So, I have this friend, a really great friend-one of the best. She is such an amazing role modeling in all the crazynesses of life, especially cycling. She always has her gear ready, her food prepared, her clothes aligned for her to get suited and booted quickly. Her pre-race warm-up does not include a bunch of chicky-chacking (like mine does), her work ethic kicks the shit out of most and her bike is always clean! Sadly and again I am admitting to you all another shortcoming, but this is not like me, I’m the “oh I’ll clean it tomorrow” type, or “as soon as I find a hose it’ll get it done” girl…”oh look there’s a car wash!”(insert screeching brake sounds) Just blast the dirt off, nothing works like a pressure washer for those caked on mud stains and mucked up drive trains. Right? Don’t worry, for those of you aghast, I’m usually careful to mind the proper bearings and seals!
Anyways, I digress a little. My friend Dellys Strarr, 2008 mountain bike Olympian, always says, “A clean bike is a fast bike.” And she is right!
Yesterday, after I went to Redstone Cyclery and had Dave get my wheels rolling. I swapped out a cassette and some rotors over to rims that would make the bike lighter. The Stans NoTubes wheelset are nice and light but will also allow me to have a tubeless set up. I just secretly hope they will act like an intergalactic force field, protecting me against the perils, the gloom and the doom (not to be confused with Dr Doom Steve Fassbinder) of French Gulch and the other famously rocky Breck decents. I say two thumbs down for flats. Who’s with me? Digressing again…So after all this…I took “Copi” for another ride up my arch nemesis…and realized he could go faster-if only he were clean!
So I went to the car wash…no just kidding. I actually broke out the simple green, the hose, the rag, the brush, and got down and dirty…but not before drinking and Old Chub. Was it the chicken or the egg? Hmmm.
Thank you Dellys Starr for your good influences. The Durance along with my pretty white Spot are both now sparkling clean and race ready. Next comes the arduous task of packing. All I can say to that is, man it sure comes in handy never to really unpack. I basically live out of my car/suitcase. Wherever I go, there I am. I think it was actually James Hetfield of Metallica who said it best, “ Anywhere I roam, Where I lay my head is home.” So I’m set, 2 days till the green hornet flies again, followed closely by the famously evil Dale’s Pale Ale RV. Breckenridge or Bust?
Speaking of busting…I just may bust a move right now because I am listening to some amazing jazz funk, don’t know who it is, don’t care, but it’s awesome. Oh and another awesome discovery from the music world lately came in the form of The White Buffalo. You must check this man out. He has an unbelievable voice. Crush lately? I have!
Happy day to all, and cheers to accompany your evening,
JG
1 comment:
On little french flume watch out for old bits and pieces of flume sticking out of the trail. It can pop a tire quick. Those dam miners did not think of fat tire freaks and clean up after them selves.....Good luck we'll be cheering you on......
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