Sherri

Thanks, G! You saw right through my passive-aggressive ruse!

I don't disagree with that. But if they are being forthright about their intent, it seems copy should read, "celebrating naked women." The "human form", as it were, includes both sexes.

If it's "intended to inspire and celebrate the human form," as its copy states, why does it feature only female humans?

If you get one of those Kevlar-type tires, you may not have to go fatter. The Continental Gran Prix 4000 tires seem to hold up to most sharp-object assaults. Only thing that has punctured them on my rides is construction staples. "The Grand Prix 4000 works on every road surface, transforming the demands of different styles of riding and supplies extremely long-term performance. It also achieves expectations in precision and production quality. The new reference standard for racing tyres. The new puncture resistance Vectran breaker belt, developed and patented by Continental, surpasses even the famous puncture resistance of the former leader in this category, the GP3000. The extremely strong Vectran fabrics are more flexible and lighter than all other puncture protection materials. Vectran offers more resistance to cuts than Aramid, is five times as strong as steel and features less weight than a nylon double breaker. It also maintains strength in the wet. The advanced Activated Silica Compound (ASC) increases the handling threshold for even safer yet faster cornering and reduces the rolling resistance of the Grand Prix 4000. A new anti-cracking formula prevents UV light from damaging the compound and increases the mileage performance. Features new tread wear indicators to help riders gauge the life of their GP4000 tyre. On the one hand you don't lose mileage performance by prematurely replacing the tyre and on the other you don't risk safety by using the tyre beyond its tread service life."

Agreed, CP, is right on. I get the Raynaud's in my fingers after a run or ride, even if it's not very cold out...freaky when they start turning unnatural colors. Have you been successfully treated for this, Couiloir?

Well, whattyaknow...your bravery inspired me to look further into this(ie-google search) and looks like there's sumpin to dis here idear: " Warm up your cold feet with cayenne pepper. When you eat red pepper, its active ingredient, capsaicin, increases the circulation in your toes and fingers. When you put cayenne (or red pepper spices) into your shoes or socks, you're doing the same thing... topically. For some people, the warming sensation happens immediately, for others, the heat gradually increases over time. (It also depends on how much you use.) "Cayenne causes the blood vessels under the skin of the feet to dilate, thus stimulating extra blood flow and providing warmth to the feet." Source How To Use Cayenne In Your Shoes Or Socks: Turn your socks almost inside out, and sprinkle a teaspoon of cayenne pepper into the portion of the sock where your toes and the top of your foot will be. Then slip your foot inside. Make sure the pepper is distributed evenly across the bottom of each sock. And let the warming sensation begin! If you feel inclined to use more than a teaspoon of the cayenne pepper, then add it to a "base" of talcum powder or cornstarch first. Then sprinkle the mixture inside your socks. Or, you could wear a thin pair of socks normally over your feet. Then sprinkle the inside of a thicker pair of socks with cayenne pepper, and put them on over the thin socks. Just the same, you could try sprinkling the bottom of your socks, instead of filling them inside. If you don't want to take any chances of the pepper coming into contact with you feet, put a tiny bit of dried, powdered cayenne into a plastic or cloth bag. Seal it tightly, and place it next to your cold feet to warm them. You could also sprinkle the mixture inside your shoes, rather than inside your socks. Warnings Regarding Cayenne, Chili Powder & Capsaicin Cayenne and chili powder will cause your white socks to turn pink and your feet to turn red. (Plus, they will kind of smell like chili!) To avoid irritation, your best bet would be to not let the cayenne pepper or chili powder come into direct contact with your feet. Do not use chili powder or cayenne pepper if your feet have any cuts, scrapes, or blisters. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying, because even one grain that's left on your finger can burn tremendously if you rub your eyes, or if it comes in contact with your contact lenses. Don't place too much inside your shoes or socks... you may find it warms your feet more than you can stand. Here's a bit more than you ever wanted to know about cold feet (especially as it pertains to skiers' cold feet)... It's the patent information for a cayenne pepper-based foot powder..." from: http://feet.thefuntimesguide.com/2007/01/pepper_for_cold_feet.php

yeah, I had about 5 weeks of that last winter. I'm just not looking forward to doing it again. Me neither. But resistance is futile. The days are already cold and wet. I gave up wishing for an indian summer and just ordered new thermal socks.

I used to be a weather wuss. Then I put fenders on my bike and bought some lobster gloves. Now, I bike 75-100 miles a week, year-round. Knowing the black ice is lurking out there sucks, but, other than that, riding in the wet and cold is good in it's own way. You get to experience the power of the season head-on: the November wind whipping your face, the smell of leaves rotting, the sting of rain when it hits you on that 30mph down-hill, the taste of roadspray. Best of all, the looks of pity and amazement you get from folks huddled behind glass in their heated cars...makes you feel like you're a wild thing. There's some good energy out there, all for the taking. Now get on your bike and get some for yourself!

I'm not sure I want to test that method. Interesting suggestion, though!

What's not to like?

I'll make note of that, especially since my mom is going to be meeting me there...

Excellent! Great idea about keeping the harness and shoes with you. I'm going to do just that!

Maybe you should come with us. I could use a rope-gun for that one. I've never insured baggage before--do you do it through your home owner's, or through one of the online travel sites(like Orbitz, where I got my ticket)? Seems like you'd be asking for scrutiny and potential hassle trying to schlep all that through airport security. They thought tweezers were weapons, for pete's sake.

I flew with my gear once last year(as checked baggage) without any problems, but I've heard folks mentioning that they ship their gear to their destination. Pro's, con's of doing this vs. flying with it(aside from the obvious risk of having the airline LOSE your gear and ruin the whole trip. ) Do you send it to one of those "Mailboxes, Etc" places, or is there a better option? Not heading to Red Rocks until November, so I've got a little time to sort out the logistics.

HOW do they tell who won??? That's just weird.

That Icebike site is a great find. The tips here have been most helpful. I wear hard orthotics in my shoes, which has me wondering, now, if they are part of the heat-sucking problem! As far as shoe tightness, I wear my shoes a little big anyways so there's no problem with having room for an extra sock layer.

I can't imagine sitting on an indoor trainer for two hours. Thanks again for the Assos Thermic recommendation, Sprocket. I hadn't heard of that brand or product before. I ordered a pair from www.bikyle.com this morning, along with a pair of Campagnolo Thermo Textran socks they had, that also looked pretty sweet: "Campagnolo offers Thermo Textran socks that provide a waterproof and windproof barrier when riding in not so pleasant conditions. You wear these socks when temperatures drop below 35 degrees. Perfect combination of breathability, durability, and protection Waterproof and windproof for riding in almost any harsh weather conditions." Winter's not seeming so scary now.

That's exactly it. My rides are 2-2 1/2hrs long, and in fall/winter it's like walking around on painful iced-blocks for an hour after I get home. (I do the wiggling of the toes, too. ) Those fleece-lined socks sounds niiiiice. With all the advances in material for outdoorwear, it surprises me that the best we can do for "weatherproofing" our biking shoes is neoprene, but I suppose it's better than nothing. I've been tempted to get a soft-shell type boot, cut out the sole, and try wearing it over my bike shoes.

But I already ride hard as I can. (The effort heats up my core just fine, but it doesn't do a thing for the feet.) Haven't seen those Teko socks before. I'll check 'em out. Thanks!

Anyone have any tricks/tips for keeping the toes toasty on those chilly morning bike rides? For the coldest mornings, my approach has consisted of a wearing a pair of liner socks under a pair of wool socks inside my bike shoes, then putting on the full neoprene booties over my shoes. This is the best I've come up with, but it leaves a lot to be desired. I've tried sticking the handwarmer thingys in my shoes, but there's not really enough room and they only stay warm if you stop to shake them up every 20 minutes. I was thinking that there might be something better out there, like maybe stuff that hunters use(battery-powered socks?) Anybody got any suggestions? It's only SEPTEMBER my feet are already getting cold on my bike rides. I'm dreading the winter rides....

Not that I've done a climb-by-climb comparison, but it seems to provide fewer topos than the others. Lots of eye candy(the photos really do make you want to book that LV flight!), but that wouldn't be helpful if you wanted something to photocopy and stuff in your pocket to reference during a multipitch climb. They include extra-large topos for the classics, though, so maybe it was a trade-off. Example: Epinephrine topo Geronimo "topo"

Great job chasing that sun. She's been elusive this year. Nice to see some pics of some familiar favorites...makes me wish I was there!

Well said, Arch. Tragedy that it is, it's a reminder that we'll all go one way or another, sooner or later--speaking for myself, when my time comes and goes, I could only hope to have lived a life which warrants such a beautiful eulogy as this.

It's not just you, Bill. Even WITH my reading glasses, I could barely see the thing. Thought I was going blind at an early age. But the pictures sure are pretty.

Sexy. Is the toe hair included, or do have to order the whole toe to get that?