Il Falco

I have to keep reminding myself its February. But its impossible. My biker brain wakes up, sees the bigball of yellow outside and I want to ride. Like lots. It feels like May in New England right now. I have been riding 5 days a week. I should be doing hot yoga, getting fat and sledding with my kids. Instead I am riding in the drops pushing the pedals over at 40 rpm with Il Falco. Yeah Il Falco is Matt Aumiller's new nickname. We shall see if it sticks. But I guarantee he earned it. Matt and I have been plotting much radness of late. Started with the Ronde 2.5, morphed into Zank SSCX series and now well now I could tell you but then I would have to kill you now wouldn't I? Well suffice it to say. I got an email saying meet me at Blue Hills at 8 am. We will do hill repeats. I believe the number he said was 7. Ummm do you think he realizes just how old, fat and slow I am? Maybe its best if he doesn't. So I kiss my beautiful wife and roll out at 7 am. Its a great ride over. I get there a touch early and in Hank the Tanks words decide "I will do one" A couple of other dudes are on the access road as well. I catch my 1 minute guy right at the switchbacks where the road kind of kicks you in the nuts. NBD as he is in a hi-viz rain cape and seems more tourist than racer. Like me I suspect his faster friend was taking pity on him and trying to make him faster. He gave me a "great job" and I paid the favor back.
I descended at what I thought was a good pace. Still no Matt. NBD. The good thing with this type of ride is even if your ride partner is late (well I was early) you know where the dirty work will happen. No one, even if they want to, is going anywhere other than up that horrible piece of rock. I text Matt and tell him I am going to do a lap around Blue Hills. Its a bit longer than I thought. But damn its gorgeous. Later Matt and I would be talking about the climb and riding around BH. Before I could even say anything he said "it reminds you of out West doesn't it?" It really does. Like a 1/100 scale model of Mt Diablo. Seriously. Obviously the scale is what is different but other than that. Very similar. This will be my crucible. My Goat Hill if you will. So we do one climb together tranquilo. Then we do one in the drops, seated at like 45 rpm. Holy shit. I have never done that before. Then Matt earned his new nickname. As we start dropping down the access road he just goes bombastic! The ONLY person I have seen descend like that is Joe Breeze. Seriously. No brakes, using the whole road. Full euro style descending. Guy is a demon. Impressive to say the least. So I am gonna put it out there. I am going full euro, eastern bloc training from now on. Well without the testosterone patches and blood bags.
My next little project is hinted at above. I love my current road bike. I really do. When I say I am getting a new one people always look at me like I am crazy. My S3 belgie blue Sycip is a thing of beauty. Jeremy was doing the handbuilt thing long before most of these dudes even where out of high school. I love that guy like a brother. But the man who mentored him and built my first cross bike? That would be Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster. I had Paul build me a cx frame 3 years ago. I can't believe its been that long. Ever since I got that bike I have been telling him I was going to put in an order for a scandium "carbon bike killing machine" of a road frame. Well I sent that check. Let' see if I can cash it. I think it needs to be belgie blue just like the Sycip.
I also got a chance on Saturday's ride to finally go to Cafe Fixe. I have heard of it of course but never been there. In true Roger De Vlaeminck style we rolled up to the team ride with lots of miles in our legs. Ok maybe not. RDV used to put in like 200k before meeting other riders. I think we got like 45 k. But anyway. We roll up and I see a big group of Threshold, then like 40 dudes in spandex crammed into the tiny cafe. We meet up with Ben, Seth, Andrew and Billy and they give me an escort home. Such a great way to get the riding started for the weekend. This will be my saturday from now on. Such a great time

I also got this little gem in the mail. Soft Like Kitten is my "secret team" I "met" Robert through a couple of friends. Stevil and Michele. I can't think of two more opposite people than those two. But they share one thing that is for sure. The love of the bike and are such great people. And friends. Robert has put together a great crew up in the PacNW. They are doing some really cool things. Wish 3,000 miles and some wasteland didn't separate Boston and Seattle. I know I would love hanging out with them. For now I will wear that hat on all my hardman rides. Or just at Cafe Fixe drinking doppios and eating pastries.