We are all hoping that there is going to be some racing tomorrow night. This picture of Skibby says it all.
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The Masters National Chump sent over this link the other day. It has to do with properly riding down the road and not getting killed by cars. When Sarah and I moved to Chicago we realized how lucky we have it in Minneapolis. How can this be? Well, people in Minneapolis, for the most part, seem to respect bicycles a heck of a lot more.
The state has even set up this website so people can learn more.
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I am starting to recieve a lot of questions about the future wedding. Here is what we know so far:
1) Spring of 2009
2) Thai Food
3) I am holding a reality television show to find out who my best Homey will be.
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Smithers had trouble on his Urthel ride yesterday. I almost shed a tear for him. This is because Smithers is my number one fan as seen here. As a responsible role model I don’t like to hear about my followers getting dropped on a ride that they helped create. That just seems rude and wrong to me.
I didn’t go on the ride because I rolled around the east side of the metro with Jens Voight in my xXx kit. This allowed me to run countless red lights and not do any damage to my sponsors and help keep the rebel image of xXx alive. I think it was a win-win situation.
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The riding here in Minneapolis/St. Paul is beuatiful. There are a ton of good climbs with in the metro area. Here is a little list of my favorite climbs:
1) The highway 13 climb out of Lillydale up towards Cherokee Park in ‘west’ St. Paul. This climb is just awesome, hell to get to it you have to go by a Western-style Strip Mall and a giant Lightning Bolt that was pointed out to me yesterday by Bobby Julich.
2) The Grand Avenue climb up from the base of Ramsey hill. It is a sweet climb to do at tempo with some others. My favorite of the 3 climbs that get you to the top of the bluff from downtown St. Paul.
3) The cobbled climb on Osceola. This feared beast was featured on the Grumpy’s-Roubaix ride and is a wonderful secret within the city.
4) Ohio St. the climb everyone knows and loves. I personally like to go straight all the way to the end rather than cut it short on Cherokee, but I am tough like that.
5) The switchbacks of Ramsey Hill. Straight out of Europe.
6) From the Farmer’s Market in downtown St. Paul all the way up to the top of Mounds Park Boulevard. This is arguably one of the best climbs in the area, but road construction has made it mostly useless this year. It will be back in action come July and I will be hitting it once a week.
That is the official list. You are not allowed to have your own opinions.
Discuss.
Where are these switchbacks of Ramsey Hill? I thought that was what you guys were calling the Grand Ave. hill. As you know I live pretty much in the epicenter of all these climbs and I’ve never done this one.
The High Bridge is a pretty good climb.
Comment by Nick S — May 30, 2007 @ 7:59 am
The Ohio Street v. Ohio+Cherokee thing is almost as contentious as the Shimano v. Campy argument. Holy War material.
Comment by T3 — May 30, 2007 @ 8:17 am
You are not allowed to have your own opinions.
Discuss.
Discuss what? Discuss that we are not allowed to have our own opinions?
Comment by Smithers — May 30, 2007 @ 8:35 am
Full Ohio Street ain’t that tough, Mrs and I did it on the Dragger.
Comment by All The Way Ray — May 30, 2007 @ 9:41 am
How about Ohio then Cherokee then up Smith Ave? Same elevation gain without all the stop signs.
Pleasant+Irving (”the switchbacks”) is by far THE best way to get up Ramsey Hill, and maybe the top climb in the area. Where else to you get little one-lane goat paths like that? And it’s kinky so you gotta change gears and draft on the middle section. Straight up alpine, yo.
Comment by Plan B — May 30, 2007 @ 11:14 am
ramsey hill, straight up.
no chaser.
big ring all the way, and thats only after hitting ohio+cherokee in the big ring just prior.
but that’s just how JV rolls.
bitches.
Comment by jens voigt — May 30, 2007 @ 11:23 am
So, do you have to ride the wrong way on a one-way street to go up the “switchbacks”?
Comment by Nick S — May 30, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
montreal from crosby to the watertower on snelling, with a the light. further down the river, butler is solid, tempo climb on lower afton. i like davern to practice for stillwater. the little switchback climb out of the river trail near the u ain’t bad either.
Comment by dave — May 30, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
…to find out who my best Homme will be.
I have not decided yet if I will accept, thank you for the offer though.
Comment by Homme — May 30, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
snelling from W 7th should be on that list…
oh wait, this is SR’s list…
favorite climbs=easy climbs.
Comment by (dis)pencer — May 30, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
BTW, Who is the fan of who again?
Comment by Smithers — May 30, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
Spring of 2009
>>So what you are saying is that while you did buy the ring, you’re not really engaged. You are engaged to be engaged.
Cough up $10, go to City Hall and take care bidness. Then have the big wedding, whenever you want.
Comment by EGP — May 30, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
The tempo climb up Grand Ave is a nice one. Add in the extra little bit by taking a right on the street before Dale, and you’ve got yourself a nice switchback, plus a cut through a little courtyard area onto Summit that feels extra European.
SR, you should add in an additional criteria for how “Euro” these climbs are. Crap, that’s totally my own opinion. Disregard.
Comment by Gordon — May 31, 2007 @ 9:01 am