Fixie Commuting This Fall

I've had a good time relaxing and not riding my bike because I have to, but because I want to. I've decided that bike racing is not something I care much for anymore, so may as well do what I enjoy. This year I've tried a few new things...

1. Bagged It - Rode 150 miles in 24 hours with a fully-loaded touring cyclocross rig. RAGBY with Kent Carlson, Sam Lopez and Ryan Hanser was wicked. I forgot I could have so much fun riding so slow. Definitely in the gameplan for next year.
2. Fixed It - I still need to punch Andy Lueke in the face, but I guess I can let bygones be past at this point. Despite the fact riding a fixie takes talent and finesse, both of which I'm lacking, I've gotten pretty good at it. Charlie Wittmack gave me the pointers on a good kickstop and I could barely walk a day later from sore hips and hammies. This is definitely my fave mode for cruising around town now.
3. Ride As One - Three of my bikes are now 1x1. It's a choice of equipment, not a bike racing category.

Definitely adopting my new mantra for the rest of the year... exbikeracer

How Close is Des Moines to Valhalla?

I pulled this from Outside a few years ago as a quasi-report card for our progress as a community. We're getting there.

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VALHALLA

Somewhere between a community's basic necessities (good schools, low crime, reasonable real estate) and its most coveted luxuries (singletrack in the backyard, Class III whitewater on the outskirts of town) are the little perks that can make the difference between a fine outdoor-sports town and a downright dreamy one. Here's our highly subjective recipe for perfection, the ingredients in no particular order: 

* Seasonal farmers market 

* Outdoor lap pool 

* Artsy movie house 

* Bike lanes 

* natural-foods grocery 

* Resident oddballs 

* Water running through it 

* Climbing gym 

* International-magazine newsstand 

* Plans to fight sprawl 

* Clean air 

* Outdoor music venues 

* Dog parks 

* Local parades 

* Alternative weekly 

* Good local public radio 

* Fresh-fish vendor 

* Outdoor-skills clinics 

* Juice bar 

* Summer mountain-bike racing series 

* Minor League baseball 

* Big trees 

* Sunshine

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