Short days long rides

TLF feeling festive!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!  I've been away awhile and thought I would check in.  

Christmas beer!

Camp photos courtesy of Laura Fox

On Christmas Eve TLF and I went and camped out again.  -20 degree bags and warm jackets kept us comfortable and we slept 8 hours through the night!  I did have some troubles with my stove and had to call off boiling some water at night.  The next morning the stove worked again but was not up to its regular self.  So this weekend I performed annual maintenance on the stove and it seems to be back to normal. Next week while recovering for the Frosty Bottom I'll perform annual maintenance on the fuel pump as well. 

Christmas Eve photos courtesy of Laura Fox

Throughout Anchorage folks have been placing ornaments on the trees next to the trail.  It's nice to see them. Thanks to Mrs. Pamela Fox for the Trader Joe Caramel Bite Stroopwafels!

Wrong way on the Middle Fork photo courtesy of Jason Lamoreaux

Middle Fork ride courtesy of Megan Chelf

We rode with the super family Chelfs today.  Don't let the smile fool you, I couldn't hold onto them!!  Thanks for the invite!

A quick glance at the fatbikes I ride.  A first-year Carbon 9:ZERO:7 and a brand new 170mm Slider 9:ZERO:7.  The carbon bike is a top-notch build with HED wheels, XO1 drivetrain, Raceface crank, handlebar and stem and Niner RDO seat post.  I obviously like Revelate Designs baggage and use their Expedition weight pogies as well.  

The singlespeed slider frame is also a nice build with various Raceface components, 32:18 gear ratio, Marge Lite rims and XO hydraulic brakes.  I am trying a Brooks Cambium C17 Carved saddle on this bike.  The blue color is to die for!

More on these puppies on a later date, speaking of Puppies...  

This is my old girl Sachi.  Thanks for the photo Laura ;-).  She likes barking, peeing on things and farting next to the bed.  She is a great dog and I feel like she has adopted me as much as I've adopted her.  

I'm tired and sore.  Till next time. :-)

No Solo Solstice

Started the solstice weekend by riding out part of the frosty bottom route.  After getting some lunch at my favorite Fire Island Bakery in Airport Heights I rode out to meet Laura and Shannon.  Currently I've installed my HED Big Deal wheelset with my Robin Dilley hand selected Dillinger 4 tires.  I'm preparing for the Frosty Bottom which is basically a "road race" on the multi-use trails in Anchorage.  At 42-44 miles and solid conditions it is a very fast race that rewards low rotating mass.  I've been ridding larger Dillinger 5's and Specialized Ground Control's that The Bicycle Shop supplied me with as heavier training tire and wheel set up.

We found winter!!  It's in Willow!!  Saturday TLF and I left at the break of dawn (10-ish AM.) Eric, Laura, Adam, Angie and I had a great ride.  We rode from Long Lake via Crystal and Vern Lakes to the Willow Swamp.  Then we headed down Rolly Lakes Trail to Nancy Lake Parkway and back via West Long Lake Road.   Adam and Angie are great hosts and shared their amazing High Bush Cranberry moonshine and pickled pike with us!  If you get a chance the Willow area trails are amazing and there is always a chance you get to see some doggies!!

Finally, to wrap up a great weekend Nic invited folks to join him on a frosty bottom "extreme" pre-ride. Laura and I didn't want to get up early or ride to the chalet so instead we met up with Nicholas, Oscar, Fred, Chris and Ryan and headed up hillside. We rode up the Hillside Single Track Advocates trails and then up South Fork Rim trail to Glen Alps. From there we went down Middle Fork to Lost Cabin and back home. It was a great climb and I'm even tired just typing about it!

Happy Solstice and Happy Holidays everyone! 

At least a few times a year I try to do some Abbott Road hillclimb repeats. There are some pretty nasty uphill sections here that are as much mentally challenging as they are physically.  TLF and I went up four times as hard as we could go.  :-|  It was hard.  Hahaha

The Frosty Bottom course runs through this section and it's usually a spot where the pack racing really breaks up.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.us/events.html#frosty-bottom 
http://www.chainreactioncycles.us/FrostyBottom/FrostyCourse.html  This is a course description.

I'll check back in later and show off my bike and some of my gear.

Trying out a new saddle.  Selle Anatomica NSX Thanks for saving my @$$ Adam!

My single speed 9:zero:7 slider frame needed a new Bottom Bracket.  The Bicycle Shop got me lined out with the correct conversion kit and the Chris King goodies.

I am part of a great team that started just over three years ago.  It got it's start by a group of six novice level road bike racers sitting around eating pizza and drinking malted beverages.  Now, at over 20 riders strong we've grown and participate in all sorts of bicycle, running and skiing competitions in the state.  These are the team's supporters.

The Bicycle Shop has been with us since the beginning.

SteamDot was approached and came on board the second year of our existence.

EMC Engineering has also been apart of our team since it's inception.

Castelli is a an awesome company that provides our cycling kits.  Their fit and finish is second to none in my opinion!

Clinton Hodges II (my father) has also supported the team and continues to do so.

In the next blog post I'm looking at sharing my bikes and some of the gear I use.  The team is just one part of my experience, many other shops and folks have helped me personally as well. :-)

Quick photo upload.  Went out for a little gear check with Ryan and Laura.  I felt overran by Fatbacks.  :-P

Playing on the beach by Fish Creek

Imitation is a form of flattery

Ryan trying not to start a forest fire

Accidental photo!

The worlds best bakery.  Fire Island Bakery

Before we head out on the maiden voyage.

Sleepy time!

First Trax!

Taichiro shared this on his facebook page.  It reminds me of something Matt Milkmanovich would say!

My sore bottom has mostly subsided.  I moved the seat a little farther forward and that seemed to help a little bit.  Still think I'll try a larger seat.

Did a little bit of speed work last night and tried out a new headlamp.  Black Diamond Icon that I picked up from The Hoarding Marmot.  My first impression is not bad, I think it will work fine for my style of riding.  There are a few settings that really serve little purpose on the bike but might be nice while night camping.  Speaking of camping, tonight is the first night in the woods!  

Quick update: My bottom is sore. Forgetting chamois cream and bike shorts that are a little too large is not an option. :-P I am currently using the same saddle that I use on my mountain bike and I am moving to a wider saddle per Rosemary and Nick's suggestion at Paramount Cycles. I should have listened to Mike from The Bicycle Shop. He suggested a large width saddle to me years ago during my bike fit session(155mm or so.) My friend Adam let me borrow a Selle Anatomica saddle. I'll give it a go.

Pogie plugs are falling out. TLF (The Laura Fox) mentioned hers have come out a few times. I am looking to use a little bit of Velcro to keep them in place.

This Tuesday Nick led a ride from the Elmore Ball fields. TLF and I rode C street to Dowling over to the Campbell Creek Science Center. Horrible idea. We must have hit every single traffic light on red.  

Photo courtesy of Dan Bailey

Bruce Ross riding the prefered line over the snow berm

T.L.F.!  Bruce and myself wore the Revolution Racing colors too

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Blades

This past weekend was Global Fatbike Day.  Nico, Laura, Nick, Ryan (not shown here Tony Allen photobomb) Chuck and I meandered through Anchorage.

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Blades

I may have fallen here.

Photos courtesy of Laura Fox

Just love one another!

Photo courtesy of Laura Fox

Photo Courtesy of Nicholas Blades

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Blades

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Blades

Quick notes, savory and/or sweet scones and breakfast sandwiches from Fire Island Bakery are amazing trailside snacks.  Seeing Anchorage from the Campbell Creek Estuary Park is something I've never done.  Riding with good friends is the best.  I hope I didn't bore you too much.  Till next time!