Snow Biking at VA

Got out in a balmy 13 degrees for some snow biking. I rode 10 miles to the trails and met Mike, Ray, Butch, and J-rod for some snow bike goodness. I had ridden the same trails the night before after work with my friend Todd. The trails were in perfect shape and totally rideable even without lights on....how much fun!!! No one will ever know how much fun snow biking is until you go do it. It changes your mind....changes your view on what cycling is....it makes it more better gooder. We rode for nearly 3 hours in the frigid temps and cooked our legs only to cool off with several brews. Good times, great friends. What cycling is all about. 

- JB

Peacock vs. Special-Ed

From the mouth of Erik Noren, owner of Peacock Groove in MN in response to Specialized latest douchey move:

 

 

I wrote, errr typed a big response for all the shitfuckery the big S has been doing lately. Like more than this one shop in Canada, they been screwing with the little guy for a while now.
So, instead of boring you with a big response full of smart words, Ill just leave it at this: Fuck you Specialized. Really ?
There is a reason that a corporation is always the bad guys in movies.
Now, I got lugs to polish, threads to tap, little bit of welding to do, because unlike them, I make my own shit.
I bet the only guys working right now at the big S, ( Sunday night) is their lawyers.
Good luck jerks.

First Snow Beatdown Ride

I waited until the warmth of the day and headed out on the much loved fat bike. The temps in the midwest have been absolutely awful. Highs in the mid-teens to low twenties with windchills going sub-zero. You honestly can't wear enough. Thanks to my bar mitts and wool goodies I stayed warm today and am anxiously awaiting my lake boots. We had temps in the low twenties today with the windchill around 10 and blowing winds from the east. I headed to Bull Valley to take some shelter in the woods and hide from the wind. The roads were snow covered and an absolute blast to have the fat bike on. I got SOOO many weird looks from passing motorists heading to the bar to watch the pigskin game....that look will never get old. I enjoyed 2 hours of riding and 25 miles about....I was cranking it up pretty good and beat myself up with less than 8 psi in the tires. Felt good to get out.

Also....the fixed gear is ready to roll for the spring, I am so so so excited to train on this bike. I overhauled my king bottom bracket and the drivetrain is buttery smooth. Can't wait. Also, I ordered a fancy rapha jersey to match my training partner Ari. 

Embrace the cold. 

- JB

Dec 1st Canopy Slusher

Had a great time riding for 3 hours at the Lake Geneva Canopy Tours. My local trails. I met Ray, Ryan, Lance, and the Butcher up at the trails at 10pm and we rode for 3 hours with a few hike a bike sections and some stops as the trails were really greasy from the warm temps the past few days. The sections that were still snow covered and frozen were absolutely perfect and we explored a lot of the trails. Had a great time with those guys and we had a blast out on the trails. Ryan, Ray, and I proceeded to the BBQ King behind my apartment as we do many times after a hard mountain bike ride. We had some chili mac and some drinks and then proceeded to bar hop while watching the Bears game. We had a blast and it was fun hanging with those dudes, all in all a great time with some great friends. Fat bikes are the only way to go. 

- JB

Commuting Through BV

Had a great ride home through Bull Valley. There is one house on Bull Valley road that must have 100+ light up reindeer scattered throughout their entire massive yard and over the road, its pretty cool! Awesome riding at night!

- JB

April Approaches

Can't stop thinking about April

Turkey Day Trasher

The Slender Fungus is a crazy thing. The way it has evolved, the members that have joined, the friendship that has formed. These people are my family...and a few to mention in particular. Ari is one of my best friends in the world and the Baggios are right there too. Ari invited me to his family's Thanksgiving this year and instead of acting like a total loser and sitting at home by myself I accepted and drove out early to meet for another Palos session. We were on the trails by 9:20 am and the temps were a bit more manageable this time. We hit some great single track and were both enthused just to have the day off and be pushing each other a little bit knowing that we don't normally get a 35 mile mountain bike ride in during the week. So, taking full advantage...we went exploring. We hit all the trails including the black and orange trails which were favorites of mine and my Surly Pugsley handled everything without complaining at all....that bike is so dialed it is ridiculous. I feel more comfortable on my fat bike than I do on my 29'er...even Ari said his 2.2 tires looked like road tires compared to mine. Moral of the story is that everyone needs a fat bike and they need to take them to the local trails ASAP...pretty sure if this happened we would achieve world peace. The fat tires are awesome and I continue to progress with mine on the trails. I can't thank Ari and Jamie enough for letting me spend Thanksgiving with them....really some of the best friends and most real friends I have ever had. Thank You! You don't know what that meant to me. It was great to see Ari's family including the famous guitar maker Franzi from Redwing, MN and ultra eager Mauri, along with the brains of the operation Jiulietta (probably spelled it wrong yet again), anyhow Ari's brother Fivos treated me like he had known me for 20 years and their family is awesome and they are some of the best people to roam the earth, hands down. On top of that the Bonk King and Ms. Bonk King sent me leftovers the following morning that were out of this world and reaffirmed the fact that the Slender Fungus is indeed a special thing. Great peeps! And Sandy can cook!!! Good job on marrying up Mikey! The brains behind the operation is a large Argentinian man who works at a small bicycle shop...he is the most intelligent man I have ever met and one of the best friends I could ever ask for. Thank you for forming the Slender Fungus. Thank you for our group of friends, we are very lucky to have what we have in this place we call home. 

Slender Fungus Funky Love

- Cookie Monster