New bikes all around.

Got out on Saturday morning for a ride with Travis, Joe, and Erik out at Estrilla Mountain where there will be a Dust Devil race next Saturday. It was like pulling teeth from Travis to get me out there because it always seems like when I ride out there something snaps. Not Saturday though…probably because I’m not racing this time.
It was the second ride on the new Cannondale single speed I built up. This year because of the time restraints of my MBA program and the new kid I just don’t think I’ll have the time to train and race marathon. This was only my third time ever on a single speed and I could tell its going to take a little getting used to, but a new challenge keeps things fresh.
This is the last year Cannondale will have made in America written on it. Kind of sad if you ask me but I got the frame as a replacement for the one I have been on for the last 3 years and I got a replacement fork as well so it’s basically like a new bike.
Not as new as Erik’s S-Works carbon 29er. This bike came in at 21 pounds for a 21 inch bike and it felt pretty incredible when I put a leg over it. For the price though this bike better fly to make it worth it, from the feel I got it looked like it just might do it though.
Trail conditions where about what I’m used to out there….crappy. I was able to clear everything on the single speed though including the technical sections on the back side of the long loop.
It was a great morning of riding even if I had been up from 3 am with the baby who refused to go back to sleep. When I got home after noon I was so ready for a 2 hour nap, even after that I was in bed around 10. It looks like I will have to get my sleep down before race season.

Here she is.

I got me a new baby last night. Say hello to Dagny Ayn Hosman. She came in at 7 lbs and 21 inches, eyes open right from the start and checking the world out. I can’t wait to get her out and show it all to her, especially the biking parts. Fitting that this be my 200th post.

Desert Tortoise on a bike.

Travis and I got out yesterday for a couple hours of mountain biking at McDowell. Travis is going to be racing out there in a couple weeks on his single speed so we wanted to get a little ride time in out there. Honestly it has been a few years sense I have just rode out there for the fun of it, typically its only on race day so to just roll out was fun.
On one of our laps we fond this desert tortoise trying to sneak into the parking lot. When I approached him he gave me his best intimidating hiss, but he’s a turtle and I'm a branny man so it didn’t work.
Here he is trying to ride Travis’ bike. I can’t even reach the pedals on that thing so I don’t know why a tortoise thought he could do it. After his bike riding attempt I walked back into the desert and away from the cars. This probably ticked him off, who knows how long he walked to get to that point.