Managed to get a good training ride in this weekend. 'Twas a plan hatched over too many beers at the KBC the night before.
"James, you should come to Marquette tomorrow."
"Can't. Gotta ride my bike."
"Ride to Marquette!"
"Uhhh, OK."
So I took the Northwest Road from Skanee over to Big Bay. Was a very, very nice ride except for the segment from Dodge City to 510. Still lots of frost holes. Enough to swallow half a bicycle wheel. Once I had made it that far, no way I was turning back. Made it the Portside around 6pm. This was a pretty good ride, I'm feeling pretty confident going into the Ragnarok. About myself, anyway.
I'm still uncertain which bike I want to use. I have a new 29er that should be arriving any day now. I'd like to race it this weekend, but I'm concerned it might be too slow. But then again, I'm signed up to do a hundred miles of singletrack on it in May. This will be one of exactly two opportunities between now and then to get 100 miles in on this bike- both races. But I've only got a few days to test it out and get it setup before this one. But then, the ol' Jake's new wheelset has been delayed and really could use about $100 worth of new drivetrain components (which is unlikely to happen before the race). Dunno.
I was also happy to note that I got a place in the "Heck of the North", another gravel grinder in the AGRS. This gets me an entry in 4 out of the 5 AGRS races including the two lottery entries. The fifth one, all I have to do is sign up and I'm in. Only problem is, that race is the day after the start of the Trans Wisconsin. And the same day as the Chain Drive. I wouldn't mind skipping the Chain Drive this year as it always kicks my ass, but I really want to do the Trans Wisconsin. But I don't know if I can get the vacation time for it, organize a ride down to the start, cough up the cash for the lightweight bikepacking gear I'd need, or get back in time for Superior Bike Fest. I'd like to say I'm undecided on this, but I think I've already made up my mind. Even these gravel grinders are proving very difficult to train and prepare for. It's very, very hard to find the time to get the miles in that I'd like to get in. Given that May and June are going to be absolutely nuts as it is, maybe I should sit it out the Trans Wisconsin this year or maybe run an individual time trail in July.
"James, you should come to Marquette tomorrow."
"Can't. Gotta ride my bike."
"Ride to Marquette!"
"Uhhh, OK."
So I took the Northwest Road from Skanee over to Big Bay. Was a very, very nice ride except for the segment from Dodge City to 510. Still lots of frost holes. Enough to swallow half a bicycle wheel. Once I had made it that far, no way I was turning back. Made it the Portside around 6pm. This was a pretty good ride, I'm feeling pretty confident going into the Ragnarok. About myself, anyway.
I'm still uncertain which bike I want to use. I have a new 29er that should be arriving any day now. I'd like to race it this weekend, but I'm concerned it might be too slow. But then again, I'm signed up to do a hundred miles of singletrack on it in May. This will be one of exactly two opportunities between now and then to get 100 miles in on this bike- both races. But I've only got a few days to test it out and get it setup before this one. But then, the ol' Jake's new wheelset has been delayed and really could use about $100 worth of new drivetrain components (which is unlikely to happen before the race). Dunno.
I was also happy to note that I got a place in the "Heck of the North", another gravel grinder in the AGRS. This gets me an entry in 4 out of the 5 AGRS races including the two lottery entries. The fifth one, all I have to do is sign up and I'm in. Only problem is, that race is the day after the start of the Trans Wisconsin. And the same day as the Chain Drive. I wouldn't mind skipping the Chain Drive this year as it always kicks my ass, but I really want to do the Trans Wisconsin. But I don't know if I can get the vacation time for it, organize a ride down to the start, cough up the cash for the lightweight bikepacking gear I'd need, or get back in time for Superior Bike Fest. I'd like to say I'm undecided on this, but I think I've already made up my mind. Even these gravel grinders are proving very difficult to train and prepare for. It's very, very hard to find the time to get the miles in that I'd like to get in. Given that May and June are going to be absolutely nuts as it is, maybe I should sit it out the Trans Wisconsin this year or maybe run an individual time trail in July.
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