It's fast approching the weekend, and another permanent cometh. This time, I feel a sort of vindication....well, sorta. I've not made any giant weight changes yet, but I do feel more prepared for this one than I did the November edition. This time I've got Carboplex in my corner, and a bit more focus on a long-term goal (more on that in future posts). For now, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the R-12 run, number 1. While I will likely take 2009 off from a second R-12 attempt to focus on speed at shorter distances, I can see myself using the R-12 as a great way to ramp up for bigger things and bigger goals, like a big 1200km grand randonee, for example. But, for me, for '09, after the spring brevet series I plan to focus on shorter rides and an attempt to get some speed back. For now, the focus is on the weekend. I'm excited to spend some miles with Noah again - he's coming along for the day - and it will be good to see this route again. Scenic, interesting, it should keep my mind off the chill that will be in the air. It will be less windy, which is welcome news - and so far, dry. But, I'm not too concerned if that changes.
To help my mental game, I've also done something I haven't done for almost two years: I cleaned the Kogswell. Aside from wipe-downs occasionally, the only thing that's kept her clean has been the rain. I used to br a freak in this area, but I've saved that for the Trek and other restoral projects lately. This used to be common brevet-prep, though: a clean bike, for a clean brevet. It's like showing up to an F1 race in a dirty Ferrari....its just part of the routine: arrive clean, get her dirty. Of late, say....November, October, June, May, April, March....I've taken the kogs directly from commuter service directly into permanent and brevet service. No biggie - bikes are meant to be ridden, not cleaned - and the stuff that counts, mechanically, has always been something I attend to regularly anyways. But, this time, for that extra little dose of "good luck" for the coming weekend, I've given her the full cleaning.
It's a pretty bike, if I say so myself -- can't take too much credit for that other than the assembly, but I do like how she looks. It's one of those things, now that it's all clean, new rubber on the front wheel, the flim of almost two years of commuter/brevet duty removed - it's ALMOST like, "man, WHY am I commuting on this thing?" Come springtime, I'm sure I'll be back on it for sure - but for now I have a few months to spend on the beater. By contrast, anything looks pretty sharp by comparison. I haven't ridden a beater this "nice" since "IT", the Univega, way back when.
So, a clean bike, a clean path ahead -- the countdown begins towards another 200+ kilometers of goodness! Bring it!
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