Category Archives: Bikes

Well, it’s however many days in, I dunno, I’m too lazy to go back and look.

team buKit is gelling nicely.

Official Team Mechanic, Nature will be down for a visit in the next week or so. We are planning on getting as many ‘training rides’ in as possible in the span of 3-4 days. Don’t forget he’s also the Team Microbrew Consultant as well. Thanks to Team Director Lyn for agreeing to watch the kiddies a bunch during that time. See, it’s all about teamwork.

Team Travel Coordinator Kjungleboy will be in town for a day as well. He’s officially here to go see some NASCAR race, but I’m sure we’ll use some of the time to work on the music for the upcoming documentary, “They Were Behind from the Start: The team buKit Story”. Look for it on IFC. You’ll remember, he’s the composer of ‘buKit’s theme’, so the music should be something else.

The weather here has finally turned outstanding and I have been able to get out for many training rides – although – mountain bike rides instead of road. Whoops. I figure ANY time on the bike is better than no time at all, right?

On a related note, on the last ride it would appear that I tangled with some Poison Oak/Ivy/Sumac and came up short. I have a patch in a stripe right across my lower back – of course, right where your shorts/pants sit. Should proove maddening. I also have a spot on my elbow. Rest assured though, that I have consulted with the team engineers and after a few hours in the wind tunnel, they have assured me that should the outbreak not be fully healed by TOH ride time, the lesions will cause no ill effect on my aerodynamics or coefficient of drag – er, something.

Well, that’s what they’re paid the big bucks for.

Out.

Heating up.

It’s been Africa hot here. Like 101-103 with the heat index. It’s been hot. Makes riding the bike not so much fun.

The diet continues on. I’m down 10 pounds in 2 weeks, so I guess that’s pretty good. We are into ‘phase 2’ now, which means that we can add sprouts to the 3 other things we could eat before.

I went for a long road ride last weekend. I did about 25 miles in about an hour and a half – so that’s pretty good I think. I’m hoping to better that as the date of the ride grows near. I think if I can get down under 2:30 for 50 miles, I’d be pretty psyched.

I’m hoping to be able to ride as technical problems continue to plague the team. The beast that is the ‘Ubaldmobile’ continues to encounter problems. The other day I was forced to ‘change directions suddenly’ by a ‘less than observant idiot driver’ and had to jump a curb rather quickly. I didn’t quite clear it completely and the rear wheel whacked the curb pretty good. Only later after reviewing the bike did I realize that the rim is now dented and no longer round. Great. I spent about an hour and a half doing the best I could to true it up as good as possible – without a truing stand of course – and adjusting the brakes to allow for the bump. Good times. Just the kind of thing I enjoy doing at 12:30am on a Tuesday night. This is the same rear wheel that I just spent $40 on a few weeks back to have the bike shop ‘hold for a week’ to replace 1 spoke, which is really a 15 minute process.

Offical Team Wrench, Aaron’s offical words were: “Dude, a bent rim is trash. Now’s a good time to buy a truing stand an cheap wheel and learn to build wheels.”

This is really fortuitous as that is something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time – now all I really need is the money and the time – and heck, I’ve got tons of both. Gotta love those single, bohemian living mechanics.

For now, the wheel stays.

Thanks to everyone for their continued donations – and remember, you can donate up until midnight the night before the event – so, hound all your friends!

The last two days have sucked on the bike. Really suffering.

The legs are filled with lead. I must have completely run out of carbs.

Like wounded children, I hear the all the Hostess cupcakes screaming at me as I pass every 7-Eleven on the ride.

I am in the ‘pastry’ ring of hell.