XC ski

Just for the log... Today Py went for almost an hour outside to do a little XC ski at the Camp with Tony. Was nice out there and felt good to get out again. Happy :-)

Enjoy a little clip of a squirrel diggn for food while the last gusts of the Blizzard are howling and piling up snowdrifts on LI!

Frohe Weihnachten -- Merry Christmas

Christmas time! Py hopes every one enjoys the holidays in a special way with best friends and family and wishes all the best and good health!

Py is about to count down a few more days of "little active" recovery until new year -- this is the plan -- mixed in with some alternative core and swim program.

LI did not yet got really hit by a snow storm, but is expecting a Blizzard to arrive by Sunday and eventually lasting until Monday. We are ready for it...

Py surely signed up for the

and is looking to start over training ASAP.

We nite MTB ride -- best cure for my knee

Py did it and it was good. Feeling good starting into the dark woods but with a nice bright reflecting light dusting of snow -- very nice and great rock solid frozen trail, no ice -- just a little crunchy sound of frozen leaves with little snow! 24F but 12F with windchill -- but not so bad in the woods.

About 1/2 way out his knee felt not so great but not really bad either and it stayed kind of stable. Little concerns and thoughts about cutting short for a few moments, but then magically while just moving along fine it seam even to felt better and he felt strong either way. So what, it's not getting worse -- then let's go...

And to then end testing it out at almost fulls speed ahead -- all fine, feeling good, not issue at all. Great! Biking still works, best PT ever! Glad he did it.

Most likely cause of knee pain and trouble

30'000+ km road on this Speedplay pedal. Bearings still feel like new and smooth, they got there regular scheduled grease ups about every 2000..3000km. But Py did obviously not took enough attention to the platform abrasion to the outside edge -- now allowing a full 6 degree tilt sideways. After considering all the factors, it is most likely the main cause of his knee trouble -- he rode this bike/pedal at full power at the issue became acute -- together with the cold and neglected warm up factors all multiplied to the bad..

All new now and hopefully good for the next 20'000+ km -- but watching the "gap".

No Ride to IPBP Today

Py is taking a hopefully not too long recovery break. Last week was cold, but nice, sunny and clear. Not a bad time to do so.

He wishes all his readers and followers a nice pre Christmas time. Enjoy!

Kings Park Psychic CX #2

Kreb Cycle CX #2 at Kings Park. Enjoy the video.

Jacob Stern -- I'd say the rider of the day on "Big Foot" comes in 4th

Campos, Wolff, Rick, Stern, Wolff, ...

One more great day -- just Py suffering some acute knee issue to recover from.

... and see you all again on 19th for one more day of CX fun and if Py gets this right some hot beverages ...

Ride to the #1 of 3 Long Island (@Kings Park) Psychic CX race...

Py missed to sign up in time for the #1 LI "Psychic" CX race @ Kings Park -- but signed up right away for the following two. So what -- a kinda chilly cold morning, getting a little late -- but not of any concern as he just had to get there to support and watch! Bundling up a little too cosy and tight, but he kept it easy going and was comfy and warm... It all took a little longer, as he explored known but rarely visited roads of the Harbor Hills area, not skipping Cordwood Path and finding a few nice roads and connections not yet seen! Passing East Setauket and reaching Nissquogue River State Park -- the former location of Kings Park amd abandoned psychiatric wards that make for fun cyclocross racing.

After the race Py did one lap on his road bike -- worked OK, just little more thread/knoby tires would help on the grass...

Then did a little help at the "down taping" and rolled up two big balls of yellow tape. Fun event & setting either way -- little music & waffles would be a blast to have, may be some volunteers around??!

Great job, great race! Big thanks to Gregory/Krebs!!

For his way home he took off this not any longer needed warm layer and exactly back tracked his route -- a few very scenic views -- a gorgeous day.

Out West and Return -- 90km -- 1300hm -- 16 WPTS -- BTW, why is no one playing the WP game this winter with Py??? Makes Py very sad, no fun counting just his own points :-(

RP2IPBP -- cold & windy

A day off on Turkey day. A slightly wet ride to the Camp on Friday at noon to get a little job done and a extra loop on the return -- not so many choices, heading a long way back on open roads into the wind. And back to the usual RP2IPBP today. Py was glad and happy to have a group of fife riders to start with -- as this was a kind of last minute call!

A fast move out to the beach with that pretty steady and cold 20+ mph NWN wind. However one rider just joined part way and one more one one way.

With that there were just three left to fight to wind on the return -- one.... A lot of work today.

WLSCC DAY 2 -- much better

This morning Py car pooled with Karl to Eisenhower Park. Self sign-in. A little more time to warm up on the coarse today, good for 3 laps -- about in reverses, but a few modifications.

Still nothing really of a difference -- all flat and grassy. Good was the barrier was not hidden behind bushes at a 90 deg turn plus leading into one more 90 deg turn, so dis/remounts were much smoother this way. The few stairs/steps were still up-hill but were approached from the other side coming down. That's about all of the features worse talking about.

A chilly morning, but a really nice clear and sunny day!

Start at about 9:05 with a short prologue flying out on pavement for some good 100 yards before merging on the course in right direction. Py had a better start and felt so much better today and was able to put down power all the time making up some positions. A few back and forth changes in between. A few laps w/o chasing some one in sight after getting up... And yes, this time they got there 40 minutes or 5 laps (was it fife??). To the end one rider Py passed was hanging on again and looked like was going to take the sprint... well, he did but Py was at least able to not let him go but was about only a wheel behind his front wheel! Much more fun today.

Preliminary results in Masters 3/4 35+: 17th.

Big thanks to Myles to get this WLSCC kicked off at the new location! It's two fold -- closer to NYC -- great for the city riders -- but Py liked the Southampton setting much better, as it offered so much more variations of terrain and real trails -- what unfortunately was not available this year. A little dump, not sure if he got it right, but the Waffle guy he saw yesterday briefly in the morning was send away due to park contract issues o-( Py was looking forward to one, a nice "Belgium style Waffle!!!" and may be a coffee... today. Some one said there is as Hot-Dog guy (with contract) some where -- well, super, some where. Who wants a hot dog and what does it help if that dude is not any where near by if around at all? Sorry, but these are ridiculous regulations.

WLSCC DAY 1 -- not Py's day

Not Py's day and not his thing today either. Yeah, and it does not helped Py being kind of slow and tiered from the start. This rabbit zig-zag on energy sucking grass all the time, no trail to enjoy and get a chance to recover, no climb at all, just a strong breeze -- wasn't his favorite either. He felt slowish all the time. Did not really got warm at all. Forgot to put the HR sensor on -- but sure that did not went any where up at any time either way. Yes, it was to short, he did not noticed any "official" bell for the last lap either. Forgot again to bring his cow bell (must be a bad omen??). Py did not even felt like taking pictures, all he got are a few seconds video of the womens field. He was super tiered driving home and took a long nap -- but still felt even more tiered. Note sure what was all wrong in particular -- may be he did still some work today (a little bit at times -- yes) or he is going to be sick soon....

Well, not that he is expecting any thing -- but will give it a shot again tomorrow.

Good cooking and a fine dinner finally tonight -- the best he can do. And yes, try to make it to bed in time -- will see -- at the time of writing, right now, some remote microscopy / science is happening under his fingers tips on the mouse at home.

Trevors #2 + a little more hills

Just Trevors ride and a little extra today. Good sized group, nice ride, nothing really special today.

And a little hill route add on -- 4 hours moving total exactly -- 16 WP Pts:

Staten Island CX 2010 (SICX)

Py went racing again -- Cyclocross season! Just a little bit and Py is having a lot of fun - racing and watching all day. A great day, almost summer feeling! Some Belgium stuff, waffels and more -- can it be any better?

A quick course review: Start on grass with a lot of U turns, the typical double barrier, a little speed sections before it went down to the beach. This was any where near ride-able -- about one bike length and all momentum was killed to zero speed and running was on the list, just followed up by a stair case to get up and off the beach again. Did Py old you, he hates sand.... and in particular in his shoes. Well no time to even think about hating it while racing. So far so good. Then a fast grassy/dirt section before hitting a rooty trail section along side a beautiful water view ending in a steep unrideable short down to the water U-turn and run it up again followed by a slight up hill trail part into the woods. Exiting the woods with an fast right turn onto grass again and repeat. In pictures this looks like:

Good to have more photographers around -- Py at the Masters 35+ 3/4.

But also Py took some pictures for all you cycling fans!

Click this to go to Py's Staten CX album:

Also good video footage -- just edited, watch it now:

Ride in Red

Noon to sun set. Catching up on missed sleeping hours. Letting the sun rise. Hey reaching 14C -- Shorts today! A fantastic clear crisp blue sky day -- late fall. Going for a little longer ride, just getting out going East on old know routes combing a little different today on the go. Little pushing the pace solo out east all the way. But taking a few easy intervals and a few chances picture the beauty of the season.

Look at these trees in dark red!

Proceeding to Iron Pear Beach Park via "The Tanks" and following "EBs N route" for a while out East passing water ways and passing by vine yards. This so well know route looks so different in the after noon light! Nice!

Arriving at the Cutchogue Deli, taking a Coffee break. Meeting two other riders known from the Camp... how random -- or may be not?

On the way home now. A little quiet unexpected surprise, some serious flooding...

Some how time is flying and totally unexpected the sun is getting low quicker than thought -- well, DST is over and days getting shorter. Huddling up a bit... but not skipping the route in mind, this will just work out fine. And Py was back home exactly as the sun hit the horizon :-)

15 WP Pts.