Over the last years hiatus our personal lives have changed directions.  Milin and Chris have relocated out of Houston and while I’m not racing like I was in 2010 it was still a fun year for training and riding.  Winning segment leaderboards on Strava has become a major addiction for those of us who are still riding.  Personally one of my new missions is to take a top 3 spot at the Memorial Park picnic loop. You can check out the HighFlange club here if you want to spy on our rides.

Until then… safe riding.

via Creativebits

That’s right, it’s a penny farthing at the Apple store.

Ride The Divide Movie Trailer from Ride The Divide on Vimeo.

This ride redefines what is humanly possible. The Tour de France has less climbing, less miles, and these racers are finishing it faster by riding literally all day. This may actually be the most difficult race in the world. Road bikes are not rugged enough to handle this terrain. You can see the equipment choices are mostly hardtail MTB. The hardtail is efficient simplicity rugged, strong, and reliable enough to traverse the length of the entire country.
When you are a road racer, you warm up, eat, and sleep all the deliver a peak performance over 100 miles. In this, it is all done alone.
There are no EPO scandals, no blood samples being discovered in a vault, there are only real men, and one woman, proving their worth and strength both mentally and physically.

This is bike racing.

RideTheDividMovie.com

Check out the official website
http://tourdivide.org/

and memorium to Dave Blumenthal, a brave individual who passed away while doing what he loved. I’ve always said if I go I want it to be my heart exploding as I make one last final attempt at a sprint to claim victory in an XC race. Rest in peace Dave, you are an inspiration even after your passing.
http://tourdivide.org/blog2010/memory_dave_blumenthal

I bid farewall to my old friend. We shared a lot of miles together. I’d say we shared nearly 10,000 miles of riding on these terrible chipseal roads.

Now, looking to what’s next: Specialized crash replacement? If it wasn’t already apparent, I have weird proportions (that bike was actually fit to me by a pro) and a custom frame might actually work out nicely for me. I also happen to think that a nice durable steel or titanium frame would be a lifelong companion and a blast to ride around on.

Oh the possibilities.

(Also, you guys get to check out a sweet build thread: stay tuned)

I wanted to like Floyd Landis. He had the makings of a hero. Coming from a Mennonite background, the decision to participate in the sport of road cycling was not an easy one for him. When I heard him admitting to doping, especially after all the rattling he had been doing over the past years about racing clean, I lost a lot of faith in the sport, but more specifically in a man that I was once admiring for keeping his faith in justice in what I saw as a flawed system. I think I see things differently now. The doping tests DO work, and they ARE keeping cheaters out of the sport, despite their best efforts to remain undetected.

It is with this in mind that I propose the Floyd Fairness re-fund. While I never donated, and wouldn’t be eligible, I think it’s only fair that Floyd refunds the money he defrauded honest riders out of.

I was asked yesterday by my own mother what I had taken to get “those muscles.” Although I know she was asking about over the counter supplements (many of which are laced with illegal compounds) my reply was “vegetables.” The most I think I’ve taken is a protein shake or smoothie from the local smoothie shop. I’m no stranger to Hammer gels, HEED sports drink mixtures, and enervit sugar supplements, however as far as any supplements that actually claim to make you stronger? There is no such thing. There is only work, and the pain you are willing to endure while training, and the discipline of eating right and the self control of passing on dessert, unhealthy foods, and alcohol.

Usually on HighFlange, recumbents are a source of “LOLZ” for the masses. This “recumbent,” however, is worthy of drool and admiration. It may be the world’s slowest Porsche, but it makes getting a date while being car free a little easier (if you live in a car-centric city like us). Let’s just hope she has “POWALEGS” too so you can get there on time.
I think I can approve of this recumbent.
I also think a part of me just died after saying that.

via ferdinand johannes