.:: DonnieNix.net ::.

I got a Thomson Elite Setback seatpost a few weeks ago. It has helped me get a little further back over the rear tire on descents, which was a problem for me with the short cockpit on the heckler and my short legs. I still feel like I am way overbalanced (center of gravity is too high because I’m a fatass), but this helps. It’s also made the whole bike a lot more comfortable. My hands don’t start hurting as fast as they used to, and I feel more in control. It has also helped with knee pain. The best $70 I have spent on this bike if you ask me.

Also, with my recent health issues, I bought a real nice Polar F11 heart rate monitor.
It has a feature to set up your exercise routine and keeps track of all your training and heart-related data. Plus it’s a pretty nifty sports watch too.

I’m riding the Van Michael trail at Blankets Creek this evening. It’ll be only the third time on this trail for me. It’s tough, but only because of the climbing and the sharp switchbacks. The climbs are steep but the descents are really nice. The switchbacks on the Monday direction go mostly uphill, so hopefully I won’t damage myself. It doesn’t have the technical features that the South Loop has but it is just as hard because you spend way more time climbing. And heck,if I can’t ride it, I’ll walk it. My ego is not so huge that I have to prove that I can ride every feature. I didn’t take my Garmin up there the first two times I rode it, so I’m interested in seeing what the real elevation profile looks like. I’ll take some photos tonight and post this stuff as soon as I can.