You oughta be riding this weekend.

Yeah, that is the forecast for December 1st and 2nd.  Doesn't matter how you like to spend your time, you should get out and enjoy this weather.  As for me, I'll be heading out to my favorite locale for a couple of long rides with lots of big hills.  Probably Sabula on Saturday and then around Elizabeth and Galena on Sunday.  Basically, there is nothing else I'd rather do.

I like the cut of this dude's jib.

Inspired by an old post on the Surly blog...  I feel like these guys would get along.

http://surlybikes.com/blog/post/i_like_the_cut_of_this_dudes_jib

Century with Ross-August 23, 2012

Friday Ross and I did a century out to Oregon and back.  It was the first time Ross had ridden a century and we had a real good time together. I had been itching to do a big ride to Oregon for some time and while riding last Tuesday night, Ross and I decided we should get after it and do one before school got back in session. The route was good, with probably over half of it on gravel roads. It had some fun climbs too. The day itself was very hot with a high around 93ºF or 94ºF. We started early and the morning was nice with lots of clouds but the clouds and their shady respite disappeared quickly as the day progressed. We managed to stave off the bonk by drinking shit loads of water and eating a very salty meal in Oregon before heading back to DeKalb. Also, there comes a point on most long rides where I am helpless against the allure of Casey's pizza. So we had some of that too.  We were pretty fried by the time we made it back but that was kind of the point in the first place and we had fun doing it.  

Casseroll and Spacehorse make a good team.

I just can't help myself.

More treats.  Give me a break, it was hot.

I like this image.  The blazing white glare of the sun, Ross's head down...  Captures the mood at that moment in the ride pretty well.

Twombley all the way from Rochelle to DeKalb to finish things off.  Ugh.  That was not an exciting stretch.

Ross at the Magical One Hundredth Mile.  Salty!!

Elizabeth to Galena-August 12th, 2012

A few weekends ago, Agatha and I took a trip out to her family home in Jo Daviess County for another ride in my favorite place. We had great ambition going into this trip, with the aim to ride a 100+ mi/10,000 ft of climbing route. We did NOT do that.  Uh.. Let's blame it on the weather? It was a bit overcast and the clouds spat rain throughout the day, but we made the most of it and did a 50 some odd mile loop to Galena and back. I will not bother you with too many words about the trip. The roads are empty, the hills and grueling, the gravel is loose, and it is the perfect place to ride bikes. I love it so much. We are probably going back again this weekend. Why not?

Crumbling limestone towers at the Mississippi Palisades.  Don't try to climb it without a rope as there are wasps nests in the pockets.  Don't ask how I know that. 

Beautiful winding gravel hills.

This hill was so steep and loose my back tire spun out and I had to walk it.  700x35 does not cut it out there in some spots.

I am cool and good looking.

So awesome...

Parquet Courts-Light Up Gold

New album from Parquet Courts.  This is probably the coolest thing I've heard all year (excluding anything MILK MUSIC has done).  Great post-punk songs with intriguing lyrics that require a few listens to soak in.  I get a really strong Velvet Underground vibe from it, and that's a pretty damn high compliment.  CHECK IT OUT.

Tour of Lake Michigan - May 20 to June 7, 2012 - Part 1

     This experience is still sinking in. 19 days of riding, 1,723 miles total.  Somehow over all those miles and days, our bodies and bikes barely faltered.  Our spirits were rarely low, and we only ran in to one mechanical problem on the second to last day that was easily managed (with a quick phone call to Eric--thanks again!!)  For now, all I can say is it was exhilarating, peaceful, reflective, revealing, refreshing, and inspiring.  There is no better way to travel than by bicycle.  On this journey Agatha and I maintained a journal and log, but only took pictures documenting the last week or so.  In this post, I'm going to upload some of the photos we took, and in coming posts talk a little about the trip itself, and the impact it had on me.
 

Breakfast on our final day: we split a half gallon of milk, a box of frosted mini wheats. Salem, WI.

The most unusual road name I've ever heard of.  Milwaukee-ish, WI.

Loaded down Casseroll at Whitefish Dunes State Park, WI.

Typical scene: Agatha getting dinner together after a long day.  Point Beach State Park, WI.

Just before sunrise, about 4:30 AM.  Whitefish Dunes State Park, WI.

Sun coming up over the lake, same location as previous shot.

Nice stretch of road--farmland to the west, lake and bluffs to the east.  Somewhere along the central lakeshore, WI.

A bench along the Anahpee Trail between Algoma and Casco, WI.  "There can be no doubt that a society rooted in the soil is more stable than one rooted in pavements." --Aldo Leopold.  Fitting.

Striking a nice pose entering the beautiful Door County.

Goofing at the beach, Whitefish Dunes State Park.

The Last Supper--Chili beans, tuna, gas station condiment packets, 50 cent cigars, and Milwaukee's Best Ice (we tried to go with local options throughout the trip.)  Is it sad or wonderful how happy this made us at the time?  I say wonderful.

Another good one in Illinois' NW corner...

This weekend Agatha and I set out on another good long ride to Elizabeth.  Her father and uncle had spent the past week reparing flood damage to their home there, and our plan was to meet them there Friday night, get a ride back on Saturday, and celebrate Easter on Sunday.  Everything worked out perfectly.  I rode the Casseroll equipped with my Revelate Tangle bag, and Agatha carried a light load on a rear rack aboard her brand-spankin-new SALSA VAYA!  It is an awesome bike and it performed flawlessly on it's first test.  Agatha commented the large tires, disc brakes, and extra gears made the once dominating gravel hills of Jo Daviess and Carrol counties fun!  So yeah, Friday we clocked about 110 miles again (following a similar route to our last trip), and having a tail wind and sunshine the ENTIRE day made the ride seem to fly by.  We also both noticed a bit of mental toughness gained from our grueling Monticello adventure ("Only one hundred miles?  With a tailwind?  HA!").  We kinda felt like we were cheating, but we had so much fun we didn't care.  Agatha and I arrived just before sun set, and enjoyed beer, food, and campfire before turning in.

Saturday brought more good riding.  After a slow morning of eggs, coffee, and helping out with some of the repair work going on, Ag and I decided we would ride north to Charles' Mound, the highest point in all of Illinois!!! (Funnily enough, this location has a page on Summit Post, a mountaineering info site.  Click here for the link.)  We didn't get going till about 1PM.  Unfortunately, while grabbing some snacks in the town of Scales Mound, we were told the mound is privately owned and only open to the public during the summer months.  Oh well.  The riding was good regardless, with plenty of climbing for our sore legs.  Ended up with about 40 miles for the day.



All in all, it was another good weekend of riding.  If  you enjoy cycling the views, roads, and hills of Illinois' Northwestern unglaciated region really are not to be missed.  Consistent weekend missions to that part of the state could start to become a regular thing, as I firmly believe it is the best riding destination within a reasonable distance from DeKalb.