SS Ride with BFF

 This weekend I was invited to Micki's for some holiday baking and card making.  If anyone knows me well, you know I am not very creative, so I was a little skeptical about making the cards but the cookie dough did entice me!  She invited several friends over and had recipes for everyone.  I got there early to help get the kids cookies started.  I rolled out the dough, cut some cookies, and then the kids showed up and of course they wanted to help too! So I would roll it out and they would cut them and put them on the tray for baking.  It turned out that I was in charge of the oven , which was fine with me.  I would put the pans in and make sure they didn't burn.  This was my "out" for making cards... someone has to watch the oven!  I had a great time and I think I can tell you where just about everything is in Micki's kitchen. :)

Once everyone left and the house was clean, Steve came home from REI.  We ordered some pizza, of course I had to have some with meat on it and Micki got her veggie/spinach pizza.   Our bellies were full and my "Sweetness" (SS) was making some noise.   So Steve took a look at it for me.  All the while Micki and I are telling him stories from the day.  He did some modifications to my bike and now the brakes work better and the front brake doesn't rub.  Thanks Steve!

This morning we got up and had our oatmeal, a pre-ride staple. We decided to go to the McDowell Mountains on the Fountain Hills side.  As we get closer to the park there are some nasty looking rain clouds forming.  We were almost done with the ride as I took these pictures, you can see it really wants to rain and the clouds are getting darker and darker.

The ride itself was fun.  I got more used to the single speed and realized you can only go as fast as your gear, so in some spots I was pedaling, for nothing.  It was not making me go any faster.  I finally got into a "rhythm" and hit some rolling sections with some water boards.  That was fun... this bike is much lighter than my other bike and it seems like I can get more lift from it going off the water boards.  "I felt like E.T." One time I got major air and I even came down correctly... back wheel first!  It was awesome!  We are at the end and there is one last little hill, but you have to work hard for it.  Micki got there before me... no surprise... I came round the corner and started up.   She is digging in her pack looking for her Nano to take some video... I'm half way up the hill and I am standing up to pedal and going super slow.. yelling at her.."I can't go any slower hurry up and get it out before it's too late.... too late,......... I'm at the top".... we start laughing.   We get back to the car and change and it starts to rain.  We have such good luck, it usually holds off until we are done.

                                                     

 I had a great time this weekend and a great ride with Micki.  Good times!  No, that's not a cast on my arm, that is my wonder woman power band that helps me rock the 1 cog!!

I ROCKED THE 1 COG

Well, as you know, I got a Single Speed (SS) for my birthday.  It's a custom build with some fierce parts on it.  It also has an ENO eccentric hub and I'm runnin' 32-20.  I got to take it out for a spin last night.  We did trail 396 which is rated moderate to difficult.  Our friends Dan, Brady and Keith came along for the inaugural ride.

I got a small warm-up on the road before the trail head which helped.  It was pretty chilly (50 degrees)when we started and I need time for my lungs to warm up, and I got some spinning time with the SS to get used to it.   We start and they send me out in front... one I don't usually like to lead because my pace is quickened because I know someone is behind me and, I don't want to hold them up.  2... I like to take it easy!  So anyways, I start out, they give me a head start to be nice.  I get almost to the top of the first section......and here comes Andy, he is most impressed!  It took him quite a bit of time to catch up to me.  Once at the top, we determined this was the quickest I had ever made it up that section. I said "I was just pedaling and found the groove."

At the top however I did think I was going to die... my lungs were on fire and I had to stand up a couple of times to pedal.  I am not used that, so it took quite a bit energy.  We start out and now it is down hill and I let the guys go ahead, they have more weight and it carries them fasted.  I did however notice that I didn't get a much speed going down hill with my SS as with my geared bike.  But the funny thing is, Andy thought I was faster on the down hill than normal.. I said that it was because I was at a comfortable speed and didn't have to use my brakes as much.

We get to the Pond and now it is time for the hardest part of the trail.  I start off and get to a rocky patch of trail... I wasn't sure how this bike would do, so I lost some momentum, I made it over the rock, but then had to stop because I wasn't pedaling.  The SS is a hard tail and my geared bike is full suspension.  I am used to the rear suspension soaking up the bumps as I go over and not really losing any speed.. not so much with the hard tail.    As I continue I so wanted to stop a couple of times, but Brady was behind me, so I knew I couldn't stop without hearing about it, so I sucked it up and just pedaled as best I could.

Once we start going down I noticed I really like this bike... I felt very confident on it, I was able to make turns with more speed and steering  was easy.  I think this is due to the wider handle bars and the "meatier" tire on the front.

We went down Feldmier and that was a challenge.  One, there are lots of obstacles, but I made all of them. Yay, and then on to the rock garden.  I made it over, but I had some extra speed and almost ran into a fallen tree, but I saved it at the last minute.  I noticed I had to let some air out of the front fork because it is set for Andy and there was no give at all!  It was like I had no suspension on the front.

We finished in the dark... the last section was really dark and not my cup of tea, but we made it safely to the cars.  It was fun and I really enjoyed the bike.  I can't wait to try it again and see if I do as well now that I know how it rides.

Thanks everyone for the build!    Andy took some pictures but I haven't downloaded yet due to the battery being dead.  I will add later.

My 35th Birthday!

So, I have to start with 'SO' that way whomever is reading this knows that I, Brooke, am writing this.  It is my signature word.

So it was my 35th birthday this past Thursday.  We went to Phx to share it with some friends.   On Friday, morning at 7:30AM.. yes in the A.M.  I got up and hiked Squaw Peak with my friend Lisa Potter.  We hiked to the top and asked a nice person to take a picture of us so everyone would know... yes, we made it to the top.

After that, I had lunch at my favorite place... Chipotle, and had my famous 3 tacos.  Two is not enough and 4 is just too many, 3 is just right.  I went back to Todd's and met up with Andy who had been out doing a ride with Steve and Micki that morning.  I took a nap and he was busy finishing the touches to my birthday surprise.

We decided to go to Oregano's for dinner... I love that place too!  We dropped by Sticki's to pick up Micki, so she could wait with me and get our name on the list early.  Andy stayed back with Steve,  I thought it was so Steve didn't have to drive by himself, but it turns out they were busy doing stuff on my surprise.

Once at Oregano's,  my friends started showing up.  It was great to see everyone.   Dave and Lisa, "Nealon", Lisa Potter and her new squeeze, Tiffany.  Jon Milliken his wife Sarah, and Todd came with is new girl Ellie, and of course Sticki!!!!   We get seated and Steve and Andy are not there yet... Micki an I are looking at each other like what the heck.  I call and they say they are finally on their way.  I ask what they were doing and why they were late? They said,  "playing Wii."  I said seriously... and Steve chimes in with yah... Andy kept beating me so I had to keep playing until I won.  Sounds like those two.

We eat and drink... I had 3 "dirty monkeys!"
Can you tell... I was telling jokes and making people laugh.. although Nealon was so kind to say, that she was not laughing at the jokes but at me, but hey, I don't care.  I was having a great time!

I received great cards from everyone and some new riding socks.  We ended with the famous "Pizooki."  This is cookie dough semi baked in a deep dish tin about 8 inches wide.  It is sooooo good... however my "dirty monkeys" and the cookie didn't sit well,  so I  only had a couple of bites,  but never fear the cookie did not go to waste... my BFF swooped in and ate the rest for me:)   I won't mention names to protect the innocent.  

A great picture of "Sticki"...Steve and Micki. They are really great friends and I'm glad we met.

Afterwards we went to Sticki's to play some games.   We get there and it turns out the Wii controllers are dead, so we play Mad Gab... Todd is the king of Mad Gab and the game was over within 15 minutes!  CRAZY mad gabber!

By this time my belly is really starting to hurt and I can hardly stand up straight.  We decided to call it a night.... as we get into the kitchen to leave Andy asks if I was just going to leave that here... I look over and there is a pretty blue Single Speed Bike for me!  Yeah.... it was really pretty and it turns out that everyone had a part in the making of the bike.   And there was a lot of stress that went into getting all of the parts here too.  I would like to say thank you to all the people that helped... it is lovely and I love it.

Steve got the frame from work, Todd had it powder coated and Micki put the extra special touches on it.  It even has a name  "Sweetness".   Andy was the master mind behind the whole thing... and it turns out that Steve and Andy were not playing Wii they were still assembling the bike and that is why they were late!  They fooled me!

The next day we were supposed to go riding, but I called Micki when I got up and said I really didn't feel like it.  I was not sick,  I was just tired and Andy was still sleeping as well.  So we went to breakfast with Todd and then hung out... I took a nap, then rented some movies had some dinner and went to bed.  It was a nice relaxing day.

I really had  a great time with my good friends,  I am grateful I have them!    It was a wonderful birthday and I can't wait until next year to do it all over again!

Thank you everyone for coming and working on the bike!  ... Sweetness!