Sunday, March 18, 2012
It's been a bit
So it's been a little while since I did anything active on this blog. Well, now starts the chronicle of me training for another century ride at the hotter than hell hundred in August. For those that don't know a century is a 100 mile road bike ride, roughly 6 hours at my pace. Not only will I be doing that, but I am signed up for the triple threat. It consists of a 13 mile mountain bike ride and a 13 mile trail run the day before and after the century. This finisher trophy better be freaking huge. So as of tomorrow, I cut all but one mountain dew a week. I will drink one with my amazingly unhealthy mcdonalds breakfasts on Saturdays, because you can't screw with tradition. Tomorrow Reanna and I will look at meal plans to help fuel training for me, and also for her as she attempts to ride herself back into shape as well. Wish me luck, this is not going to be fun.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Things and such...
Well, it is Friday night, and Reanna and I are at home, hanging out watching DVDs. But, earlier today, we ventured deep into town and explored the city museum. About this museum, it's not a museum that any normal person thinks about, it requires knee pads. It was pretty cool though to crawl through very realistic cave like tunnels, get myself stuck, and get in a few positions of "this wasn't the smartest idea ever." I would continue on about it, but unless one experiences it, the explanation is meaningless. If you're in shape, this is probably a must do if you ever get to the Saint Louis area.
A couple of days back I also started a project I've had in mind for a while with my truck. There is a company out there that makes a mesh grille insert that blows the stock grille out I the water looks wise. The only downside is that they want two hundred and fifty dollars for it. Now, I like it, but not that much. So after doing some research and looking at some designs online, I hacked into my front end and made my best attempt at recreating the grille. So after about 5 hours and around twenty dollars, I had what is shown below. Looks like pure sex from outside of 10 feet, just like the rest of the truck. But I'm happy with it for now, just need to move the horn bracket and paint a sweet trd logo on the accumulator. So that's the way it has gone here lately, anxious to start work on Monday.
Kevin
A couple of days back I also started a project I've had in mind for a while with my truck. There is a company out there that makes a mesh grille insert that blows the stock grille out I the water looks wise. The only downside is that they want two hundred and fifty dollars for it. Now, I like it, but not that much. So after doing some research and looking at some designs online, I hacked into my front end and made my best attempt at recreating the grille. So after about 5 hours and around twenty dollars, I had what is shown below. Looks like pure sex from outside of 10 feet, just like the rest of the truck. But I'm happy with it for now, just need to move the horn bracket and paint a sweet trd logo on the accumulator. So that's the way it has gone here lately, anxious to start work on Monday.
Kevin
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Finding "the bike shop"
For those who don't know, cyclists are pretty loyal when it comes to their local bike shop (LBS) when it comes to buying gear and looking for technical advice. Coming from a town that only had two to begin with it was an easy choice. You had either the shop full of douchebags, or Scott's Bike Shop. I chose Scott's.
Now the only issue is that I am six and a half hours away and can't just run down there after work anymore to chill or scope out new products or test ride the latest 29ers. So it is with those large shoes to fill that today I set off on finding a new LBS.
I had already visited one bike shop in the area and didn't get that same at home feeling I was looking for. It was very apparent that the employees were on commission, because when you mentioned you already had a bike, and gear, and water bottles, and that all you wanted was some trail info you were hurriedly pushed aside. Now that isn't the employees fault, I understand being on commission and all that but there was only 3 customers and 5 employees. So, disgusted I left.
But thankfully today Reanna and I tried out another shop called South Side Cyclery an I have to say, these guys are pretty cool. Spent about an hour on there talking with one of the employees about trails in the area and getting a fellow riders perspective of them. That's what sold me right there. Someone who was willing to go out of his way to be friendly and make a good contact, and wether on commission or not, I'll go back to them for any bicycle related purchases I have.
So now that I have a new official LBS, I have some good info on a trail about 30 minutes away that Reanna and I are going to go check out tomorrow and we will see how it goes.
Kevin
Now the only issue is that I am six and a half hours away and can't just run down there after work anymore to chill or scope out new products or test ride the latest 29ers. So it is with those large shoes to fill that today I set off on finding a new LBS.
I had already visited one bike shop in the area and didn't get that same at home feeling I was looking for. It was very apparent that the employees were on commission, because when you mentioned you already had a bike, and gear, and water bottles, and that all you wanted was some trail info you were hurriedly pushed aside. Now that isn't the employees fault, I understand being on commission and all that but there was only 3 customers and 5 employees. So, disgusted I left.
But thankfully today Reanna and I tried out another shop called South Side Cyclery an I have to say, these guys are pretty cool. Spent about an hour on there talking with one of the employees about trails in the area and getting a fellow riders perspective of them. That's what sold me right there. Someone who was willing to go out of his way to be friendly and make a good contact, and wether on commission or not, I'll go back to them for any bicycle related purchases I have.
So now that I have a new official LBS, I have some good info on a trail about 30 minutes away that Reanna and I are going to go check out tomorrow and we will see how it goes.
Kevin
Sunday, January 1, 2012
First Ride of 2012 Cliff Cave Park
Today I decided to venture out a little and take a ride. It's been over a month since the last time I did anything serious on the bike, school and job were slowly trying to destroy me, and I was ready. As it turns out though, poor eating and lack of any exercise will suck the cardio right out of you.
I decided I was going to hit a trail called spring creek in cliff cave park. The trail was listed on the gateway off road cyclist (gorc) and was highly reviewed on singletrack.com as well as only 15 minutes from the house. So away I went, after scrounging threw the unpacked boxes to find any water bottle I could. I should have taken that as a sign to stay and unpack, but eh... riding sounded way more fun. So when I got there and got all my stuff unloaded I found out it was still really freaking cold here and the wind was going right through everything I had on. Must get better cold riding gear. So despite freezing my unmentionables off I hit the trail hard. The the trail hit back, harder. There is a ridiculously technical climb that leads up to the stacked loop single track and about halfway up the 500 foot climb I was attacked by a tree, and a rock, and a pile of horse poo. Thankfully I missed the poo, but I didn't miss the rock, glancing off of it and rolling a ways down the hill. So up the hill I walked... Got to the top and the trail is really well groomed and put together, some fast sections, a few rock gardens here and there and one short sprint climb. I just did the outer loop, I think, but I'm pretty sure I was lost more than once at confusingly marked intersections. But I finished it and rode the hill back to the truck, and missed the tree this time.
Once at the bottom I saw a trail cutting off through the creek and went to check it out, turns out it lead to the parks namesake cave, all closed off for some type of bat. It's apparently illegal to just be within so many feet of theses bats, because there were all kind of signs and game cameras mounted all around the fortress of an entrance. So I looked around a bit, then got cold and went back to the truck.
I'd definitely like to go back up there soon and ride the inner loop, and take the connecting trail to the bluff section, but for now I just really need to try to unpack and figure out what I need to do to get everything situated.
I decided I was going to hit a trail called spring creek in cliff cave park. The trail was listed on the gateway off road cyclist (gorc) and was highly reviewed on singletrack.com as well as only 15 minutes from the house. So away I went, after scrounging threw the unpacked boxes to find any water bottle I could. I should have taken that as a sign to stay and unpack, but eh... riding sounded way more fun. So when I got there and got all my stuff unloaded I found out it was still really freaking cold here and the wind was going right through everything I had on. Must get better cold riding gear. So despite freezing my unmentionables off I hit the trail hard. The the trail hit back, harder. There is a ridiculously technical climb that leads up to the stacked loop single track and about halfway up the 500 foot climb I was attacked by a tree, and a rock, and a pile of horse poo. Thankfully I missed the poo, but I didn't miss the rock, glancing off of it and rolling a ways down the hill. So up the hill I walked... Got to the top and the trail is really well groomed and put together, some fast sections, a few rock gardens here and there and one short sprint climb. I just did the outer loop, I think, but I'm pretty sure I was lost more than once at confusingly marked intersections. But I finished it and rode the hill back to the truck, and missed the tree this time.
Once at the bottom I saw a trail cutting off through the creek and went to check it out, turns out it lead to the parks namesake cave, all closed off for some type of bat. It's apparently illegal to just be within so many feet of theses bats, because there were all kind of signs and game cameras mounted all around the fortress of an entrance. So I looked around a bit, then got cold and went back to the truck.
I'd definitely like to go back up there soon and ride the inner loop, and take the connecting trail to the bluff section, but for now I just really need to try to unpack and figure out what I need to do to get everything situated.
Should probably do an intro....
Well, as the title says, I should probably do an introduction here. Please forgive the fact that this isn't going to be any awesome literary work like my girlfriends blog, to St. Louis with Love (shameless plug), but more of my take on all this stuff. Also, my name is Kevin, if that wasn't obvious.
So this whole adventure started off with me getting my degree in electrical engineering and a job far away from home. I Used to live in a town called Fort Smith, Arkansas. Went to the U of A and managed to get that coveted degree and a sweet job offer. Just two days ago my girlfriend Reanna and I moved into a house in Mehlville, Missouri. So here I sit, typing on my phone because I don't have any internet yet, watching an endless loop of 3 DVD's while Reanna is laughing at her cat.
One of the things that the reader will eventually find out is that I am am avid mountain biker. I truly do live to ride. It has come to the point that after a few days with no saddle time I get irritable and cranky and all other things someone who is trying to quit smoking will do. So this blog will also be about riding all the new trails I come across here as well and all the fellow people I meet on them. That's the nice thing about mountain biking, you hardly ever meet a jerk on the trail. I'm not saying they aren't out there, but most of those guys are roadies turned off roaders and eventually loose that I'm better than you attitude you find in a lot of them.
Yes, there is no real direction here, and I'm almost positive I will arbitrarily change direction mid post, or grammatically murder a post, but I'm an engineer not an English teacher. Hopefully I'll get a few more posts under my belt and see where it goes from here.
Kevin
So this whole adventure started off with me getting my degree in electrical engineering and a job far away from home. I Used to live in a town called Fort Smith, Arkansas. Went to the U of A and managed to get that coveted degree and a sweet job offer. Just two days ago my girlfriend Reanna and I moved into a house in Mehlville, Missouri. So here I sit, typing on my phone because I don't have any internet yet, watching an endless loop of 3 DVD's while Reanna is laughing at her cat.
One of the things that the reader will eventually find out is that I am am avid mountain biker. I truly do live to ride. It has come to the point that after a few days with no saddle time I get irritable and cranky and all other things someone who is trying to quit smoking will do. So this blog will also be about riding all the new trails I come across here as well and all the fellow people I meet on them. That's the nice thing about mountain biking, you hardly ever meet a jerk on the trail. I'm not saying they aren't out there, but most of those guys are roadies turned off roaders and eventually loose that I'm better than you attitude you find in a lot of them.
Yes, there is no real direction here, and I'm almost positive I will arbitrarily change direction mid post, or grammatically murder a post, but I'm an engineer not an English teacher. Hopefully I'll get a few more posts under my belt and see where it goes from here.
Kevin
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