Ground Hog Gravel Grind

Doug Long is hosting the first annual Ground Hog Gravel Grind up in Jamesport, MO. Here's the info:

What: 1st Annual Gravel Grind
When: Saturday, February 2nd.
Where: Jamesport at the 4 way stop downtown at 9:30 am
Distance: Two 20 mile loops. Do one or both.
Ride Contact: dlong@we.rr.com
Logging: Marigolds Inn - For the special room rate call 660-684-6122

Route is up at Green Hills Trails

Bike Across Kansas

Registration is open for this years Bike Across Kansas. This years event will take place from June 7th - 14th, 2008. This years route will start on the Colorado border and traverse the Northern part of Kansas ending in Atchison. A very fun adventure that lasting over 450 miles. Official website is www.bak.org

YOGA anyone?

Rich Anderson and I made the trip down to kansas siddhi yoga, one of our new sponsors for the 2008 season. Rich has done several classes but this was my first. The 1.5 hour session was great for stretching and can also be a good strength workout, it is also very relaxing. My girlfriend joined me and Rich's wife, Mary, is shadowing the classes. Jenn and I decided to sign up for a 5 session pass and we plan on making this a weekly outing at least until she leaves for work in March. The stretching part of the regimen is only a small part of the yoga experience as Gina, our instructor pointed out during the session, but it was the part that I felt the most that night. Later in the evening as I went to bed I was amazed at how relaxed my neck and back were, I hope to make this a regular part of my training for a long time to come and I recommend it to everyone. Check them out at www.moyoga.com.

Midwest Fat Tire Schedule

The 2008 schedule HERE! There will be 7 cross country races and a six hour event. The six hour event will not be a points paying race.

March 9th - Ride With The Devil - Clinton Lake, KS

March 30 - Rim Wrecker - Potosi, MO

April 20 - Le Tour De Tick - Neosho, MO

June 1 - Rhetts Run - Columbia, MO

July 13 - Lunatic Fringe - Smithville, MO

July 27 - Show Me State Games - Columbia, MO

August 30 (SATURDAY) Tall Oak Challenge - 6 Hour - Binder Lake**this is not a points race.

Sept. 21 - Oz Epic - Lake of the Ozarks, MO

Weekend Training Rides

This weekend a few of us got together on Saturday and Sunday mornings for some LSD (long slow distance). Chris Locke, Randy Cartwright and Dan Grier met up early Saturday morning with light snow still covering the roads. Chris and Dan ended up with 40 miles, while I (Randy) accidentally ended up with almost 60 (Darn gmap-pedometer.com underestimated my route by about 13 miles). We rode a route around Smithville Lake then back to the Northland.

Sunday Richard Anderson, Ashley Blum and Randy met up at Ashley's house in Independence for a good 3 hour ride. The route was great for active recovery as well as base miles, predominately flat and following the Missouri River eastward from Independence. I really like the ride and the best part was that Ashley's wife Dana had made a great "brunch for a bunch" for us when we returned. We will have to definately do that route again, if for no other reason than the meal at the end, Thanks Dana.

Rich, Randy and Ashley just after the ride

Us enjoying Dana's great brunch.

American Cancer Fund Raiser

Today's Caner-thon held in Leavenworth Kansas was a great success. Brendan from Santa Fe Trails Bicycle and Coffee Shop together with Roger put on a very fun event and raised money for the American Cancer Fund.

Check out Roger's photos - Caner-thon photos.

How to Build Bicycle Wheels - Part 2

How to Build Bicycle Wheels - Part 1

Fat Tire Championships

Congratulations to Cow Town Cycling members Damian Almanza, Carolynn Locke, Christopher Locke and Chris Locke. Together they won the Team Division during the 2007 Midwest Fat Tire Championship series.

Individual titles were also won by Carolynn Locke (Beginner Women) and Christopher Locke (Kids 8 - 12).

The Awards Banquet is this weekend. Full report coming soon....

Clinton Lake Snow Ride

Several of us met on Sunday to ride the trails at Clinton Lake in Lawrence, KS. Six of us total made the ride, Chris Locke, Shad Schreiner, Jeff Arnaud, Gerard Arantowicz, Mark Studnicki and Randy Cartwright. The conditions were a little worse than at Landahl most likely due to the deeper snow and not as many riders had packed it down. We ended up with about 2.5 hours of riding. Shad had several mechanicals, two flats and a broken chain. Chris kept the wheels down and saved his head from another smack on the rocks. Gerard had a tough time on the snowy conditions with the single speed. A good base building workout on the frozen trails!