MOsT AGgReSSiVe

About a week ago Rob and I got up.

I am not the one to build much. I can build a bike, if I have a mechanic, a real mechanic right there to guide me.

Since about sometime over a year ago, I heard about a 2 piece crankset with a 29 tooth inner ring and how this was the cat's meow for a 29er.

Finally, a year or more later, I got some Origin 8 rings, 44 - 29, with a 12 - 36 9 speed cassette and went over to Rob's to put it all together.

Truth be told, I sat there and ran my mouth, while Rob put it all together and figured it all out.

The 44 sits where the 32 ring would and the 29 sits where the granny gear would allowing me to run my biggest and lowest combos' with no penalty.

The result is a gear combo ratio only 3 inches off the gear inches of a triple crankset.

Not bad.

I needed to test it.

EVen for me, its hot as hell out, but Rob was in to ride and so was I. I wanted to do my normal Clermont loop backwards, then ride into Astatula into the Apopka preserve, hoping to hit the wolf head hike a bike and get some aggressive bike pushing in.

My miles are way down from what they were. And my TNGA training is pretty much out the window. But I went out and did some intervals, worked on leg speed, did big gear drills, basically attempting to feast on all my training drills in one day.

God works in mysterious ways. And although installing is grueling work, it is definitely got me Lean and its definitely got my heat tolerances and suffering ability up.

If Rob and I were a two man peloton, I would easily be voted the most aggressive. As soon as we hit grassy lakes, I started launching the attacks on Rob, my goal was to make it to the tops of as many climbs as possible before Rob.

In no imaginary world do I claim to be faster than Rob, but I was riding aggressive and strong and putting the pressure on.

Eventually somewhere towards the last peak on Buckhill I pOppED, but still kept rolling regardless at my own pace, eventually catching up to Rob and launching attacks again.

I gasped at Rob that I was trying to stay away.

He offered some advice, "Don't attack on the Downhills",

I told him I thought it about it long and hard and figured that was my best bet.

It didn't work, but I still kept riding strong.

We eventually got into Astatula and I noticed my water levels were low.

Still pushing the pace, we hit Wolf Head Road, and amazingly enough my leg speed drills paid off as a quick spin cadence kept me floating on the sand and we cleared the section without having to walk.

I got water and a soak at the fire station and we continued. I knew we only had about 7 miles left so I really picked up the pace and made it a point to stay in front through Grassy Lakes and eventually we made the end, both of us hot as hell, thirsty and hungry. It was way too hot to be riding out there.

I am hoping to at the TNGA that Rob and I can ride together. Although my training has fallen off, I am still riding amazingly well and still have hopes of making these last two weeks pay off, pedaling and riding as much as possible. After crawling climbing and working all day, I admit its hard to motivate myself to get on the bike, but I am going to push myself.

I really don't know what will happen in TNGA, but my mental is resolve. I am determined to finish. I am leaving the ego at home. My goal day one will be to acclimate and finish the miles that I want to finish. Not go hard, not blow up, feed on a regular basis and keep myself healthy and patient. No secret here folks, I am speed touring the route, I hardly consider myself a racer of it.

But, I am experienced in this type of event. I do have a slight advantage over the competition and I have a feeling that If I stay healthy and I stick to my ever flexible plans, I should finish well, I will call a prediction now and say that Rob and I will finish in the Top five, maybe even the Top Three, but I don't expect to finish before Rob, but would love to finish right next to him or right behind him.

I am ready, to go out and do, once again, the hardest thing I have ever done on a bike.

I hope I never ever am able to stop saying that.

Take Care,

Laters,

The NaKeD InDiaN