wheels turning

The wheel is turning and you can't slow down

You can't let go and you can't hold on

Lot's of biking things have been in my mind lately, not just the past few days of melt. Small talk conversation over the weekend about the Shenandoah 100 and racing with gears. Thinking about doing a lot less racing than usual, and replace some of that with touring. And the race(s) I do do, I may be doing with gears. Like I said last Sept, I can't imagine doing another 10 SMs on a single-speed, and I can't yet imagine not doing it at all, so maybe gears will be a compromise? Maybe a 1x8 or 1x9?

Won't you try just a little bit harder

Couldn't you try just a little bit more

So many projects in my head:

• make a Tomicog fixxy out of the Soul Cycles cross frame; ride the mixte, new motivation to spin cycle the legs
• pick up a 24" Mirraco from this guy- pump track'n, learn to dirt jump, skate park, wall wides, be 13 again, learn to manual on a bike designed for it
• introduce Oliver and his friends to a little more woods riding, maybe some BMX track action if they're into that; use that manual on a track
  
• an Eastern Woods for the SM 100; cheapness and laziness have prevented me from doing anything towards acquiring said type of machine; Crouse's Paragon?? if it's still for sale??
  

No sponsor's jersey on my back for the first time in 8 years, no minimum race requirements, no minimum work requirements. I probably won't do so many races; I'll miss seeing a hundred friends at a time.

Of course, even with gears, I can't just show up at the 100 without some prep work in the legs, riding the pump track all summer long won't cut it. Thinking of filling the race void with some of this kind of stuff:

• rack and pack overnights; SAG'd overnights; The Ring; M-G-M (like SDS, but closer to home); 1903 rides; Tuscarora Explora (maybe one of these will happen?)
  

Little bit harder, just a little bit more
Little bit further than you gone before

Then there's all these thoughts penetrating:

• build more fun stuff to ride here in town, get a grant, try to help the kids and town a little more;
• help people build more trail like I***erg and M***ey;
  
• help people build more official trail;
  
• help build Buck's pump track, other pump tracks, and ride more pump tracks;
• spend a little more time helping things in Michaux;
• buy/borrow a tandem, try some woods or overnight stuff with Oliver stoking
• ride Raystown every chance I get
  

.... all the different ways to have fun with pedals. 52 weekends/year, and I'm using up about 16 of those with skiing..... it can ... all .... wait...

yadda yadda blah blah, all good thoughts, in 10 months, we'll see if any thing is any different.

Every time that wheel turn round
Bound to cover just a little more ground

Opinions welcome