Old Man Winter...

Go away.

It's official, I am done with winter. Anyone else out there ready for the sweet southern winds to blow? We have it pretty good here in The Natural State. Four seasons with the extreme stuff only for short periods. I really enjoy the beginning of each season but I'm equally ready for change at the end of winter/summer.

I'm ready to put this stuff away for awhile.

If backpacks were cool in cycling, I would wear one in the winter. Not enough jersey pockets.

No one is going to pay me to ride my bike.

So, I eat what I want.

Of course if you are getting paid to ride your bike or aspire to get paid to ride your bike. Then you live in that upside down world of exercising a lot and eating very little. Sorry...that stinks. Long gone are the days of calorie counting, 'race weight' obsession and that sunken in concentration camp look. Those were some dark days. Stewardship of the body is a more sustainable/attainable goal to strive for. Simple equation, riding = eating. The Grunnagle's love to eat! And that gerrrr (Paige) can cook. I love savory foods after a long ride. Pizza, burritos, fish tacos, chips & salsa anything with eggs, avocados, cheese or Chick-fil-a waffle fries. I'm suddenly thankful for taste buds. Let's eat!

 Arugula (the new iceberg) salad, cherry tomatoes, feta & roasted pine nuts. 

Butternut squash pesto pizza with roasted pine nuts.

Favorite post ride dish? I would love to know because I might want to eat it.

The Saturday Ride

The Solo.

I ended up with a 3 hour solo this morning. The solo is great for a ton of reasons. No one to look after. You can turn down any road without having to convince anyone to follow. Total control of the pace. A great time to think or not think. Riding alone has a 'recharge the batteries' effect on me. It reminds me the most of my first bike experience. Do you remember when the neighborhood grew infinitely bigger? The route today was like a classic wine blend. It had some Ozark dirt, some steep climbs and ended with a little urban cruise through Fayetteville. 40 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing. Good times.

 West Fork of the White along Tilly Willy. Do you think I could have convinced the group to stop to take this? Never.

The view from the top of Mineral Springs Road is awesome. You just need to get past a 2.6 mile climb with one gnarly ramp at the end to get to it.

Cannondale makes a pretty good picture frame. The Ozarks make for a nice back drop. Clif water bottles well...they hold water really good.

Up close and personal with 'The Lion of De Fietsroute.' Bennie thank you for selling me the CX bike. Best purchase I've made in a long time. 

Ever changing Fayetteville skyline.

Ride alone or with people?

The Kit.

Did someone famous where the jerseys on your wall? Nope.

We have worked with some generous sponsors over the years. With new sponsors come new logos, designs and inevitably the new kit. So many great memories are tied up in each version of our team jersey. I would rather be reminded of my own memories in the sport then hang a signed Armstrong Lemond jersey on the wall. One of the most alluring things about the sport to me is that anyone can participate in the ‘knife fight’. A working stiff can experience similar sights, sounds and emotions. Sure it’s on a much smaller scale but the essence and principles are the same. The kit is part of the visual pageantry that makes bicycle racing beautiful.

First hand-me-down.

First team kit. Johnson Mechanical, Bordinos, Metropolis & A Camp Construction Machinery

Mountain bike team. Brad Noe Audi, Thomas-York, Inc., Creative Awards & Fayetteville Bicycle Company.

Accelerade, Lew's Barbershop, Bordinos & Fayetteville Bicycle Company.

Snapple, Lew's Barber Shop, Bordinos, Creative Awards & Fayetteville Bicycle Company.

Snapple 2.0 & Bordinos.

Darn! After my original post Paige (my wife) pointed out that I forgot one very important jersey. Clif Bar & Co.

So, I posted this pic of a killer meal she made last night. Such a good cook! (see recipe/instructions in comments section below)

Favorite PRO or local kit?

The Saturday Ride

Light snow...overcast...wind chill in the teens. When you round the corner and see familiar faces you second guess yourself a little less. Even so, my mind searches for a reason to turn around. Camaraderie holds you accountable in those first bone chilling moments. You tell yourself things like "I'm not crazy" and "okay...maybe a little but at least I'm not the only one". Finally, the road rises doubts subside and the feeling starts to return to your fingers. This morning was pure Ozark adventure. I've been riding these parts for ten years and discovered new roads today. In good company...

Ozarkia begins here. Sector 1.

The sign says it all. Pavement ends. Sector 2.

Man down. First flat in the belly of the beast.

Tube change turns into a Cannondale commercial.

Soderquist Center Film Project Rough Cut

Bryson Moore of www.vergevideos.com capturing the essence of the Saturday morning ride here in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. This is a sneak peek of the raw footage.