No, we will fight like lions.

I've got zero regrets from the Pisgah 111k, aside from not grabbing some Coke at Aid Station #3.

photo cred: Icon Media Asheville

What can I say?  I was overwhelmed by the presence of bacon.  Twice my brain just shut off when I saw a pile of it.  I never eat it at home (The Pie/vegetarian doesn't like the smell), so lets just say it's a weakness.


I also have no regrets about not doing the 55.5k the next day.  I was able to walk in my front door at 9:15AM and be in my bath tub drinking coffee before 10:00AM.  Fully cleansed and awake, I was able to get to the task of making my bike ready for the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic.  I also enjoyed a sweet, drool-fest nap midday.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention...

I said I was going to run the plusser tires at the 111k, had second thoughts at work on Thursday, and spent forty minutes swapping everything back to the way it was before I messed with it.  More testing will happen... eventually.  When there's no number plates involved.

Things I needed to do before TSE:

* Figure out what happened with my brake.  Did the two levers/one cup trick.  Bubbles.  Still bubbles.  Where do they come from?

* Bottom bracket.  Time for new bearings.  It's been a year.  Crunchy is no bueno.

* Freehub maintenance.  Enough Pisgah and absent minded creek crossings have passed.  It's too easy to do, so do it.

* Replace the drooper cable.  It was my fault that it was fraying.  The last time I put in a new cable, I had the tension a little off.  I decided to move it, and that second pinch of the set screw?  I could see the damage had been done.  Laziness and cheap-assedness kept me from doing anything about it.  All new now.

Otherwise, I'd say my bike is ready to go for TSE.  My body?  Not so bad right now.  Shoulder is feeling better than... well, not "ever," but better than before October of last year.  My thumb still doesn't bend enough, but it bends more than it did two weeks ago.  My legs aren't terribly sore, my liver is in peak condition, and I feel like all I need to do between now and this weekend is get plenty of rest... something I take great pride in my ability to do at a high level.

Don't forget, in less than a couple weeks, the Industry Nine hub raffle to benefit the PA Interscholastic Cycling League will be over.  You can still get in and have a chance to win a set of hubs, so show some support with your doll hairs soon or miss out.  I've already met my goal, but I'm an overachiever when it comes to asking people to help people other than myself.