A couple things this weekend

THOR Trail Workers' Appreciation Day
Saturday, November 1 at 12:30pm
Meet at the Lake Manawa Trailhead (kiosk) near the boat ramp. Food, beverages, good friends. Ride after, good times galore! More details ask a THOR member or hop on FB Thor page.


THOR Pub Crawl
THOR's pub crawl is back with a Mardi Gras theme. We are bringing back the route from two years ago to get some more miles on the bikes and are inviting the GOATZ to participate if they would like to include a run. We will be starting at the Crescent Moon and ending up at the Sydney to hear the Prairie Gators Band cap of the night with some fun Cajun music and dancing. There will be the usual poker run with prizes and prizes for the best costumes. A $5 cover at the Sydney to cover the band. Everyone is welcome to join in costume or not.

Saturday at 6:30pm - 2:00am
Nov 1

The route!
1)Crescent Moon (6:30-7:15)
2)Dundee Dell, (7:15-8:00)
3)The Homey, (8:00-8:45)
4)Krug Park (8:45-9:15)
5)Sydney (9:15-2:00am)

It's raining and you're on your bike

So you need one of these. Or maybe not. Great for going in a straight line, with no winds and no trees  IMO. Dryve

http://dryve.info/en


Could have used a raincoat Wednesday night during our ride, funny thing is a I almost brought my waterproof shell, but figured I would get to hot so said oh well. Even had some roadies at the shop ask me, "You're gonna ride now? How do you ride in the dark? Can't believe you're gonna ride now that it's dark! " then the roadie goes on to say oh, you're gonna get wet! Thanks for the jinx!

Get out and ride!

I was sick with a sore throat and cough over the past two weeks, then Elise got Strep, then it rained, then it...you get the picture. Haven't been riding for awhile. Until this week. Wednesday, Thursday, and now Friday after work. Night riding at its finest while temps are still in the 50-60s. Get it while the getting is good! Be careful of the raccoons, the opossums, the skunks, the hooting owl, and whatever else might spook the crap out of you. Because they are out there...just waiting to jump out in front of your bike!

Tranquility is in really great shape right now, thanks to everyone who has helped to dig out the rutted areas. Makes for prime riding, especially helps in the night riding department because you're less prone to hit the sides. Charge up those lights and get out there!

Shedding some light...

Yes, bad pun intended! Mtbr does a bike light shootout. Check it out. Maybe someone needs to send me a light to check out for them!

http://reviews.mtbr.com/2014-mtbr-bike-lights-shootout

Panhandler caught on video getting into a new car

Wow, this is crazy. The old lady denies that its her car. Just yells at the guy who has been giving her money, he even gave up his lunch to give her money. Sad how people take advantage of others.

I once saw some program where a guy actually quit his day job because he found out that he could make more per day standing on a busy intersection asking for money. They get elaborate with old clothing, fake arm slings, and signs to get people to give.

http://www.jrn.com/now-trending/Oklahoma-man-yells-panhandler-after-spotting-her-in-new-car-278240601.html?lc=Tablet

Last week's MNR

I happened to miss tonight's ride. Got out of work late, it start raining on the drive home...excuses excuses. Ended up taking a four hour nap instead! Needed it after this weekends partying! Anyway, here are some pics that I took from last week's MNR.

The wildlife was up close and personal last week!

Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers.

Happy Birthday to Paul!

And then sometimes this happens

And you're miles away from home. And you have no tools or cell phone on you. Just your two feet and a hand. The hand because you need to lift the rear of the 35 lb bike all the way home because the rear wheel is now decentered and rubbing against the frame. Grrr...the great stories of riding a vintage SS!

I should probably get some locktite and put some on to prevent the rear hub from slipping again. 

Uh oh, things just got real.

Real for salsa that is because now they have competition for my money! Salsa bucksaw, full suspended fat. 9zero7, fat bike full suspension in prototype stage. Get some....

http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/09/10/ib14-9zero7-teases-full-suspension-fat-changes-up-aluminum-frames-with-new-standards-colors/

Photo from www.fat-bike.com

hmm...the Niner 29+. This bike could be fun! 

photo from fat-bike.com

This is brilliant!

How many times have you lost your commuter light at the bottom of your bag, car, work bench, etc etc? Well, why not a magnetic light! Seriously I can never find my rear taillight especially before running out the door for a taco ride or pavement ride. This would solve all that!




http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K0L3F56/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00K0L3F56&linkCode=as2&tag=acquirenewsletteronly-20&linkId=PHJT7J4FZLAVLC2I

Kites!

Not the dollar crap you buy from Hy-Vee. But the massive ones that cost big bucks and require a decent amount of breeze to get up in the air. These were out in Elkhorn the other weekend.  I recently bought a kite (small enough to fit in my suitcase!) and had it going on the beach at Myrtle Beach. Fun and great time although I need to modify it just a little bit.

Kites!

My sister being lazy and flying her stunt kite while laying down under the beach umbrella

There's some new fat in town!

I'm not jealous yet...yet I say. But getting close. New colors, wheel sizes and brands, and lighter carbon fatbikes are slowly surrounding me on the trail. So many choices! But that's a good thing! I hope it's a while before someone brings around the Bluto suspension fork on their fatbike. I say this because I just might have to jump on THAT bandwagon!

There's some new fat in town!

Yeah sometimes we ride other nights!

Mondays...A long weekend often equates to a crappy day at work on Monday. The day is long and nobody really wants to be there. A good ride with friends afterwards always helps to set the mood for the rest of the week. But what happens when an impromptu ride gets set up for any other day other than Monday? Well...you just ride of course!

Wow. I guess deer do have to pee. 

And then they rode off into the sunset...

Ernest bikes off the pounds

Pretty cool story that came across my FB account. Guy weighing 500 lbs bikes off 240 lbs and eventually tries a cyclocross race. How cool is that? Even I have never tried a cyclocross race. Congrats to him for having the courage and the willpower to forego the bypass surgery and do something about his weight instead.

Instead-of-surgery-man-pedals-off-the-pounds

Time to mow and I see this...

Bam. Next thing I know I have 103 pictures that I took. Still need to mow. I could sit there watching that thing all night. A couple nights ago there were about 5 hummingbirds on this same plant. Couldn't figure out my big flash on the camera. Ha.

Another good MNR

It rained the day before...the dust on the trail has been tamed. Elise and I made it out to this week's MNR where there was a very good turnout. Pizza showed up afterwards as did good times. I might have pushed Elise a little too hard, as was evident on the Camelhumps. Whoops.

Salsa...Buck...Saw!!!

Image from Salsacycles.com

More reviews and good stuff about the full suspension fatbike by Salsa. The Bucksaw. Maybe they should send me one to review for all you readers. While they're at it, they should send me an El Mariachi Ti just to try out. I would be a very happy boy!

26 x 4.0 tires only. No 29+ and no super fat clown riding stuff. I'm good with all of that.
http://salsacycles.com/culture/2015_digging_deeper_into_bucksaw