Wednesday, January 31, 2007

jay winter challenge

the cold air hasn't had me too fired-up to ride outside the past cpl wks, but slowly working my way back onto the pain machine and getting the commute time in when in boston, but it's just not enough, need those 3-4hr rides. talking about pain, i need a new saddle for the indoor, the boys keep falling asleep which can't be good for, you know... so, that being said, the studded tires are going on the steel deluxe for some spinning on the snow and ice covered dirt roads in and around the valley. hopefully i can some decent base in my legs before the pre-season has passed me by...

after a few email conversations with my favorite french canadian, it looks like the first race of the season will be a lot sooner than i thought. i've been resisting the urge to race the freeze-your-ass-of epic that is the jay winter challenge, but dan's offer to let me ride his brand-new Pugsley made-up my mind. with an offer like that, how could i refuse!? it's on like donkey kong! now i just have to convince andy and thom to roll... oh yeah, thom will be in Cali, doing his base. cheater! (that's just me being insanely jealous)... just need to find andy a bike to race on while his Igleheart is in paint... can't wait to see the new paint job! which has me thinking 'bout painting the steel deluxe for this season, it got wicked beat-up last yr, i just can't seem to stay on two wheels... and plain green was so '06... what color to go with for '07? big decisions...

8 Comments:

At 1/31/2007 6:21 PM, Blogger rick is! said...

I wanted to do this race but 100 clams seems a bit steep. Too bad to because I've been training right through these crazy cold temps so my frost bit fingers would be ready.

 
At 2/01/2007 9:46 AM, Blogger jeff said...

i hope you change your mind! while $100 seems like a lot this time of year, it were summer and this were the jay mtb, $100 wouldn't be that steep... added expense for a winter race are the warming huts, etc. but i did mention to Dan that 100 seemed high, kinda a scary number, but he said it was necessary to get this thing off the ground - and that folks that are really into it would understand. just like folks will drop a cpl benjamins (or more!) to do a two-four. if you want to do it, you do it...

 
At 2/01/2007 3:48 PM, Blogger Andy, R&D said...

would there be a huge disadvantage racing on snow with a six inch travel bike that weighed in the mid thirties? I could run my light wheels with 2.35 tires...how wide do I need for snow riding anyhow?
is beer served in the heated huts?
do I get another basket ball if I podium?

 
At 2/01/2007 4:01 PM, Blogger jeff said...

put the rigid fork and light wheelset on it and i doubt you'd notice the difference, it's all about the rotational weight... which makes me wonder how heavy the tires and wheelset is on that pugsley?

how wide a tire do you need? what's the widdest you got? the way the weather is looking, no major snow in the forecast, the snowmobile trails should be pretty firm... i'll know better once i head-out on them this wknd, have a cpl hr outdoor spin planned for sat. will give you the scoop.

i'll push for beer in the heating tents, but i can't promise another b-ball!

 
At 2/02/2007 1:01 PM, Blogger van den kombs said...

Hey Jeff,
Have fun on the Pugsley !

$100 is way too much for this race based on all the grassroot type endurance races I've ever done. You start off with a cheaper price to get folks interested the first year or two.

$50 for 10 miles ?? You can do snowshoe races in western MA (when they have snow) that are almost that long with lot's of food stuff at end of race for so much less $$


good luck and take lots of pictures !!!
kc

 
At 2/04/2007 3:58 PM, Blogger Andy, R&D said...

I was out yesterday and this morning on the hakkas. Those tires are amazing. Was thinking of coming up and givin'er a go. Maybe we could trade off suffering on the pugsley...but then again george may have a point. Hell Kerry has a point too. the only thing keeping me from doing this damn race is caughing up the 100 bucks. That and driving to freekin canada.

 
At 2/04/2007 11:16 PM, Blogger van den kombs said...

Let's set up trainers inside and watch some cycling movies..
for free

I have:
-Off roads to Athens (mtb)
-Pure Sweet Hell (cyclocross)
-Roam (mtb)
-The Collective (mtb)

that would simulate the amt of time it would take to ride 30 miles in the frozen almost canadian tundra.

I don't have a garage or basement to offer or a TV, but I can bring the DVD's and HEED.

 
At 2/06/2007 7:47 AM, Blogger rick is! said...

true. $100 clams isn't really that much when you're talking about a 6 hr+ race but if the trails are packed well by snowmobiles a lot of people will be done in under three hours. I just can't rationalize that kind of coin. $50 I could have handled. Maybe someday when the disposable income is back up to where it should be.

 

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