geronimo k
What do you mean this is silly?A very important build and a race update.
Today I completed a very meaningful bike build. My rock solid CAAD9 has been a backbone steed for several years now and it’s time it moves on.
The black CAAD9 is going to one of my friend’s teenage son. The teen has kinda lost his way. I’ll forgo too many details and summarize: the kid has made some mistakes. He reminds me a bit of myself when I was at that age; lost.
Hopefully this bike (which his parent made the boy rightfully earn) will deliver what a bicycle did (still does) for me: clarity, purpose, peacefulness, meaningful friendships, a sense of accomplishment and ownership to my life. 
In other news (racing):
I was 9th at the Turkey Hill Road Race. My teammate Joe Whitman earned a fine third place. Joe earning third was quite excellent.
In the French Creek “On The Rocks” Endurance race (four hour timed event) I rode into second place. I was quite satisfied cause the rest of the podium are regular endurance event champs.
Michaux Maximus Rad VS Bad
RAD: Challenging course with a taste of everything east coast mountain biking has to offer.
RAD: Perfect weather
RAD: Great atmosphere complete w/ camping, food and picturesque layout.
RAD: Hanging with my buddies.
BAD: I’m old so us “vet” guys get staged and released almost two minutes behind “seniors.” Kinda weird but no worries.
BAD: Miss turn. Go down big hill. Figured it out, turn around and climb.
BAD: Catching back onto the leaders I flat. Odd piece of metal went directly into the crown of my tire and it split like a butterfly cut.
BAD: My spare tube is a 26″. I’m riding a 29″ Doh!
RAD: Topher saves the day and gives me his spare tube.
RAD: I’m back in action, rolling well, enjoying the trails and re-catching many that passed me.
BAD: Flat #2. Totally my fault, pinch flat on a steep rocky decent.
BAD: I start walking, many re-pass me.
RAD: Topher rolls by again and slows down. I immediately tell him to keep going. There was no way was I going to take his last tube. Topher is the type of guy that would have given me his last tube (risking his own race). He’s good people.
BAD: Some time goes by, I’m still walking and nobody has a tube to lend me. No worries and I don’t blame them. They are racing too. It’s my own fault I’m in this position anyway.
RAD: Charles K. rolls by and without hesitation gives me his back up tube. Class move #2 of the day. I owe Topher and Charles K. big time.
RAD: I’m back in action and no more issues.
RAD: Finish time was 4:14? but my Garmin GPS says I averaged 10 mph for 38.9 miles and finished in 3:52
RAD: Race loop was actually 37.9 miles. So I got in an extra mile?
BAD: According to Strava I lost two minutes with my wrong turn.
BAD: Flat changing time was 19 minutes (again according to my Garmin).
RAD: I earn third place in the Vet class.
RAD: Vegan Rob crushed it and took the W in the Vet class. Another good dude.
RAD: Don’t know who won the “senior” class but his finish time was 3:46? Excellent ride!
RAD: My buddies: Wild West, Misk, Mascelli and Dragon finish up with respectable times and a big grins.
RAD: Great riding to anyone and everyone that finished the Maximus. That was some serious technical stuff!
RAD: There were doggies everywhere! Love doggies.
RAD count: 17
BAD count: 9
RAD wins!
