Finally getting out for some tandem rides. Ore to Shore isn't that far away. Jonell and I are planning on doing the 28miler. Should be fun. I see the block 8's come in a 29r version. Sweet.
Grinding the rollers on the Goat Ranch road, keeping away from the rain clouds.
We took the Maplelag staff to the Northern League All star game Tuesday night at the FM Redhawks stadium. I was memorized by the ground crew laying fresh cord, thinking that would be a pretty sweet job. They get the job done in one or two passes but they have to make 5-6 because when you do stuff like that, you get addicted and you want to make it as perfect as possible. I couldn't tell if it was a Nordic finish or Alpine. Overall the field was in great shape and the lines were Pro, different then most ballparks.
Look at all those tasty hot dogs in the background. I figure if some dude can put down 63 or whatever it was and wake up the next day I can handle at least one. They keep them in this steamy oven so the buns are nice and moist after the dog has been spinning for a few hours. The end of game they are better because they get a bit browner. I don't know what Jens was looking at. I have a hard time holding back at these places. They have lots of good stadium food, (compared to the Excel and Metrodome anyways). The SW burrito at the specialy Taco stand gives Chipolte a run for their money.
Jack and nephew Garrett score a autograph from the mascot. The ballpark is top shelf. Max seating is about 5000. They sell out most games. Just a great spot to take the family with always something going on between innings. The Wenzel family joined us and Steve and I caught up on all the FM endurance people and bike shop gossip.
Made it to the Rollag road ride for the first time this year. Absolutey perfect conditions. Rollag is where the steam thresher reunoin is, located on the edge of Lake Agassiz with some nice fast rolling hills. Beautiful country. P-cakes used to pound some miles here. Most everyone comes from FargoMoorhead to blow lung and clean out the engine as it is probably the hardest ride of the week for a lot of folks. Jake used my road bike so I threw a slick on the back and a semi-slick on the front of the Salsa and pumped them up to recommended max. Off the bat things were rolling. First 6 miles average about 24mph. I missed the first break because I was at the back taking pics and wasn't ready to drill it after sitting in the car for 50 minutes and only 8 minutes of riding. But thats Rollag. If you want to hammer, you better be ready. I try follow every move Brian Dahl makes. The guy is a complete animal. 40+ something and he just drills. I ran out of gears a bunch of times. I was spinning like crazy, like Jesse LaLonde overdosed on Sportlegs. I look down and we are doing 39 on a gradual downhill. Fun. Probably the hardest workout of the year. You just can't ride solo like that. Especially when someone jumps and you have to dig to hang one, especially with the mtb. It was either do this or hill climbs at the mountain as we are about 10 days out from VT and 10 days is what I call a VIP day. Seems like if you do something harder then you have ever done or whatever, you can cash in 10 days later. From this point on it is just fine tuning and keeping the legs relatively fresh (from my experience anyways). Oh, speaking of LaLonde, you have to admit the guy is just bad ass. The whole tatoo thing kind of freaks me out, not saying him but anyone but to each his own and thats just fine. The first win was cool, smaller field but he confirms at Firecracker, against MN finest as he says which is pretty classy to say in the first place. He gets the mid July favorite for Cheq. We'll see how the rest of the season plays out. If he does win, you would think that would have to make smiling Chalies "best of" list. Tomorrow going up to the icebox to pick up Jon from hockey camp. Camp ends Friday but want to catch his game tomorrow night, and maybe rent a boat for 2-3 hours and fish on LOW. It would be a nice surprise for Jon who has missed out going to bike races and what not.
Grinding the rollers on the Goat Ranch road, keeping away from the rain clouds.
We took the Maplelag staff to the Northern League All star game Tuesday night at the FM Redhawks stadium. I was memorized by the ground crew laying fresh cord, thinking that would be a pretty sweet job. They get the job done in one or two passes but they have to make 5-6 because when you do stuff like that, you get addicted and you want to make it as perfect as possible. I couldn't tell if it was a Nordic finish or Alpine. Overall the field was in great shape and the lines were Pro, different then most ballparks.
Look at all those tasty hot dogs in the background. I figure if some dude can put down 63 or whatever it was and wake up the next day I can handle at least one. They keep them in this steamy oven so the buns are nice and moist after the dog has been spinning for a few hours. The end of game they are better because they get a bit browner. I don't know what Jens was looking at. I have a hard time holding back at these places. They have lots of good stadium food, (compared to the Excel and Metrodome anyways). The SW burrito at the specialy Taco stand gives Chipolte a run for their money.
Jack and nephew Garrett score a autograph from the mascot. The ballpark is top shelf. Max seating is about 5000. They sell out most games. Just a great spot to take the family with always something going on between innings. The Wenzel family joined us and Steve and I caught up on all the FM endurance people and bike shop gossip.
Made it to the Rollag road ride for the first time this year. Absolutey perfect conditions. Rollag is where the steam thresher reunoin is, located on the edge of Lake Agassiz with some nice fast rolling hills. Beautiful country. P-cakes used to pound some miles here. Most everyone comes from FargoMoorhead to blow lung and clean out the engine as it is probably the hardest ride of the week for a lot of folks. Jake used my road bike so I threw a slick on the back and a semi-slick on the front of the Salsa and pumped them up to recommended max. Off the bat things were rolling. First 6 miles average about 24mph. I missed the first break because I was at the back taking pics and wasn't ready to drill it after sitting in the car for 50 minutes and only 8 minutes of riding. But thats Rollag. If you want to hammer, you better be ready. I try follow every move Brian Dahl makes. The guy is a complete animal. 40+ something and he just drills. I ran out of gears a bunch of times. I was spinning like crazy, like Jesse LaLonde overdosed on Sportlegs. I look down and we are doing 39 on a gradual downhill. Fun. Probably the hardest workout of the year. You just can't ride solo like that. Especially when someone jumps and you have to dig to hang one, especially with the mtb. It was either do this or hill climbs at the mountain as we are about 10 days out from VT and 10 days is what I call a VIP day. Seems like if you do something harder then you have ever done or whatever, you can cash in 10 days later. From this point on it is just fine tuning and keeping the legs relatively fresh (from my experience anyways). Oh, speaking of LaLonde, you have to admit the guy is just bad ass. The whole tatoo thing kind of freaks me out, not saying him but anyone but to each his own and thats just fine. The first win was cool, smaller field but he confirms at Firecracker, against MN finest as he says which is pretty classy to say in the first place. He gets the mid July favorite for Cheq. We'll see how the rest of the season plays out. If he does win, you would think that would have to make smiling Chalies "best of" list. Tomorrow going up to the icebox to pick up Jon from hockey camp. Camp ends Friday but want to catch his game tomorrow night, and maybe rent a boat for 2-3 hours and fish on LOW. It would be a nice surprise for Jon who has missed out going to bike races and what not.
2 comments:
We used to hit all those threshing shows when we were younger, but we never hit Rollag. Too big of a show for my dad and grandpa with too much smoke from all the steamers. Every weekend in August we would show our antique garden tracktors and small engines.
John Thompson always rides his mtb on the group ride. He makes the break most of the time too and does his share of work at the front. Everyone has a nice lightweight carbon bike and he shows up on an old lightspeed mtb and schools them. good times
The best memory I have from Rollag steam thresher reunion is the Rommegrot the local Sons of Norway cooked in on the immigrant cabins. Good stuff.
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