Big Wheels Keep on Turning

The newborn, Beth, has finally come home from Dark Horse Cycles and today was the maiden ride for the new girl. After weeks of cold damp weather spring was finally in the air, sun was shining and temps were in the high 60s. It only took a couple of miles to put a smile on my face

and say thanks to Harlan, for convincing me that the 29 was the path to nirvana and to say thanks to everyone at IF for building what has to be the most amazing mountain bike that I have ever put a leg over. Once you get these big wheels moving they just roll over everything in their path with minimal effort. Sections of the trail that were jarring on a 26" bike suddenly became a lot smoother and there was minimal loss of momentum. And now for some of the details on the dream machine -

Handlebars by Jeff Jones - These H bars are the best, while you pay a penalty in the weight department the trade off to be able to hold the pint of beer at the finish more then makes up for the extra grams. Remember you don't want to spill your beer!

The saddle - Specialized, and while it is blessed by neither God or Allah it does get the "Big Smile from the Wife" seal of approval, and believe me that is important.

The paint scheme is modified Grass Roots Team colors - never underestimate the inspirational power on the race course that comes from racing for a team like IF!

Hyperbaric Training - New York City Style

The polls are in and are you surprised to learn that New York City is rated as one of the worst cities in the United States for air quality? No need to hold you breath, the glass is really more then half full and here is why.......
Athletes, in their quest for any minor physiological advantage, have resorted to measures such as moving to high altitude cities for training and some even go to the extreme of mimicking Michael Jackson and sleep in hyperbaric chambers to increase the red blood cell count. Well as a New Yorker I have the luxury of training in some of the worst quality air in the nation and get to couple that with training laps in Central Park, sucking in the fumes of taxi cabs and metallic brake pad dust.
The upshot of all of this is a new training format know as Darwin's Reverse Hyperbaric Conditioning Program and it works like this - you train in the worst possible conditions and when you get to the races you are blessed with clean, fresh, oxygen rich air. Under Darwinian theory - survival of the fittest - the fact that one can make it and adapt to such adverse conditions and survive means that when placed in optimal conditions you should have an edge over those that have trained in optimal environmental conditions and then have to race in less then ideal conditions.
Yeah I realize it is a load of crap but the reality is I am stuck in NYC and have to make the best of it. Never underestimate the power of denial!