Monday

Rest.

Tuesday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

An early start, a quick warmup and back on the V6. Unfortunately for me, my, “oh yeah, another sess., and this problem is MINE” guess was wildly inaccurate, and I was unable to send. Honestly, still felt pretty damn tired from Sunday’s pretty big session.

But really: no matter. Worked out a few things, and I’ll give my project hell next time. I’m always stoked to find a bouldering problem that’s just at the limit of some part of my climbing that also compels me to try hard for an extended amount of time. Good route-setting helps (so thank you, route-setters).

Boulder to Fort Collins

I somewhat hastily re-imagined my 2011/2012 Tour Divide Kona Big Kahuna from a 32 x 19 single speed country-crossing MTB to a… 42 x 19 (with the 32 ring still available for bail out duties) county-crossing multi-surface machine. The bike was getting little love and turning into simply a space-taker, so along with switching up the gearing to be a bit more high for a lot of long, flat roads:

• Replaced the jockey pulleys on the rear-derailer/”chain tensioner” (bike has vertical dropouts) as they were looking a little not-like-pulleys
• New 9 speed chain
• Dynamo front wheel w/light
• Riser bars to Jones Bars (680mm)

42 x 19 is not very steep, but with a bit of luggage to ferry some shoes I picked up from Rock ‘n Resole, and a change of clothes for Date Night, the build turned out really well! I’m amazed I hadn’t done this sooner. Next move may be to get some slicks, to make this a bit faster – and maybe even put on a third 22t chainring up front for an uber-bailout gear. Maybe even a front derailer, attached to an honest-to-goodness shifter! I could get up to the Longs Peak TH in full-on 3-speed style.

Anyways, rode to Fort Collins for promised vegan curry, which did impress, as well as melt my heart. Great weather – slightly more chilly/windy than I anticipated, but had enough coverage, and certainly packed anything I could have needed. Damn, it’s been awhile since riding anything that didn’t ultimately lead me into an enormous hill climb/ridden the road on a single speed. I also still enjoy the process of cobbling together a rig worthy of riding from parts I (mostly) already have, instead of spending many dollars on say: a new bike that would work only marginally better than something I can piece together from the parts-bin. Brings back memories of a much younger Long Ranger learning the Denver bike path systems on a el-cheapo fixed geared bike.

Wednesday

Fort Collins to Boulder

Rode back the next morning. The last big hill at the end was somewhat of a surprise (as was the stout headwind), and Old Man Long Ranger was happy I took the extra 5 minutes to re-attach that 32 tooth ring to have that available to bail out on.

Thursday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

More dedicated work on that damn V6. No send. The start is very difficult for me, and leaves me pretty tired for the ladder of crimps. I have terribly overestimated my strength on this project.

Friday

Spin Bike, 2 hours

Saturday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

More work on the V6, but no send. Felt as strong as ever, but (I counted) 9 crimps in a 13-move problem is just one crimp too many that I can handle. Got a little frustrated, and may have to put this one down, less I injure myself – I feel I’m pushing it with these holds. Stopped today, as I ripped a callus off and that callus was important.

Core Work

Campus Boarding

This was a pretty short set of maybe four or five of just laddering up, to see if I could on the biggest rung which is around a full pad for me. I kinda surprised that I was able to do it at all, as I haven’t practiced this  in a while, and I was sure all the crimping was leaving me weak. I guess contact strength isn’t what’s stopping me on this problem, but holding a crimp for 9 moves certainly is. So, I don’t know what the solution is to that, except hangboarding – but hangboarding crimps? That seems like a bad idea…

Balance Board PT

Up to 4 sets of 75 of one-legged flexion/dorsiflexion. Easily.

Spin Bike, 1 hour

Sunday

Rest

I spent most of the day cleaning the house to a presentable level (which took the time I wanted to run), then staring at the Super Full Blood Wolf Moon. It’s worth, sometimes, to have a life.