CBaron

Oh don't get me wrong...I DESPISE the cold! I've been cringing and flinching all week with my riding. But on a day with 'harder effort' (I don't fully consider the DS a race), its much easier to tolerate cold temps. Comparatively though, you personally have got a lot more to deal with that I do! But if it was dry, I could prolly race down into the 30's and be ok. Heck I think last year for the Excruciation Exam it may have been below freezing for a little bit in the morning. -CJB

When did you ride? -CJB

In an environment where I'm "trying" to ride fast, I could tolerate most any level of cold weather around TX. But add in the rain and my tolerance threshold hold begins to plummet quickly. -CJB

Yes, never forget blood is thicker than water! -CJB

How were trail conditions? Was there much water at the few crossings? -CJB

I know another person who is in this situation too. I told him to reach out and contact Todd via FB to let him know. -CJB

*THIS* many times over.... If you want to take the example even further, then just look at different MTB platforms. Heck, I ride a hardtail...and if you polled most of the users on this site, then *THAT* would get universally bagged on. But if I was available this past weekend, I would have happily taken it out to the Cat Mtn ride and held my own. Same could be said if someone is still riding an ancient 26" wheel platform (gasp!). If it works for them and they enjoy pedaling it around, then GO FOR IT! It just so happens that we here on the MTB inner-webs have the luxury of discussing the finer details and critiques of each subtle nuance of bicycles and then share our geek-out. Think of this place as more of a virtual bar stool at your favorite drinking saloon. Take it all with a grain of salt. Cheers, -CJB

I've done it 1.5x's and that was a good while ago (2007 & 2009). I've been in roadie mode for a while lately but not sure I really plan to do this. I have a friend who said they may show up late and do the 2nd half....they've done the 1st half for 2 yrs in row. But make no mistake, The Hugel is a big f'n effort. -CJB

That would be a negative. -CJB

I *DID* do the road bike upgrade... -CJB

Glad to hear it. I checked your Strava and it looks like you covered it all. That was a bitch'n ride for you guys to pull off on a whim. Respect. -CJB

Were the yellow tape markings still in tack across the trail? -CJB

In the early years before the "trail angels", this kind of planning was required of each of the riders. At the 1st EB I ran it with water bottles and filled up at the C-store on 360 (southbound) not far after Rob Roy. Then my next fill up was the fire station after leaving CP. From there I made it through Thumper (we didn't do St Eds yr #1) and stopped at Oak Knoll and Jollyville for a refuel. The following year, I ran a camelbak and made it all the way to the bottom of Yaupon before refueling for the 1st time at one of the new-home-builds before they had been occupied. Thus, in summary, your choice(s) are Jester Mart and the C-store at Oak Knoll at Jollyville. Outside of a benevolent neighbor thats as close as you can get to Thumper. Later, -CJB

Good find Matt. It's a good price for sure and I was contemplating it. But I'm such a Bonty XR2 guy that I really would only be using this as a back-up tire. -CJB

Was that a former window?....or did you punch through he wall?

I sorta like having my legs shaved. -CJB

Bump Everything still looks good to go for tomorrow's 1pm Thumper EB Pre-ride. See you guys at BB Rovers (parking lot). Later, -CJB

No, he's saying that its a money grab (and control) on the part of the UCI. -CJB

Ok, I've got my schedule cleared for a Thumper pre-ride this Sunday. The problem is that my schedule is really not all that clear. Therefore, I'm going to have to squeeze this in from 1pm+ (I've got a dinner engagement at 5pm). I've updated the original post at tope of page to reflect the new time. Please post up if you have any questions or comments. It would be my hope to get one more of these types of pre-rides (at Thumper) in before the following Saturday....but you know how it goes with the recent weather. Cheers, -CJB

*NOTE* Preliminary Planning for a Sunday afternoon Thumper EB Pre-Ride call. Nothing set in stone yet, but if we can get 3-4 days now of sunny weather then I think we need to make a Thumper EB ride call. I cannot do Saturday....so it would have to be Sunday afternoon. Let me check on some family details (and I'll firm up plans is 24-36 hrs). I may even try to get out there tomorrow afternoon and walk the trail to check on conditions. Stay Tuned -CJB

Yeah there have been a few interactions of the GB over the years. When you said that, I was thinking of the VERY FIRST (original), where we didn't do the big road climbs (Courtyard, Jester, nor St Eds trail). Those all came in year two. Later, -CJB

Explain this for me please? -CJB

Just to pile on here....I too lost 30 lbs after bouncing off my all-time high of 192 about 1 1/2 yrs ago. Lately, I've been as light as I was back in my early days of college. My wife is annoyed. Later, CJB

Yep, I remember that well. It was the year we launched the True Fab website and we were trying to get a photo shoot done in the spring. We kept having to cancel because it rained for what seemed like a month or more straight (sometime April-May). When the rain finally let up, the water was raging over the dam near HOL. I had a friend get swept over and into the water below, bike and all. That being said, October'ish is usually a wetter time of the season. My wife was recalling a few ACL's that have had much rain. And I commented that thru the years of the EB, we've had some rain issues. Early on we pushed it back to a rain date at least once. Then a few years ago (14or 15') it was canceled, and then this year is in peril IMHO. To me the biggest difference with our most recent wet pattern is that its been spotty rain. The kind that pops us inconsistently due to an unstable atmosphere weather pattern. Normally, our rain is bigger "waves" of front/storms blowing through. It feels more like Seattle right now. Later, CJB

Its a bummer because the weather outside right now is pretty good, but there's no way the Thumper trail could handle nearly and inch of rain. I'm going to take a nap and then maybe head over later to do some trail work/scouting. Later, -CJB