mean, I've seen you guys. It's not like you aren't racing your training rides anyway. Any yah it rains but.. it racing until June already! Would turnout suffer? Maybe. But it can't be worse that turnout in August.

So why not a LWV style road series starting mid-Feb? Frankly I'd do it. I love racing in crap weather. But I've always thought I was the exception to the rule. Maybe more accurately, I assumed I'd do it and love it and no one else would. Now i am starting to wonder if everyone would do it, complain, but love it any way.

Update I: Looks like OBRA beat me to the punch.

The Ronde is coming!

Light blogging as I work towards getting the Ronde Ohop ready for this weekend. Lots to do, less with race organization as much as working with the various stakeholders in this event.

Looks like turnout will be good; the cross crowd is the wild card since they don't pre-register for anything! Buck the trend and do it here.

Remember, the race is good for upgrade points and the womens and Masters race combined but we are scoring seperately.

Idiots

this is why I vote Democrat.

2011 Family Squad Plan

Serious chatty about the 2011 plan: basically the goal of the KR Masters squad is not just to win races but to make racing more accessible to kids. Now, there's definitely a selfish component here: if my kids race I get to race and Mrs. PDog is happy and the race gets marked in the "cool thing we did together" category and not the "PruDog is a selfish asshole who ditches us to ride his bike" category. So the plan is to use the local crits (Cascadia, Redmond, Matava) as a Kids Cycling Season. Kids & Parents are geared to thinking of sports as season anyway and it makes the commitment clear and managible. We're planning on doing a rootbeer garden near the start / finish the kids can hang out in. We're putting together a warm-up tent so the kids can warm up / feel part of a team. And we're getting banners/kites put together so there's a village feel. The kids squad will be open to all; we aren't really trying for a KR Kids team. But we will do some kind of kids clothes so the little ones can feel part of a unique experience. And we will be encouraging school mates, etc to come out as well including leading rides to some of the crits and doing lead/sweep for the races.

Cause that's how we roll!

300 Days and Nights

Only 300 days or so until 2011 Cascadia Crit series. And let the trash talking begin: Today's shot is Gary Brown. Just saying you won't be winning three (was it four?) races next year buddy. We'll be showing you a clean pair of wheels! And don't think we've forgotten Torgy. No sir. We know our enemies.

Masters Is Were It's At

I officially throw down the guantlet to all and every Masters team in the NW to step their games up next year. KR is bringing a full squad out to play at the crits. We are aiming to win every race.. nay! every prime... nay! every lap! But playing by ourselves is no fun! So start that recruiting now! I want to see IJM, Garage and Cucina bringing the A+++ game next year. Make the Canadians work for it!

And bring your kids cause we are going to work hard at building a family experience including a little kids squad for the "season". We want to get our kids and their friends out to Cascadia next year and bringing their parents. We'll have a Kid's Rootbeer Village and warm-up tent.. it'll be fun!

Etron Win!

Rumor has it that eTron won the State TT but I wonder if perhaps, just perhaps, eTron is really a certain former euro-pro come to steal our strippers and otherwise ruin Seward Park for everyone?

Shut up that's why!

T-Stallion has returned from cycling retirement to send me funny Chuck Norris jokes. Funny until he claimed Chuck Norris could beat up Batman.

Yah, whatever. Chuck Norris is lame and Batman rules. And he is a better dancer.

The 28'ers

The most common question I get about the Ronde Ohop is whether I recommend a cross bike or a road bike. The answer is: Neither*. I recommend 28c tires. Beyond that it's personal preference.


*OK, here's a longer answer: The Ronde sits right in that sweet spot of terrain that neither really puts you at a disadvantage. Traditionally, the race has been won on a road bike. I think that has more, though, to do with the larger gearing available in the final sprint. The year Ronde was won on a cross bike was also the year it we had a mini-flood of the course and the Muur Mashel became nearly unridable as a result. In that year the smaller gears were a benefit.

So, I think the bike is personal preference. If you are getting ready for cross season or are a pure cross rider ride the cross bike. If you are a pure roadie ride the road bike. The course is hard, oh yes it's hard. But it's not a mountain bike race.

Which brings us right back to what's critical: if you roll anything smaller than a 25c tire you. will. pinch. flat. Heck, I roll 28's and you should too if they fit on your bike. Again, the dirt is hard and rough. It's bumpy. You don't need to be perfect; the trick is riding through the bad stuff and not trying to avoid every pothole. Push a low cadence, power gear and let the front end float. But no matter how good you are you'll hit something wrong and it'll be game over if you have 23c on. But 28 and you are golden!