Sunday Ride

TRACCE - sample 2 - CAMMINANDO SULL'ACQUA from COLTO on Vimeo.

ThNR Report

Duke, Steven, Shaun, Ike, Paul W, James, Tom and I enjoyed a rare Thursday Night Ride that included snow (that sounds odd becuase this is the greatest winter ever).  The winter conditions were troublesome for Ike as he had his first winter wipeouts – once when he attempted to drive through a deep drift in a ditch and got his bike stuck upright while he was thrown over his bars, and another spill when icy road conditions took him down.  Other than Ike's issues, it was a playful ride with soft snow to plow through at the water-tower hill and perfect knockdown conditions at the ash st. park.

We retired to the clubhouse where we were joined by Albert, Patrick, Chaz and David.  Minutes include: the 2012 Road Trip is gaining momentum and numbers, 24 hours of Sloth/Bill Murray (my dream theme) is next weekend, beef jerky was lovingly prepared and shared by Tom – I missed out/was a jerky snob, Steven recommended The Guard, halloween chip bags in the vending machine is bunk, Duke uses Red, Red Wine for every school soundcheck (the song, not the drink), Handivan SAG wagon, 24 hours of Falcon Lake relay teams, ABES cycling bib shorts are being developed, Portlandia, it’s not about the bike, Tom was triple booked, Cirque founder organizing a 1 million dollar buy-in poker tournament/fundraiser, David was in fine Suckockzky form, Altona bike club for kids, desperation ditch cross country ski trail, I think the other end of the table was orgainizing a bike tour to Japans nuclear power plants (?) and the Jets win.  Good times.       

My camera batteries were dead – but we looked something between this…

this,

and this...

Gross.

ThNR

Thursday Night Ride,

9pm at my place.

Moms Bike

Sunday

ThNR Report

Another ideal evening for our ThNR saw Steve, James, Pole Vaulter, Shaun, Tom, Dan and myself out for some fun and games.  We started with some knockdowns at the Ash park where Pastor jerkface “lost his balance” on me, we went on a village visit and then found our way to the nature pond where the ice was extra slippery (thank you helmet) and the snowboard jump was too tempting from some to resist.  Steve had the jump dialed in and was in good form.  James was feeling brave and built up his confindence enough that he wanted to get some air too.  The end result saw him fly over his handlebars in spectacular fashion, breaking his glasses and derailleur in the process.  James and Sandra have now both recently broken their glasses at the pond in bike related accidents and are both currently nursing their aches from crashes (car and now bike).  At least they’re still grinning and wiggling their fingers and toes.  In need of some anesthetic, we headed to the clubhouse where we were joined by David, Albert and Paul B.  Minutes inluded: the satalite police are calling, first coyote kill = hat, Road Trip 2012 is gaining interest, Valentines day pathetic gifts (helium balloons?), Shaun tried to explain super novas, Mrs. Wheeler fell, this just in…Wheels from Degrassi died 5 years ago, the Weezer cruise ship, explosion at Line 6 = rings of integrity?, Kettle Valley trail, Safety First switchblades, Nazis From Space, Peru’s Lake Kakapoopoo, using your calculator to text (5318008), underbaked conversational biscuits and the Jets win.  Good times.  JS

Steve and Dan strategizing at 1 km/h 

James doing it right

James doing it wrong

Looking for the lens

Looking for the derailleur

There was talk of a Monday ride.  I'm out.  Plans changed.  Enjoy the long weekend!

Thursday Night Ride

Weeeeee!

See you at 9

2012 Road Trip

Ben Klassen is spearheading a bucket-list-worthy group ride for us this summer to one of the top rated cycling routes in the world.  The ride will be 300 km’s of breathtaking mountains, lakes, glaciers, waterfalls and wildlife between Banff and Jasper.  Everyone is invited to come on the adventure; Ben, Bruce, Shaun, Jeff and I have already committed to the trip but the more the merrier.  Details are slowly coming together but it looks something like this…one day to get there, three days of cycling from Banff to Jasper, two days of extra road riding (or mountain biking, white water rafting, hot springs – like I said, details are coming together), then one day to get back home.  We will take turns riding a SAG vehicle to tote our supplies from campsite to campsite.  We’ll leave July 3 or 4 and return July 10 or 11.  How sweet is that!?!  JS

ThNR Report

James, Ike, David, Shaun, Curt, Mike, Duke, Charles and I were ready to ride but we also got a pleasant surprise.  Curt and Mike had already driven to the snowmobilers warm-up shack near buffalo creek to start a fire and drop off refreshments so our route for the night was looking good.  It was comforting to know a fire was awaiting us as the north wind was howling in our faces as we pedalled down the creek.  Duke was riding his super-sweet new Jamis cross/touring bike from Back Alley Cycle that looks like it actually fits him.  Charles had two headers navigating the creek shore, James had a nice, safe spill, Ike finally got his cross tires, the shack was a deluxe refuge and the wind pushed us back to our clubhouse.  Minutes include: Shaun hurt his gooch, Mike studded the tires on his mini-bike to pull his kids on GT racers on the creek, The Beachcombers (using a canoe), another ABE is getting snipped, An Idiot Abroad, VPN’s, manscaping, UNC blows it against Duke, the Describe Channel, Mormons are so “in” right now, Sandra D crashed her car on the highway, Morris is a dirty town, the Altona Segway couple, and the Jets win in ridiculous fashion.  A special ABES thank-you to Curt and Mike for prepping the shack and to BAC for providing refreshments.  Good times.

Anybody interested in a Sunday morning ride?  The weather is supposed to warm up and I have a route mapped out East West of Morden (we’ll drive there) that includes hills, cement, gravel and lunch.  Phone or post a comment if you want to come.  JS

ThNR

Decisions, decisions…Buffalo creek north, town tour or Moto Park X for some big and little laps.  We’ll decide in the kitchen at ABES headquarters.  See you at 9.   

 

Alter call - who’s going to be our next alleycat race coordinator?  It's time.  JS

Creek Pictures

James joined Cheryl and I as we enjoyed a warm afternoon on the creek - ice conditions were good.  The creek is a great place to be these days.

James about to get bucked over his bars

TJ hooker roll skills save the day

ThNR Report

Charles, Bruce, Curt, Albert, Ike, James, Paul W, Shaun, Dan, Steve and I rode the creek starting at the NW corner of town and went south for several miles.  The conditions on the ice were great and a bright moon with a full moon dog was a bonus.  Riding the creek is a goood way to feel dissoriented, get a new perspective of the prairies, slog through drifts and reeds and have a F’n awesome time.  We took the gravel roads back to the clubhouse where Bruce won the sprint with Charles taking the silver.  Duke and David joined us for the meeting where minutes included: summer road ride-a-thon, ABES spring road/mountain camping weekend, my new rusty fork is perfect – my quick release is troublesome, throngs of Jets fans in Tampa Bay as the Jets win, Shaun has not smoked 2300+ cigarettes and continues to be ornery, Sam Gagner gets 4 goals, 4 assists in an 8-4 win - named 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd star of the game, new bikes a’comin: Bruce’s 52” wheel unicycle, Curt’s 48” wheel pennyfarthing, and Duke’s Jamis Aurora Elite, Barn Cross goodness included beer time bonuses, the whoops (oh shit oh shit oh shit), jumps, crashes and riding crops, “two-spirited” (not a religious thing), popcorn farts, San Jose is broke, Niakwa burgers (could be a religious thing), and Ike is still a trooper.  Good times.  JS

Sweet Cheryl Koop and I are going to try to cycle to Rosenfeld via the creek Saturday at 1pm.  Feel free to join us.  Post or call if you're coming. 

Best winter ever.  JS

ThNR

It's Groundhog day this Thursday and that makes me think of Bill Murray which makes me happy.  So WWBMD?  I have no idea.  I'd guess something funny.  I suggest we do something memorable - a return trip to the creek, go south a couple of miles to Altbergthal, then over to the MotoX park for a big lap and a little lap.  See you at 9.

Barn Cross Photo's

Curt, Charles, Ben, Albert, Gavin, Cheryl, and I enjoyed ourselves riding bike in a barn.  Thanks for the good times FGRR.  You guys know how to do it right.  JS

ThNR Report

Gavin, Ike, Dan, James, David, Ben, Shaun, Myron, Curt, Steven and I  gathered at HQ and decided to test our skills with a night ride on the creek.  We made our way to Buffalo creek and rode north.  The open ice was trecherous but the snow covered sections were fun and ridable.  We cycled north until we ran out of snow to ride on, then hightailed it back to town on a gravel road.  It was a fun and challenging ride – defenitley worth repeating.  Ike wore warmer clothes this week but his slick road tires must have been a challenge on the creek.  He’s a trooper.  We gathered at the clubhouse where we were joined by Giles and Paul B.  The minute taker was feeling lazy.  We talked about many things.  Often very funny things.  You should have been there.  Good times.  JS

File photo of Giles at Steve's birthday party toast

 I’m still in need of a bike rack for Barn Cross.  Anyone?

Thursday Night RIde

Thursday Night Ride – meet at my place at 9:00.  

There has been talk of a creek ride.

  

Reminder – Barn Cross is on Sunday.  This will be history in the making.  If you like good times you should plan on being there.  

Does anybody have a bike rack I could use on Sunday; either a hitch (1¼”) or a strap-on (giggle)?

Thursday Night Ride Report

Albert, Curt, James, Shaun, Steven, Gavin, Duke, myself and ABES newbie Ike were out for a ride.  With the cold weather, I was hopeful that we would go straight to the clubhouse and skip the ride portion but everybody seemed ready to ride so stupid/awesome peer pressure led me to my bike.  Ike heeded my suggestion on the blog not to ride but the change of plans left him underdressed with sneakers and jeans for the coldest night of the year.  He stuck it out for the ride and was using his recent Kijiji purchase - a Mykado road bike with slick tires - nice.  Curt was also sporting a new bike last night – an Opus Phast carbon 29er – very nice.  Clubhouse minutes include: Barn Cross – Manitoba Indoor Cyclocross Championship - this will be stupid fun good times and everybody is invited, ThNCreek ride, clydesdale physics v physeeks, CBC’s This Is That – stealing American wind, no nicotine = RAGE, Shaun has cut his smoking down from a pack+ a day to 6.5 cigarettes = trip to Thailand, Steve recommends Beerfest, Curt was taken down by a blown hose at a local fire, taking care of trim, Duke is making me a shirt, David visited Jim Morrisons grave in Paris, the Doug Wall post-pounding legacy = new helmet laws, stalking Shaun, the Toews men have superhuman strength, and the Jets win.  Good times.

Anybody interested in a Sunday morning gravel road ride?  JS

Get On Your Bikes And Ride!

Every day this week has been the the coldest day of winter.  Good thing there's cycling.  And a warm clubhouse.  See you Thursday at 9:00.  JS

Weekend Reports

It was a busy weekend of bikey goodness.   On Saturday Dan, Charles and I tried to navigate the creek.  The ice was stupid slippery, but we were stupider.  We rode for 3.5 hours and rode as fast as we could - about 5 km/h.  I stopped counting full-out spills at about a dozen, Dan had even more than I did and Charles was the steadiest on his fat tires and studs.  There were ridable sections when enough snow drifted for traction, but there were rolling mounds of ice that were hard to see until you were sliding down on your ass.  We came upon a private motocross track that had a sweet layout (future race), Charles brought everybody hot chocolate, exploring on bike is fun, and the burgers were burger flavored. Good times.

Charles submitted these photos...

    


Sunday was race day at the MotoX track.  With 7 racers, everybody medalled in either the 4, 3, 2 or 1 lap race.  The course was in good condition and it was fun to get back and ride out there again.  Thanks for the race David.

Cheryl took these pictures...

Sunday race!

Before reading this please check out the previous post.  Sorry for over-posting JS.

So I checked out the Moto Park X this afternoon and have good news...its raceable!  The track is fairly hard and not too rutty.  A little bit of pebbly stuff here and there but all and all was able to ride it no problem.

The majority of the track looks like this

The worst of the snow - only a couple of inches

So here are the details.  Meet at the Moto Park X at 1 Pm.  We'll have a warm up lap (if needed) and then race.  Choose your laps.  1 lap race and a 3 lapper?  1, 2 and 3?  We'll decide then.

DS