Replacing the Bottom Bracket and Crankset

Attempts at sleep after the evening I've had would most likely be futile, so I've spent much of the past couple of hours scouring the internet is search of information that might help me do the work on my 2001 GT Aggressor 1.0 myself.


I'm going to need the tools--they're fairly specialized--but I've got the time--it's winter and I don't anticipate doing much if any winter biking, especially with damaged ribs.

From what I've been able to see, taking the old crank off shouldn't be too difficult. Putting the new one on might be. I can pay the local bike shop $15 to $20 to do it for me, but am I learning or growing as an aspiring do-it-yourself-bike-fixer by having someone else do it? I think not.

But if I can get it done rather quickly by someone with the know-how and the tools, I could consider some early winter mountain biking (seeing as how there's no snow up in them there mountains).

Maybe Jerry's buddy from the bike shop will give me a tutorial and allow me to do all the hands-on stuff! That'd be way cool!

Gears are a-turnin'

I have this new crankset for my mountain bike sitting here on the floor next to my desk. Brand spanking new, in the box, eagerly awaiting it's installation on my bike. I'm eagerly awaiting it too! Too bad winter weather is nearly here.

The reason I bring it up is this: the trail I rode my bike on last--the one in which I took the rib cracking spill--would make an awesome 15 mile trail run. And as long as there isn't snow on the ground, it's doable. Right NOW! Well, except for the ribs of course. I think I'm going to try and do it as soon as I can though. This winter or early next fall. It'd be an easy 15-16 mile run, and if I just reverse path at the one end, it becomes 30+ mile run--a 50k easily, I would think!

The mind is now moving... considering... contemplating.

Timpanogos needs to have a trail run associated with it. There used to be (still is?) the Timpanogos Challenge 50K, but I've neither seen or heard a thing about it in years.

SGM Pics

Which to you prefer?



The first one is somewhere in the vicinity of mile 15. The second at mile 18-19 (roughly).

Mary J. Blige does U2

I know, this is old news, but Mary J. Blige covered U2's One a few years back. I REALLY dig it!

Christmas Present to myself...

I've already ordered one of these:


But I've realized I need one of these:

The batteries to my old drill are all but dead. And a man without a drill is like... Is like... Something bad.

Am I OK, or am I a wuss?

Two weeks ago, I took a spill while mountain biking and landed hard on my ribs. Fractured or badly bruised, I don't know. I'm hesitant to go to the doctor due to the high deductible health plan I'm a part of; and the fact that unless there's something else wrong, I'll probably get sent home with nothing more than pain killers--there's not a lot that can be done for rib injuries.

Do I go to the doctor? Do I do nothing but wince and whimper for the next month? Or do I suck it up and tough out some runs?

What do I do?

Yikes!

I was scanning marathon photos last night. While scanning my very first ever marathon pic, I was shocked at the difference I see in myself between then and now.

1997. Scary.

And then there's Park City this year.

I'm sure it has more to do with the fact that it's been 11 years, but still. What was I thinking when I chose what I'd run in that day in October way back in '97? Holy Crap!

My kids on Halloween...

Here's a picture of my two youngest kids all dressed up for Halloween this year:











Huh? There's no picture?

Oh yeah, I know what it is... I didn't get to see my kids this year. Silly me!

Holy Crap!

Has it really been that long? Serious neglect has been going on obviously.

Oh well.

I need to ask Leigh how to put music on this thing... Leigh?

Anyhow...

May 19: Ogden Marathon. 4:01:03 So close to coming in under 4 hours, but not quite enough. Damn!

July 24: Deseret News Marathon. 4:15:17 An 8 minute improvement from '04 when I ran it, but my brother Russ beat me. Damn!

August 25: Park City Marathon. 4:20:28 Again, significant improvement over my previous two PC efforts, but I could have/should have done so much better. Oh well.

September 02: Grand Teton Trail Marathon. 6:13:48 Now before you say anything, understand that this took place up in the Grand Teton's! The start was at 8,000 feet and at mile 2.5 we were up as high as 10,000 feet. This was one tough mother! I don't feel bad about my 6+ hour time in the least.

September 15: Top Of Utah Marathon. 3:57:16 FINALLY!! I broke 4 hours somewhere other than St. George! (Honestly, I thought Ogden would be the place, but I guess not.) Still, Russ came along and beat me again. Damn!

October 06: St. George Marathon. 3:44:19 Huge surprise. Ran with Russ and Jerry. Finished with Jerry. Russ beat me again. Damn! It was a very good race though. The temps were cool and it was just a beautiful day!

No more marathons this year. I'm done.

I did go mountain biking on Saturday (October 27) with Jerry. We had a good time. I got beat up though. I hurt worse today than I did Saturday. Go figure.

Item's of note:

First: my really, really, super-good friend from Cali ran and completed the Western States 100-mile Ultra Marathon yesterday. That's her pictured above. It's from the back side of Timpanogos during a training run we went on last year in the days prior to our running the Squaw Peak 50-miler.

Here's a link to her blog: http://turborunz.blogspot.com

She is just so freaking awesome, I can't even begin to express! She finished in 29:43:38, and has had nothing but good to say about her experience. I was invited to be on her crew, but life and work and a lot of BS got in the way of my going. Maybe next time.

Secondly: Father's Day was a week and a day ago. All four (yes four) of my kids showed up at my parents for our family dinner. That in itself is not only a miracle, but it was pretty darn special to boot. My kids gave me a teddy bear. Very cute. And it talks to me: tells me Happy Father's Day and says how much it loves me. (OK, so it's a recording of my kids that got stuffed into one of the hands of the bear. Still very cool.)

Thirdly: I've been riding my road bike quite a bit lately. Well, maybe not quite a bit. But on Wednesday last week we (we is a few people from the hospital that go on a ride once or twice a week during lunch) headed on up Provo Canyon and South Fork. At the turn-around point, I suddenly got a flat--a rip in the tube near the valve stem. Fortunately, we managed a fix and we all got back safe and sound. Prior to my flat though, we had two of the other riders come unclipped somehow. One turfed it right in the middle of a major intersection in Provo. The other one managed to stay seated but busted off her bottle cage somehow. It was quite the afternoon.

Today I rode my bike up AF Canyon from Grandma's place. Eighteen plus total miles. I only rode up to the Timp Cave Center and then back. AF Canyon is a tough canyon to ride up!