April 18


82 deg f
917 days left

 

On Saturday Linden had it's "Wildflower Trails" weekend.

This is an annual festival in Linden and the towns of Avinger and Hugh Springs also have their festival on the same weekend.
There's all the usual happenings, Quilt show, Art show, Car show, Craft booths, Junk food concessions and a parade.

There's also a run and Jerry along with Rodney Bynum put together a Bike ride.
This is the 3rd year for the bike ride and we had a total of 74 riders.
I rode my new bike, joined by Roger and a friend of Jerrys from Little Rock, AR, Oren Wright.
This ride is always a challenge for me beause it's usually the first in Hot weather, over 80 deg for the first time of the year.

We had a good time, did 37 miles with lots of hills and had no problems.

After the ride I went to Teresa's apartment and changed clothes and then we went to the Mexican Restaurant for chicken enchilades and then watched the parade.
You'll notice in the pictures below that we had one Granddaughter in the band and another throwing things from a float.

I don't mind admiting that when the parade was over so was mrbill, I headed for the casa and the couch where I had a good nap.


The first guy on the left is Michael Prewitt from Mount Pleasant, he was the second one in on the 65 mile route with an 18.24 mph avg for the ride.


The gentleman on the left in black on the recumbent it Oren Wright from Little Rock, AR, enjoyed riding with Oren.


Lexy, our granddaughter is playing clarinet in the band.


Ashlynn was having a great time on the float.

 

 


75 deg f
923 days left

 

My new bike
 


Surly Long Haul Trucker

 

 


70 deg f
931 days left

 

Checking new site and new editor.
I bought me a new bike, a Surly Long Haul Trucker, really liking it. I will post pics once I figure out this new Server.



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North Cape of Norway, Midnight Sun

 

 


70 deg f
931 days left

 

Beautiful Day

Today was the perfect day weather wise, 70 deg, full sun no wind and I didn't ride. I rode Saturday and Sunday in 15 to 20 mph winds and then on Monday, gym day, the wind stops and it's a great day for cycling, that's life.

After gym I had some work I needed to do around the Rancho, mainly weed eat weeds and that was about it for my day.

At present I'm reading "Saving Faith" by David Baldacci, enjoyable read, it one of those tough guy gets the girl and the crook books, but does contain some interesting tidbits on how the government and the politicians rob the poor taxpayers blind.

In bike racing the Tour of Switzerland is happening this week, I don't really have a favorite, many of the big names are missing in this race, Chris Froome is here but he's keeping a low profile while he's undergoing some drug issues, I personally think he doped, legal or not.

Photo Dump:
 


House next door to the Firestation burns, not good


The Skinniest House in the World in Uruapan, Mexico
I like this town

 

 


40 miles
70 deg f
937 days left

 

Sun and Roses

Today was a good day on the bike.
The weather was perfect, Sun, 70 deg and light wind which made the day a good one.
I rode with Jerry and Roger and we managed to somehow get in 40 miles, our longest ride of the year so far and we all felt it, hey, I know it's only 40 miles but were old guys, we also had about 2000 ft of elevation gain to help wear us out.

We were hungry at the finish and headed straight to the Mexican Restaurant in Linden where I scarfed down some chicken enchiladas, cleaned the plate.

I got home, walked Bootsie and that was pretty much it, I did do some reading on a book I just started, "Saving Faith" by David Baldacci.
 











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I like New Mexico and found this interesting



Zia Sun Symbol

New Mexico State Flag
 
Mera was an archaeologist who was familiar with the Zia Sun symbol found at Zia Pueblo on a 19th-century pot. The symbol has sacred meaning to the Zia. Four is a sacred number which symbolizes the Circle of Life: the four directions, the four times of day, the four stages of life, and the four seasons.

"I salute the flag of the State of New Mexico and the Zia symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures", is commonly recited in New Mexico public schools after the United States pledge of allegiance.

 

 


75 deg f
942 days left

 

Well it looks like the "Race of Truth," the ITT has given us a new leader, and now all it right with the world in the "Pais Vasco" race.

This is the general classification after stage 4.

1 Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo 13:41:26
2 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:34
 


Primoz Roglic

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I didn't ride today, I needed to do some work around the Rancho. I cleared off an area by my shop which had grown up and then I did some weed eating and of course I had to do some rope and rubber chicken throwing for Bootsie.

 

 


70 deg f
943 days left

 

Gym this morning, not many folks there so I did my workout and left, I needed to go to Texarkana to the health food store for bread and then a visit to the bike shop.

At the bike shop I talked to Terry about getting a Surly Long Haul Trucker, nice visit good info, I need to return with my light touring bike so they can take a few measurments from it to help with sizing my trucker.
I'm pretty sure I need a 50cm but if a 46cm would work I'd rather have less bike and less weight to haul around, will discuss this on my return trip. The problem with buying a Surly LHT is you can't find one to look at or test ride, no one keeps them in stock, so what you get is what you got.

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In the "Pais Vasco" race in Basque country Jay McCarthy of BORA - HANSGROHE (BOH) wins stage 3

1 ALAPHILIPPE, Julian (QST) 4:11:47
2 ROGLIČ, Primož (TLJ)

Tomorrow is the TT, the race of Truth, no drafting tomorrow so we'll see who's the man.

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This Sunday is one of my favorite races of the year and the toughest, Paris Roubaix, or the Hell Of The North.
I always think of Cancellara and Boonen when I think of Paris Roubaix, both of which have won multiple times, an unbelievable feat.

CLICK HERE for a good preview of Paris Roubaix.

 

 


22 miles
80 deg f
944 days left

 

Wind

Plenty windy today so I decided to ride the Mtn bike on the backroads to lessen the impact.
I headed to town on the back road, stopped and called Roger and he agreed to join me once I got to Linden.
We met up at Kims and I let Roger know the route I wanted to ride.
We left town on Tobacco road and did some ups and downs until the final climb up out of Frazier creek bottom, what a climb, testy at first, tough little mid section, 12%, proceeded by more 6% to the top, a fun climb.
We even went off road for a little bit looking for the "Bug Ranch," a spot a friend showed me about 25 yrs ago, the Bugs being Volkswagens, never found the spot, probably totally grown over.

Really had a fun ride on some of my favorite backroads that I haven't ridden in a while, and NO CARS.

CLICK HERE to see the route we took.

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In the "2018 Vuelta al País Vasco" stage 2 was a repeat of stage one with Alaphillipe sucking Roglics wheel to the line and then coming around for the win, can Alaphillipe actually win under his own power, it would be nice to see.
 



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I got Bootsie a new toy, a Purple Rubber Chicken. When you squeeze the chicken it makes a noise, kind of like a dying chicken, Bootsie was leary at first but has taken to it. Now instead of a rope rubbing up against my leg everytime I leave the house now it's a rubber chicken making death sounds, I can't win.
 

 

 


80 deg f
945 days left

I made it to the gym today, enjoyed catching up with everyone, still getting back into my routine after a couple of weeks at the Hosp.

This time of the year is when we have some of our best bike racing.
Currently the "2018 Vuelta al País Vasco" in in progress in Catalonia Spain, Basque Country.

CLICK HEREfor the last 10 KM of Stage 1

I give the win to "Primoz Roglic," who pulled Alaphilippe over that final mnt and pulled him to the line.

Official Results
1 ALAPHILIPPE, Julian (QST) 4:17:46
2 ROGLIČ, Primož (TLJ)

I'm cheering for "EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale"
 




Primoz Roglic


The race can be found on 2 of the links to the right, "Cycling News" and "Steephill.tv", live coverage begins at 8am.