Never Unchain the Night (mebbe tho)

I love rubbing Tiger Balm on my clunky shoulder before I go to work on cold days.  The only downside is that no matter how well I wash my hands, I normally have it in both nostrils and at least one eye as well as feeling some limited exposure to my nether regions by around 9:30AM.  Pretty consistently.  The upside to that is I find that I'm able to breathe through my nose quite well.

So, there was some piddling to do while waiting for the snow to melt off the roads this past Sunday.  It was time to get rid of this:

What can I say?  I find using my phone a PITA for keeping track of mileage stuff when we're doing Tour duh Charlotte assploration type stuff.  I can't explain it.  I'm old, I guess.  I was even talking to Brian B about Garmins and whatnot on our casual Sunday assploration ride, and once again, I still can't figure out reason to get one, but I found more and more reasons not to.

It was also time to start getting the Vertigo Meatplow V.7 ready for the makings of great bike race.  It's only a few weekends until the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek.  A new "season" almost always means a new chain.  I love the KMC X9SL, as I almost always get exactly one year from brand new to .75 on the chain checker.

Had to make a tough call tho.

The silver was from my OG purchase of three X9SL chains years ago, the pink being the last of three from a $27.99 blowout deal, and the gold the last of two I found cheap for the Stickel Meatplow V.6.

I went with gold.  Had to.  I can't find the Pink Lady for less than $53, and now that I only have one left?  Just seems to precious to use.  My (mental) problem.

Also, I firmly believe that the hot setup for 6 Hours of Warrior Creek will be 27.5+ wheels and tires.  I pulled the wheels off the Stickel, mounted a Rekon+ in the rear, stuck them on the Vertigo... remembered something I wanted to try but was too lazy... but all the parts were just there at the moment.

Rekon+ 27.5 X 2.8 rear, Minion DHR+ 29 X 3.0 front.  Suddenly wishing I wasn't so lazy about this.  Meh.  I've got like zero time left to really play with it before 6WC and then I need to start getting ready for the meaty portion of my always front-heavy "season."  I've been fantasizing a about getting a NOX/Industry Nine "threewheelset" down the road.  A NOX Kitsuma 29" front, a NOX Farlow 29" rear, and a NOX Kitsuma 27.5" rear.  That would give me huge options for setting up my bike cycle racing bike.

And you know... options.  That thing I do so well with.  What was that thing I've said before about Mexican restaurant menus and too many options and being paralyzed with all the choices and possible mistakes I might make and just always getting the chicken burrito or getting something else and wishing I just woulda just got the chicken burrito instead?

Thus the reason the "threewheelset" is not on the way already.

Although with the Maxxis  Rekon 29 X 2.6 coming down the road?

A 29" Kitsuma front/Farlow rear would be way dope.

Dammit.