Get Out Your Cross Bikes!

Bye bye slicks,hello Michelin Muds

April 3rd 2013 and it's 35 degrees outside. Go figure......  With that said, time marches on and ready or not, some serious cycling is rapidly approaching.  I'm thinking many folks didn't get the training in they wanted for the upcoming annual Ronde de Rosey Ride, just 2 weeks away.

What's this you ask?  It's an off road/some road gnarly 70 mile cycling excursion on a cross bike using gps only to navigate through selected Metro West towns that are not revealed to the teams of riders until the day before starting at The Washington Square Tavern in Brookline and ending there with barely the energy to hold up your beer.  This year promises to be and I quote: "a soul crusher and not for the weak and whiny"

So without sounding too much like a loser, my soul is easily crushed, I'm feelin' wimpy these days and I'm a naturally gifted whiner.  

Last year I felt pretty darn prepared for this ride with a snow free winter and the winter fitness I had gained with indoor time trials, pedaling to work as early as March and not having a bum knee.

This year the facts are:  I haven't commuted to work once yet on my bike (24 miles each way) and l  haven't been on a cross bike in anything that resembles a trail since early summer 2012. 

This coming weekend I'm doing a ride I'm calling * The Ronde Dress Rehearsal* If I make it
through this without peeing myself from fear of falling and wrecking my knee (needless overreacting)
I'm sooo there next weekend with my scheduled team for the Ronde de Rosey.  One of the requirements of the ride this weekend is some fender action.  I'm all ready!

bedazzled fender action

Also I get the fine honor of wearing my custom CARBON.. yes I said CARBON knee brace $1000 out of pocket. (thank you fine healthcare insurance)

waiting to be  bedazzled...

Wish me luck, dry cycling shorts AND a backbone. 

Yeesh.....