LEGSHAVE Challenge Update
Saturday I shaved my legs for the 4th time. (It still seems creepy to me to say "I shaved my legs".) Before I shaved, my leg hair had grown past the stubble stage and was not prickly and my legs still looked clean and un-hairy, unless you got close. That stage was OK. As is the freshly shaven stage, but it only lasts 2 days before I'm into stubble and the associated itchiness and roughness.
Shaving is still a chore and annoying. And frankly, feels wrong. But I'm trying to keep an open mind.
I've got at least one more shave to go - right before the Hell of the North race on the 4th of April. Even if I don't race, I'll shave - as promised.
I'm ambivalent about the Hell of the North race for several reasons:
- My road biking fitness and form are sub-par
- The race costs $10 more because you have to have a timing chip now
- The Cat 5 pack is too big for such a narrow course
- I could do Masters B, but that's 7 laps instead of 5
29er Wheels
These are the wheels on my 29er hard-tail - Bontrager Rhythm Comps (purchased from Racer):
(Also seen is the SRAM cassette and Avid rotors I put on the wheels.)
So far I like the wheels, but I'm not using them correctly yet. They are tubeless wheels and I'm running them with tubes. I called Racer last week and the rim strips still aren't in. Maybe I'll break down and tape them up and run them tubeless without the strips for now.
I'm also anxious to pull off the old, worn-out Jones tires I have been running and install the new Crossmarks that are just sitting in my garage, still in their package. It's almost more than I can take.
The 29er rides pretty nice now, but I'm sure it will be nicer tubeless when I can run lower pressure for better traction and squish on the rear and better cornering grip on the front.
But it's all moot until this snow goes away. Maybe I'll break out the skis again.
13 comments:
Do you have to pay the $10 one day licence fee as well for HOTN? That would really jack up the price. Maybe you could tell them you have the chip even though you don't. It's not like you'll be battling for upgrade points this year anyway:)
Excuse me but the Cholla Challenge is on the 4th of April. Time to pick sides.
So I'm blowing off HoN this year for a Gooseberry/Little Creek weekend (Brad- we will probably camp on your land again!) but I'd definitely do it if I were around. Even though it's basically an over-sized crit, it gets you over the first-race-of-season jitters and is still low-cost and logistically easy enough (i.e. local, short duration) that you don't feel bummed if it goes poorly or you DNF.
Forget waiting for the rim strips. Grab 24" or 26" tubes and go ghetto tubeless. It's much cheaper than rim strips and valve stems and it works like a charm. I am with Brad. Time to pick sides and race the fat tires.
I'm a girl and I too am not a fan of the whole leg shaving thing...necessary evil.
Looks like Brad and Derek are on my side.
road racing is dumb.
But mountain bike racing and cyclocross are exempt?
Hey does this mean Jolene is not going to go to Cholla! She told me she was going. I think you need to go to Cholla. Besides all of your friends will be there. :-)
Yes,
why even ask that question? Sheesh.
Just checking.
KC - We will be there and Jolene will race, but I may skip it for a lap on JEM. I have never done JEM and it's been on my list for years. Cholla is just another race, but the first time on a good trail is the sweet nectar of mountain biking.
It is painful to race Cholla with so much goodness lurking right around the corner. The whole loop is one of my absolute favorite rides. High speed flowy single track makes one giggle like a little kid.
I have been on Jem...it was not sweet nectar.
Post a Comment