Randomness

Slender Fungus Bonkfest 100....Sycamore, IL...come ride with us







Apparently I'm getting good at this







Oh ya know...just a $5000 frame...







Commuting in progress



Few people realize that I belong to a secretive cycling society called the Slender Fungus Cycling Association. Headed up by Ari, the members are few and far between, riding is far from traditional, and antics are exceptional. We will be doing a gravel grinder from DeKalb/Sycamore on Sunday March, 13th...if anyone wants to join let me know. Been taking the long way home from work and consistently getting 40 mile round trip commutes. February was brutal to ride in but the I was still able to get some miles in. Cheers.



- JB

The Return Home

VIP experience

Angry Catfish....shop was unreal

Cool local frame builder

Cars R Coffins

Salsa Mariachi Fat tire build, new bars

Mr. Eric Sovern and Mr. Tobie Depauw

The titans: Marty Larson, Guitar Ted, Ari Andonopolous

New Brooks Colors

Talked to the nice guys from Chris King

Pizza Luce....Great to see Joel Wandrey

Eric passed out under the bed

Frostbike was made up of: an overload of bike information, a "man's vacation", late nights, whiskey, scratch and dent deals, checking out local bike shops, Cutters ball at Peacock Groove that was really fun and had a great DJ, and overall a great weekend besides getting snowed in up in MN, car troubles upon returning home, and a very slick drive home. Thanks to all the Salsa, Surly, QBP, and NCC crew for the great experience!

Frostbike 2011

One on One....keg beer?



Walkin in to QBP



Look forward to the scratch and dent, and seeing my buddy Joel



The men drinking whiskey with the Surly guys...RIP hellmut

Frostbike is a great time. Quality Bicycle Products puts on this show to display the new products for 2011, lots of informative seminars going on, lots of food samples that usually last me until june or july before I have to buy more, lots of bike stuff...information overload, scratch and dent sale where I have gotten 2 of my frames and 1 bike in the past, pizza luce!, whiskey, hot tubs...this is a highlight to the early season. It is going to take me off of the bike for a couple days, which is probably good since last wednesday till today I have ridden 260 miles. I look forward to spending some quality time with my good friends from NCC and having a great weekend!

- JB

Odds

When did Valentine's Day turn into Christmas? Apparently a lot of love in this house



Been watching the Tour of Flanders....I love images like this, flemish flags everywhere, people screaming at the riders, the biggest sporting event of Belgium....so awesome.

Is your meat loafing? Don't let it....

- JB

Week in Review

Despite windchills -15 below zero for the beginning of the week, lots of snow and ice...I was still able to get in some solid riding this past week. Mostly Thurs-Sun...you've already seen some of my riding troubles from earlier in the week. Thursday was able to hit 30 miles for the day heading down Curran road to get home through the country. Friday pushed on to get 40 miles with some riding after work. Saturday commuted again and met up with Steven "Gravemaker" Graves for some miles after work. Steve and I have known each other for a while now but this was the first time we had ever ridden together. Had a strong wind out of the south, did the 20 mile wednesday night ride and then hooked up to auburn and hit the brick/cobble road that led us to curran and on into springfield. Talked about what I usually end up talking about with my buddies while riding, the 3 B's....booze, babes, and bikes. It was great to have some company on the ride and we enjoyed warmer temps with a beautiful sunset to look at. About 5 miles from home I had a flat and my hands did not warm up after that. The CO2 did not work so well and I limped home with about 15 psi in my rear tire. Will be investing in a hand pump soon. Regardless, got 50 miles on Saturday. Sunday met up with the racers and brought out the BMC since I felt I had been neglecting it lately. Almost all of my miles have been on my SS29'er....so, met at Gary's house, had a very strong group of riders. Headed south to auburn and then virden, back through Loami and home. Did a metric for the day and the legs felt great and I was surprisingly able to hang with the racers...guess all the early training has been paying off. Ended up with 250 miles for the week, 20 hours, feel very good about that. I will be riding this week until I meet up with the North Central Crew to head up to frostbike, Hope to have close to 1000 miles for the year before we leave for Minnesota. Get out and ride ya'll!

- JB

Weekend Viewing

Just some entertainment for the weekend, warm weather approaches, time to hammer some miles like Fabian before Frostbike comes. Thanks to Steven "Gravemaker" Graves for letting me borrow these!

Also....that rat bastard will be flying to Germany in April and then driving to see BOTH of these races, luckiest man alive...

Who's got Soul?

FROM STEEL: The Making of a Soulcraft from michael evans on Vimeo.