psssst!

Just tryin to counter all the calories taken in the past few days...hopped on the trainer for a spin, got a flat tire! How's THAT happen? I managed to re-air and get a 25 min workout before it was too low again for any resistance on the roller, then  pulled the tube out to find a hole on the tread side, but no evidence in the tire itself. The hole seems to be on a seam, so it could've been a defect. Anyhow, patched it with a Speedpatch(read: bicycle-specific scotch tape).

Note to self: Replace tube before pumping past 100psi and hitting the road again!

Time to rebuild

Winter started a couple days ago, right? With a foot of powder  everywhere we look around here, it's time to think of alternate forms of trail experiences. The new snowshoes are ready. I have a good stockpile of toe warmers. I do need gaiters, which I promised myself I'd invest in this year. All I need is the time to get out there. Christmas is less than two days away, so there are more 'important' things to do right now. But with any luck, I'll get a SS hike in with friends on saturday.

Jan/February is a time to cleanup, organize, catch up, and rebuild. I'll likely strip my bike down to the frame, inspect it and touch-up the dings and scratches, maybe install a new BB. I'll clean up my bike room in the cellar, try to keep a workout regimen on the trainer, finish the drywall projects, do some painting around the house, all that stuff that gets put off....maybe try to READ, rebuild the mind.....

Kundalini

Another day in the Blue Hills, sans the snow. Frozen ground with half-frozen mud puddles full of horseshoe-holes. Lots of trail garbage from recent weather. Below freezing temps clogging up the mucus and burning my lungs. Sun shining. Wind blowing.

Below me is the SJ 29er again.

I flipped the stem, that seems to help my stance, but still need either risers or a Mary Bar. I'm seeing less and less need for the Big Ring, and not real confident at speed yet anyways.

I'm thinking about centering myself on this bike. Having trouble while standing and powering uphill brings this to my attention. My center on this 29er is obviously different than on my 26er. Originally I thought it was the more minimal knobbiness of the rear tire. Now I know that's not really it, at least not in itself. More study must be done on this theory/concept. Must find that inner liquid fire. Must ride more.

Not sure what happened to my links. When the old blog was being eaten alive by phony pharmaceutical spam, I renamed the address and supposedly the blog was transferred in its entirety, but a few details are missing...

So, I have to rebuild my links, one at a time...

Like a Hamster

Spinning on the trainer. When it's raining, too cold, or just too snowy, it's a good option. It's also good for a quick workout without getting all suited up. No dirt, ticks, no cleanup after. Just a workout. Oh I've got it down to a little more interesting than that--crank up my favorite tunes, mute the tv.....

My 50 minute workout

I do 5 min warmup in a fairly easy gear, then go right into intervals. Every 5 min, 2 min of a higher gear. At about 35 min, I continue the higher gear for 3 more minutes, then switch to Big/Small(high) for a few more minutes, then proceed to warm down so that the last 5 minutes are back to the easy(middle/middle) gear.

I use a HRM for 'future reference'....and log all my workout info, inside or out....

If I do this workout consistently all winter, at least 3x/week, I'm feeling real good by opening day....of course, weather permitting, a ride/hike/snowshoe/xc ski outside is always better..

29er test #2--BH doubleheader

The next good test of the SJ 29er was at the Blue Hills Toys Ride. As has been strangley traditional(coincidental?), almost every year happens to be a snow-ride. Rain the day before turned to snow overnight and the 3-4" powder on the trail was just the right consistency for traction. The wet stuff underneath didn't have a chance to ice up. Perfect!

I brought the bike over in the Jeep, with the rear bench seat down and the front wheel off the bike. I inserted a disc-brake wedge in the caliper so I wouldn't have to worry about accidentally squeezing the lever and all that.....

Specialized has this new axle/QR system that I was unfamiliar with, but I was able to figure it out on the spot and get the wheel off and back on just as easily as the old-school QR.. the only thing I miss is the little springs that center the QR on my old wheels, but my guess is there's a good reason for leaving them out of the new design. The fast guys that I met in the parking lot were chomping at the bit to get going, so I had to catch up with them, but had no trouble with that. The crew was a good eclectic mix of older riders on an equally eclectic quivver of Titanium, steel, and aluminum hardtails, and lightweight fullies.

We had a good romp in and around Tucker Hill, only about 40 minutes of riding, but enough to get a feel for the bike, and the snow. The bike really picks up quick when I want it to. I still miss my sus. seatpost, so that will be the next ride. But the stock post/seat didn't cause me any pain later in the day...

The bike climbs as good and better than most 26" hardtails. Downhills I will have to report on drier trails, as I was very tentative, not wanting to re-injure my wrist or anything else. And most of the downhill shots were fairly tech, which I usually shy away from anyways. We cruised back to the VC in style and prepared for the next ride...

The next ride was with the middleschool bike club. I led them around a mostly doubletrack 8-mile loop. Gotta love those disc brakes! Every other snow ride I have ever been on I've had to deal with v's or canti's and the fact that neither work in snow slush and ice.

This ride was a slower pace based on safety and the fact that some of the adults on the ride weren't as experienced, so we took our time. I had a few chances to drag it up to speed, but one thing I noticed was that it felt like I was hydroplaning anytime I really hit the gas. One downhill shot on a very familiar trail I almost careened out of control, but the bike magically righted itself just as I thought I was done. The stronger gyroscopicity of the bigger wheels, perhaps? My theory is that the stock Specialized tires, being kinda minimally knobbed, fill up with snow and, at speed, considering the stickyness of that particular snow, didn't shed quickly enough to keep any traction. At slower speeds, no problem, with the psi of the tubeless setup at around 25. I still would try a slightly wider, knobbier version.

The ghost-shifting to granny was still an issue. Maybe my thumb's too big...

29er test #1

one sexy-ass bike

Had the good fortune of being offered a 'test ride'--a period of about two weeks in which to 'demo' a 2010 Specialized 29er hardtail from Bike Barn. Not sure whether I can afford one right now--well I' sure I can't, but maybe it'll snow alot this winter and my son and I can make bank on shovellin'....

Anyhow, I figure I'll tack two more weeks of riding onto my 'season' and make the best of it.

My first ride on the bike was on my real local trails, the ones right out my back door, a 3.5-mile marsh-loop, with an eclectic mix of dirt road, rooty woods, rock steps, quick steep climbs, squishy mud spots, grassy knolls, singletrack, with a tiny bit of pavement and curb-hopping thrown in. Home to Osprey, Cormorants, Red Tail Hawks, Great Blue Heron, lots of Crow and Starling, Coyote, and too many Squirrel, there's plenty wildlife.......It's a fast loop, best done twice for a base workout.

I rode like I usually do, as fast as is comfortable, while babying my 'arthritic' wrist. My first impression was that it rolls FAST!! When I hit my first curb it practically rolled right up itself, with less 'wheelie' input. When I tried the granite steps, I hardly had to try, save for the tires being wet, which made me try harder not to let slip.....

The fastest section, an arc through a gravelly parking lot, was a breeze. The singletrack bench trail above the marsh was nice, but the quick turns on and off that section showed me how the big wheels need more space to turn, and I'd need to anticipate earlier....

The true test was of the quick climbs. If there are any aspects of a bike that I really want it to excel at, it's climbing and short bursts of speed. This bike had me climbing like a goat and has no trouble drag-racing.

The things I didn't like about the bike were:

• the SRAM thumb-shifters, which I would knock accidentally with my left thumb, dropping me into granny real quick. I could probably get used to better hand placement. I've only ever had gripshift....
• the Specialized tires, not knobby enough for my tastes. While I wouldnt want to pile on much more weight to this lean 25 pound machine, I like my traction all-around.

The only other things I'd change right now would be to throw on my thudbuster and maybe riser bars. But I'll flip the stem first to see if I get high enough with that....

Santa's Ride

Last night the temps dropped and the weather went from pouring rain torrentially to blizzard-like snow conditions. The Fells had cancelled their ride, and it didn't look good for the annual Blue Hills Toys Ride. The deck was icy, the marsh was relatively snowless, and it was below freezing...... but the sun was shining!....I broke the crust off the Thule and loaded the bikes. As I drove closer to the BH it became more obvious that more snow had fallen away from the coast. Not alot, but the 2 inches of powder on top of the ice had bent trees over the road. Driving up Wompatuck Road was that amazing winter wonderland, one that only comes once a year, that is, the first snow of the year. I tried to video the scene, which my 1.3mp phone-era really didn't translate very well, and besides I had to keep my eyes on the icy road.

Ride Part #1

I got to the parking lot in time to hook up with Howie The Plumber, Jim the CandyMan, Captain Dave, Dave P, and a couple other riders. Starting up the paved 'Picnic Loop' on the ice wasn't a wholelotta fun. But as we hit the first trail it became apparent how much fun this was gonna be. The snow was fresh, alittle crisp, and covered up many of the rocks and roots that would normally slow us down...

I just remembered also why this ride was shaping up to be fun--I was handed a StumpJumper 29er hardtail to demo last time I stopped at BikeBarn. Kevin said to 'ride it for awhile'. I had already tried it on my local marsh-loop and was real happy with the Big Wheels. They were smoothing out the trail real nicely.

Riding along, we knocked the bent trees out of the way, sending snow all over the guy behind, laughing all the way up the first hill and back down the backside 'no name' trail and back to the VC for coffee. We probably rode about 45 minutes total, but it was enough to get the spirits warmed up for the rest of the day.

Ride Part #2

Back at the VC enjoying some donut-carbo-loading and coffee with the local riding scene, another group was forming. The Silver Lake middle school mtb club had arrived, and was chomping to ride. Probably 9 13-14 year old boys, an 11-year old girl, a couple of parents, and their fearless leader, a teacher from the school, and a couple of us Yellowjackets to lead and sweep. We started our ride up the paved loop(again) and proceeded to follow the white multi-use loop, with a few diversions here and there. Traction in the snow was amazing. The kids (all of us..)were having a good time, especially when it came to going downhill. A few scary no-brake moments there. The snow cakes up quickly on the rim-brakes and renders them basically useless. But of course I was on the new disc-braked Specialized grinning all the way. We stopped to do some impromptu trail cleanup--the trails were littered with derailleur-breaking branches and some larger trees and limbs. We sessioned the log-over --always a good photo-opp. Crossing Hillside Street we bombed down the Cable Trail and behind the old zoo dump, before crossing Unquity and beginning the long grind back up to Five Corners. Finally! I didn't have to lie again with 'it's all down hill from here' It really was, and after the waterbar safety talk, we cruised down Wolcott back to HQ and the VC.

Amazingly enough, no mechanicals, injuries, and hardly a complaint! And Santa was at the VC waiting for us with hot chocolate and more pastries....

Oh Yeah! And we collected a truck-full of toys for kids in need...

My Food Blog

My previous post about 'salt your onions' inspired me to create a separate blog for all my food-related musings.....

Hopefully, Thoughts on Food will entertain, amuse, sate, and inspire all at the same time...

Blog On!

Salt your onions

OK here's the thing--you gotta salt your onions, ANY onions, garlic included, when you begin cooking them. You gotta lubricate them. too, with alittle oil in the pan. Actually this applies also to when you're not actually HEATING them, but when you want to soften them and take the edge off--i.e. when starting to make a vinaigrette...In that case, you don't add the oil until later. Salt the onions, and let them sit for a few minutes, then add your acid, and let it steep a few more minutes before adding the oil and other flavors. If you are making an emulisified vinaigrette with egg yolk, the yolk would be added just before the oil.

Not to say you need so much salt as to be offensive, just enough to start bringing out the moisture from the onion. Be especially careful not to use too much salt when making caramelized onions...

The only exception to this rule is when using shallots in a wine reduction(beurre blanc), add the wine directly to the cold sliced or minced shallots then turn on the heat to reduce. Add salt later on as needed. This only applies to shallots, as they are sweet and not so pungent as other onions.

DO NOT put raw onions on a pizza. Always cook at least alittle first! (with salt of course)

The smaller that you mince or slice the onion, the faster the salt will bring out the moisture and soften the onion's flavor...

IF you're one of those people who LIKES raw onion, then disregard all of this!

I'm so happy that my new blog here is spam-free(so far)

mtbchurch sent you a video: "Mark Weir pump track mountain bike dirt jump style riding"

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mtbchurch has shared a video with you on YouTube: the way to dig clay Mark Weir pump track mountain bike dirt jump style riding Mark Weir pump track mountain bike dirt jump style riding
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mtbchurch sent you a video: "Stowe Bike Park Pump Track"

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mtbchurch has shared a video with you on YouTube: more pump track Stowe Bike Park Pump Track A pump track session from the early days of the Stowe Bike Park. The park has grown considerably, check it out. Visit http://www.stowemountainbike.com Video by Brent Buckman. Location: Stowe, Vermont
© 2009 YouTube, LLC 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066

Stretching Routine

It's always good to have a pre/apres routine...

Holiday Toys Ride Blue Hills December 6

Hope to see you there!!

Steve Cobble

Download the original attachment

DCR Blue Hills Reservation 

Holiday Toy Drive

 & Mountain Bike Ride

or Hike 

Sunday, December 6 

Toy Drop & refreshments 10 am – 1 pm

Mountain Bike Ride 10 am

Houghton's Pond Hike 1 pm 

Meet at Houghton's Pond Visitor Center

at 840 Hillside Street in Milton. 

Join the DCR Park Rangers and volunteers from Blue Hills TrailWatch and New England Mountain Bike Association

 for our annual holiday toy drive collection.  Bring a new

unwrapped toy, then go on a guided or self-guided mountain

bike ride or ranger-led hike. All toys will be donated to

Interfaith Social Services which help families in need

during the holidays. Gifts for children ages 11-16 are

most needed and appreciated. 

Call 617-698-1802 for more information.

Apple Season

OK so yes it's been awhile since I really commented on my blog. Life is. While I'm thinking, I've just about hadit with that starving college students story about how that company 'life is good' got started. They're OK now, I won't be funding them anymore. I'll have my own starving college students soon enough. I'd be so lucky that my own would come up with their own pet rock and make us happy for the rest of our days...I guess as parents we never know...

It's (almost )fall now, the air has changed, the tomatoes are finally starting to ripen, the grass isn't growing as fast, nights are bearable, and from what I hear all that freakin rain we got earlier this year is gonna make for a great apple season. Apples fresh off the tree, the varieties, each with a different purpose and micro-season...the Big Apple is next on my list of places to go this week.

I shoulda been an apple farmer.

Maybe I still will.

Top of Mount Mansfield

just under an hour...

same

Comments Needed! Blue Hills Resource Management Plan

Here is a fwd from Blue Hills decision-makers:

Dear Interested Citizen or Stakeholder,

 

As part of our agency's commitment to engaging the public in dialogue as part of our Resource Management Planning efforts, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) recently provided you with notice of a public meeting we held the evening of July 29 regarding the Blue Hills Reservation.     

 

We were pleased to receive a significant amount of input from the audience at that meeting on how they use the facility, the aspects of it that are important to them, and the elements that they feel should be protected and how.  Public comment received at the meeting and subsequently highlights issues for our attention and is an important component of our planning process.

 

We have posted the presentation that was made by DCR that evening at 

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/materials/Blue%20Hills%20RMP%2029%20July%202009%20for%20web.pdf.  We encourage you to view the presentation and to provide us with your comments by emailing rmp.comments@state.ma.us or calling 617-626-4974. 

 

Over the next several months, DCR will be preparing a draft plan for the Reservation, which we will post on the DCR website at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/rmp/index.htm, for public review and comment.  Then, in late 2009 or early 2010, we will hold a second public meeting, regarding which you will be notified, to obtain additional input on the draft plan.  As the final step in the Planning process, we anticipate submitting the proposed Blue Hills Resource Management Plan to the DCR Stewardship Council in early 2010 for their approval. 

 

We appreciate your interest and input. 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Paul Cavanagh

Resource Management Planner

Comments Needed! Blue Hills Resource Management Plan

Dear Interested Citizen or Stakeholder,

 

As part of our agency's commitment to engaging the public in dialogue as part of our Resource Management Planning efforts, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) recently provided you with notice of a public meeting we held the evening of July 29 regarding the Blue Hills Reservation.     

 

We were pleased to receive a significant amount of input from the audience at that meeting on how they use the facility, the aspects of it that are important to them, and the elements that they feel should be protected and how.  Public comment received at the meeting and subsequently highlights issues for our attention and is an important component of our planning process.

 

We have posted the presentation that was made by DCR that evening at 

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/materials/Blue%20Hills%20RMP%2029%20July%202009%20for%20web.pdf.  We encourage you to view the presentation and to provide us with your comments by emailing rmp.comments@state.ma.us or calling 617-626-4974. 

 

Over the next several months, DCR will be preparing a draft plan for the Reservation, which we will post on the DCR website at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/rmp/index.htm, for public review and comment.  Then, in late 2009 or early 2010, we will hold a second public meeting, regarding which you will be notified, to obtain additional input on the draft plan.  As the final step in the Planning process, we anticipate submitting the proposed Blue Hills Resource Management Plan to the DCR Stewardship Council in early 2010 for their approval. 

 

We appreciate your interest and input. 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Paul Cavanagh

Resource Management Planner

Two Mtb Events of Note

http://www.catamounttrail.org/news/secondannualracetothetopofvermont/

http://www.peakraces.com/index.php?inc=bikerace

Re: [MountainBikeChurch] Fwd: Public meeting for Blue Hills Resource Management Plan [1 Attachment]

Last time we had an opportunity to have our voices heard was back in 1992, when the current mountain bike policy and restrictions were re-implemented. There were about 30 people at the meeting, (Bill, Tim, Christy, Doug, Jeff I specifically recall being there, I think some of the FAT and Merlin gang was there too.) Over 2/3's of those present were mountain bikers. The rest were hikers and horse folk, and there was one particularly nasty representative from the equestrian contingent there. (Whose proclamation of, "I don't hate bikes - I have a hybrid, but the Blue Hills should be preserved for horses only" - brought howls of protest from both hikers and cyclists alike.) 

 

Our input was mostly ignored, although I can fairly confidently say that without that representation there, mountain biking may very well have been limited to paved roads only. (That was what the horse riding contingent wanted).

 

That meeting was announced last minute - the morning of the meeting. Many phone calls were made that day amongst shops and bike builders. We got about 20 people to show up and be heard.

 

This is an opportunity to make sure appropriate policy is re-drafted - such as the trail closure being shifted from (12/31 through 4/15 ) to a more reasonable and practical 3/1 until Memorial Day weekend. (Mud Season, as opposed to frozen ground season).  Between the advance notice, email lists, forums facebook and twitter etc - we should be able to make this work better - combined with 17 years worth of usage proof showing that mountain bikes have in fact *not* destroyed the Blue Hills. If anything, usage has gone down and many trails that exist are becoming overgrown.  It's about time the Chickatawbut section was opened up and bikes were allowed on more single track.

 

Eric Heinrich

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Cobble" <cobblestv@gmail.com>
To: "mtb-semass" <MTB-SEMass@yahoogroups.com>, "Mountain bike church" <MountainBikeChurch@yahoogroups.com>, mtb-boston@yahoogroups.com, mbrclist@massbayroadclub.org, "Blog entry" <cobblestv.mountainbikechurch@blogger.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:28:11 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [MountainBikeChurch] Fwd: Public meeting for Blue Hills Resource Management Plan [1 Attachment]

[Attachment(s) from Steve Cobble included below]

If you enjoy the Blue Hills, please try to attend!

Steve Cobble

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Comments, RMP (DCR) <Rmp.Comments@state.ma.us>
Date: Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Subject: Public meeting for Blue Hills Resource Management Plan
To:

Hello,

 

Please find attached an announcement for the upcoming meeting on the Blue Hills Resource Management Plan.

 

 

 

 

 

This e-mail has been sent to those with a known interest in the Blue Hills Reservation, Quincy Quarries, and Ponkapoag.  If you believe that you have received this e-mail in error and wish to have your name removed from our distribution list, please contact us at RMP.comments@state.ma.us; include the words "Blue Hills RMP" in your subject line.

__._,_.___

Attachment(s) from Steve Cobble

1 of 1 File(s)

Public Mtg Announcement BHRS RMP.pdf

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Fwd: Public meeting for Blue Hills Resource Management Plan

If you enjoy the Blue Hills, please try to attend!

Steve Cobble

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Comments, RMP (DCR) <Rmp.Comments@state.ma.us>
Date: Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Subject: Public meeting for Blue Hills Resource Management Plan
To:

Hello,

 

Please find attached an announcement for the upcoming meeting on the Blue Hills Resource Management Plan.

 

 

 

 

 

This e-mail has been sent to those with a known interest in the Blue Hills Reservation, Quincy Quarries, and Ponkapoag.  If you believe that you have received this e-mail in error and wish to have your name removed from our distribution list, please contact us at RMP.comments@state.ma.us; include the words "Blue Hills RMP" in your subject line.

How to remove a tick (apparently this works)

Subj: How to remove a tick (no joke).


Spring will be here soon and the wood ticks will soon be showing their
heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your children, or your
pets. Give it a try.

Please forward to anyone with children... or hunters or dogs, or
anyone who even steps outside in summer!!

A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share --
And it really works!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to
remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where
it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in
the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the
soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the
tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you
lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and
that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and
easier for me.

Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be
damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice
because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with
tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say,
"It worked!"

Please pass on. Everyone needs this helpful hint.

Blue Hills Mountain Bike Day 2009 Pics

Blue Hills Day 2009 http://www.flickr.com/photos/20687952@N03/sets/72157619329751147/ A selection of things from the set (By the way, if the set link doesn't work, try copying and pasting it from this email into your browser's address bar.) Flickr is almost certainly the best photo management and sharing application in the world. If you'd like to see what I use it for you can check out my profile page or browse my photostream.

Happy National Trails Day!

As we all know, Saturday, June 6th is National Trails Day. Enjoy your favorite trails in whatever way you like. There's a bridge building/repair in Wompatuck. The Friends of Blue Hills have a trail maintenenance event going on. DCR has various trail work events at other parks, including Cutler in Needham. I personally am leading the SEMass NEMBA Beginner skills ride/clinic in Quincy.

Enjoy the day. Any ?? call me, as I will be away from the computer for the weekend!

Steve Cobble

semassnemba.org

781-254-8796

Blue Hills Day 2009

Happy Spring!

Again, and it's almost Summer! Been along time inbetween posts....

Blue Hills Mountain Bike 'Discovery' day is this weekend, abit earlier than last, and in the original location, in front of the food concession at Houghton's Pond. Fitting for the event, since thats where it started, and  the event has been scaled-back,and good location for hungry bikers looking to refuel quickly.

The weather looks like it will cooperate, so that will be an improvement over some past years. We'll see what the forecast brings. People will believe anything the weatherman says, and if he says it may rain on the weekend, then bam! go the weekend plans. Lets stay in and play Wii tennis instead.........

Either way, I'll be there early with bells on.

Right up our alley......

Blessing of the Bikes – April 11th  9:30 AM

The South Shore will see a cycling event unlike anything offered in the past.  St. Andrew's Church in Hanover will hold a brief, non-denominational service, the Blessing of the Bikes.  People of all ages are encouraged to attend. Pembroke resident, Bill Sprows, has gained the enthusiastic cooperation of the Rev. Beth Wheatley-Dyson, in presiding over and hosting this event.  St. Andrew's Rev. Beth encourages and practices outreach to the local communities and she views this as another exciting opportunity to practice that.

The idea for this, Sprows relates, is based on a similar event in that is now in New York City, now in it's 11th year.  While online investigating the Five Boro Bike Tour in New York, he clicked on a few links and found himself at the Blessing of the Bikes website in New York.  It interested him because, similar to 'The Blessing of the Fleet' ceremonies in New Bedford and Gloucester, it welcomes the beginning of spring by seeking to ensure a safe season.

In March, two cyclists were injured by a hit and run drunk driver in Cohasset.  One of the victims had to be hospitalized.  Bicycle injuries are common and not all related to auto accidents.  Sometimes it's just a pot hole or a split-second of distraction.  Sprows himself has sustained several injuries on his bike, usually during charity rides.  Had it not been for his helmet, the outcome of his injuries could have been much worse.  A blessing for the wisdom to be careful and alert is just as important as the bikes.

The Blessing of the Bikes will start promptly at 9:30 AM on Saturday, April 11th.  If you're late, you'll miss it.  Cyclists should arrive with their bikes and in their normal cycling attire including helmet. (Tricycles, Skates and non-motorized scooters are also welcome)  A remembrance of cyclists injured or killed, a quick announcement and the cyclists will be off on their respective rides.  Cycling clubs are encouraged to make this a stop on their normal Saturday morning routine.  A free-will offering, to St. Andrew's Outreach Program will be made by passing a helmet.

The Blessing of the Bikes promises to be an annual beginning-of-the-cycling-season event.  Regardless of your religious beliefs you are welcome. This type of event has been going on in NYC for quite a while, and they've never heard from anyone that the event made them uncomfortable. In other words, you will be blessed and welcomed; you will not be lectured.


For information, cyclists can email Bill Sprows at bsprows@yahoo.com or check St. Andrew's online at www.standrewshanover.org for directions.

Happy Spring!

Here we are once again, ready to roll, waiting for that DCR 'opening day', hoping it may be earlier......Up until a few weeks ago, I had not ridden outside since the Toys ride. Now I've ridden Wompy three times this year, Rode Cutler once, poached the BH once for a quickie, and done a coupla 'marsh loops'.. Aside from that, as was stated in the last post, 2-3x/week on the trainer, sometimes noteven that. 

The bike is ready to roll, with a replacement front end, a Fox 100RLC from 2004, that seems to feel just right, so far. BB is new, chain is new, and I have a pair of new UST Conti's just waiting to be mounted. 

That's it.

Happy Winter!

Notsomuch, with all this lovely white stuff surrounding us. I say lovely, only half-sarcastically, since the snow we've had so far this year has been of the very light, powdery variety. Easy to shovel, not hard on the back. And for those of you who dabble in winter sports which involve hurtling one's body weight down the steepest slope imagineable, it's as close to the upper afterlife as you'll get while you're here.

Me, after the Toys ride in december, I haven't ridden my bike outside. 3 hours per week on the trainer, thats about it.

Just thought I'd check in. 

Keep it warm!