Kuwahara Pix

Ok, here's pics of my Kuwahara build, tattoo arm warmers, and my favorite t-shirt all in one push. The Kuwi still needs black bar tape, some touch up paint, and a bigger chainring, but all things with time (and mo money!) Arm warmers are sweet and shock people just for a second. The t-shirt comes from swimming at our outdoor pool for more than 50 miles or so during the winter months. You can look closely and it reads "only wimps swim indoors".

Rocky Raccoon Video!

Sup, Tri-studerinos! We have for you the first podcast video of an offroad ultra-marathon, the Rocky Raccoon 100! Click here to download the video (plays in iTunes or Quicktime) and sit back to enjoy the pre-race meeting, interview with the winner, footage from the course, and the finish in the darkness of the forest at night. Thanks again to everybody involved and especially to Chris for letting me tag along. I think I'm going to do the 50 miler next year!

I released another podcast the other day with audio from me doing a brick workout at night. I almost get pinched between a car and brick mailbox and then Cody picks a fight with a very mean shadow. I also use a heart rate monitor the whole time and describe how I use it to get a better workout. You can download it here.

Lastly, the Kuwahara project is nearly done. It's sitting in my garage now after I picked it up from the bike shop. It's currently a single speed with coasting ability and the fixed gear is on order. It also has the wrong gear on the front - a 40 instead of a 48. I took it for a spin and it's roughly the same speed as a bmx bike, maybe a tad faster. The fit seems great and it's a real hoot riding a bike and not having any gears to worry about. The downside is that it had a flat (hole at the base of the valve) when I got it home, then another flat when I was out riding it, very far from the house. I called Emily on the cell and she came out to pick me up. I have one last tube and changed it again, then took the bike for one last spin. I took one of the dead tubes and cut out a section and made a chain slap guard out of it. I didn't take any pix because the sun had gone down and the paint looks too flat under artificial light. Probably some pix tomorrow. The correct gears should show up any day! Hasta Manana, yos!

Triscoop Review with Drew

I'd like to thank Drew for taking the time to chat with me and record this podcast. We talk about lots of shizzle, including being a real man and wearing a speedo, the Tour of California, fixed-gear bikes, and tons of other stuff. I asked him to co-host because I knew he was really familiar with Triscoop.com. Maybe you'll be next!

The weather turned good enough for me to get one solid coat of primer on my Kuwahara. Prof. Erich is currently working in his mad scientist lab and turning out a hella sweet decal for the ride. Wait, I've got a copy of it around here.

Lastly, remember the scene from Something about Mary where the serial killer was upset because somebody might come up with 6 minute abs instead of 7 minute abs? What if Seven Cycles had competiton from Eight? Oh no!

Swim Rant

Yeah, so this podcast has me ranting about how to swim. It's my opinion that too many triathletes new to swimming look to Total Immersion only for the stroke instruction. They completely miss the boat on how to actually practice. Stroke technique is only half the picture.

I also play audio from Chris and I wandering around in the woods in 40 degree temps. We talk about heart rate, ferns, and my dalmation's fashion wear.

Music during the show is a killer tune by Sickidz - "The Flys". You can look them up under the "psychobilly" genre at music.podshow.com.

Bike Update

I've stripped all the paint and rust off and I'm getting ready to repaint it chrome. I'm working on decals and came up with a cool one. I printed it out on paper and scotch taped it to the bare metal frame. It will look very similar to this. Kinda halfway between the Independent frame logos and Lemond. Orange and white on chrome will look super-sweet!