This is what things looked like around here this morning. By afternoon, the sun was out, the snow was gone and the temps were back up in the 40s.
Tomorrow, we’re looking at 55 and mostly sunny. That’s just how we roll here in Colorado.
And while we’re speaking of rolling, it seems that my old comrade Charles Pelkey is off the disabled list, which means — yes, yes, yes — Live Update Guy will suit up for the Giro d’Italia, which commences Saturday in Napoli.
Consiglieri Pelkey is a fan of the wee small hours of the morning, so look for him to be shoveling the wisdom at dark-thirty while I enjoy the indie movie playing on the inside of my eyelids until 7 a.m. or so.
Hey, God doesn’t get up until 6 — I can tell, because that’s when the light comes on.
Mad Blog Media 
Stoke!
Glad that Esquire Pelkey is feeling well!
It takes a lot to keep the big LUG down, Paddy me boyo. And he never stays down for long. He’s the Joe Frazier of cycling journalism.
Sorry for being so out of touch, but I wasn’t aware that Charles was ever on the disabled list. Pray tell, what happened? And please let it not be the big “C” again!
John, it wasn’t. But I’ll leave it to Consiglieri Pelkey to deliver the State of the LUG Address. I imagine he’ll get around to it early on.
“I wear my medical chart on my sleeve,” he told me.
Sez I: “You’re gonna need a longer sleeve.”
I’m funny that way. Maybe not.
Well, looks like I’ll just have to wait on proverbial pins and needles ’til Saturday morn.
“I’m funny that way. Maybe not.” Hmmm. Maybe it’s a good thing you weren’t around when I was convalescing after my last head banging wreck.
“Spring can really hang you up the most.”
Hey, Libby … did you know that the title was a jazz riff on the opening line to T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land?” Mr. Wikipedia says so, anyway. I’ve quoted that “April is the cruellest month” line more than once.
Dude can play some serious harp. Makes Magic Dick look like he’s playing kazoo.
No, I didn’t know that. Thanks for that!
That is sweet.
Three weeks of getting up at oh dark thirty, just cuz he loves us.
This one ought to be a hoot. Defending champ a Canuck, with a Limey among the favorites
Continued dust and wind here. Amazing.
Sorry to brag, Khal, but just four hundred kilometers northwest of you here in Dysfunction Junction we’re looking at a weekend of high 70s (F), mostly sunny skies, and light wind. Perfect riding weather. So (no joke) when are you going to head up this way so we can ride the Monument?
Meena has me scheduled for a Durango trip in June. I have not thought beyond that, actually. Up to my ass in the usual alligators. Sounds intriguing, though.
Hey Khal. It’s looking less likely that the Mad Dog Media Durango to Silverton ride in May or June is going to happen (in fact, I never even saw it mentioned again, which is probably a good thing since I suck on hills right now). So as a substitute, permit me to offer the easier, and very scenic, “Tour of the Moon” Colorado National Monument ride right outside of Grand Junction? People will be paying $110 to do this 40 mile loop as an organized ride in October, but we can do it for just $5 each (I can even get three others in on my pass!). How’s this to whet the apatite: https://www.google.com/search?q=colorado+national+monument&client=firefox-a&hs=6zV&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1m6JUb-uF8GyrgGFuoBo&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1360&bih=608
Full disclosure: I live here, and I’m suggesting this ride so I don’t have to drive anywhere. Well, that, and it’s a very, very cool ride. Rode it twice last week.
The Dysfunction Junction ride looks intriguing. Let me see how that would work out. I wonder if I can figure out a way to put a bicycle on the motorcycle and ride up US550 through Ouray and over to your place. Drove up there last winter. Definitely not a drive for the fainthearted.
A couple years ago we rode Hwy 550 from Montrose to Durango on loaded touring bikes. My wife’s had panniers front and rear while I was pulling a BOB with my Cross Check (won’t do that again!). It was a little bit of a white knuckle between Ouray and Durango, but the real nasty spot was actually between Montrose and Ridgway: there’s a mile or so through there with no shoulder and short sight distances. Yikes! That stretch has brought on the end of at least one cyclist that I’m aware of.
Of course, we rode it in summertime. Driving those passes in winter? Well hell, that’s just rolling the dice. Glad you made it through alive, not everyone else does.
Meanwhile, if you can ride a 56cm I probably have something in my stable that will work for you which will save you hauling a bike on your bike. I’ve got a couple “extra” steel road bikes, the above mentioned Cross Check and even a Long Haul Trucker if bringing everything but the kitchen sink is more your style. If any of these might do the job then just bring your shoes, pedals, and maybe even a saddle (if you’re as particular about that sort of thing as I am).
Same here, Khal. Damn, I would take snow over dusty winds any time. I think half the dirt in Southern NM is in the air in Southeast AZ.
We finally dodged a big one this season, the snow slid by to the east. Commuters from northern Wi to Duluth hauled in foot deep snow on their roofs. The heavy sludge snow didn’t even blow off on the highways! In the mean time, SoCal is burning…
Nice here in Sicily, around 25 C. Waiting for La Corsa Rosa to come on TV here on Saturday afternoon. Enjoyed Rigoletto at the Palermo opera house last night, courtesy of the in-laws. Tough life, but someone’s got to live it! Glad to hear Pelkey is OK and have fun with LUG.
Ride or LUG, that’s the question. We rode and read LUG later. You and Charles do great work.
Just to brighten up the day of anyone in the Southwest.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/wetter-wet.html
Thanks Khal. Anyway, 50% chance of rain here tonight. Go figure. I will try to steer some to you and Patrick.
Nothing but dust and wind here Khal. Shit is getting real old! And Mark Sanford is going to congress. He’ll fit right in. That shit is getting real old too. And I need to do some paining in the house. But, we did get a nice ride in this morning, so it’s all good.
I am often paining around the house.
Thanks Derek. Must have needed one more cup of coffee. At this point, I am not sure what is worse, paining or painting.