Belmont v2.0

I don't know why I'm listening to it, but Floating Point 2 may be one of the lamest chillout compilations I've heard. Sorry if anybody from Igoba Records is offended, but I simply cannot enjoy it. On a similar note, I've been pretty productive on the production front (ha). Should have a twilight track (twilight: subgenre of psytrance) up shortly. 

Now to cyclocross... Finally met some people today. It was pleasant to be able to speak, although I was a bit giddy and overexcited from the workout so I'm sure I sounded very antsy or nonsensical. Regardless, it was a good practice and I've definitely improved some since last time. I found cornering slightly easier, but that could have been because the ground was a bit more moist this time around. During the last lap of the second half of the workout I fell off my bike. Don't worry, I'm okay. My fall was cushioned by my head. There was a flash of white during impact, reminiscent of the game Punch Out. You'd hit the guy and there'd be a high pitched ring + flash above his head. Aside from a minor head ache, I feel fine. I got up and was able to finish the workout. 

Someone I talked to suggested I do this race Sunday, the Hillbilly Hustle in New Jersey, so I think I will. It's now officially part of the unofficial list of cyclocross races I plan to compete in. 

The city looked really amazing from the Plateau but I didn't have a camera that did it justice. I have a few pictures from the trip home, but nothing amazing. Next Wednesday I'll bring a normal camera. A cyclist also stopped near me to take a picture. I'm sure I managed to creep her out with my silence and unintentional stalking. For some reason I thought it would be less creepy if I turned my light off. Lesson learned.

Stuck in holes

I have not been whitewater kayaking this year and that's pretty disappointing. I forgot how fun it could be.

I'll eventually have a bad ass video up from the around 20 seconds of footage my father took.

First Cyclocross Practice at Belmont Plateau

A fun and interesting experience. The great thing about practice is that although I was absolutely dominated by practically every last person there, my performance won't be all over google when you search my name (Oh SpectraCross!). There were a lot more people than I expected (I'd say around 40?) and it was nice to be able to ride a cyclocross course without having to race.

(I tried to include as few people as possible to scale down the creepy)

This practice made me realize I have to do a few things... change my work out regiment, shake my fear of passing people, and practice the more technical aspects (cornering was awful). I've been doing mostly endurance training, putting in lots of mileage and occasionally including intervals or a sprint oriented workout. So that will change in the coming weeks. As far as the technical aspects... not 100% sure how to handle that. I will try to ride some more single track (just discovered a ridiculous amount of it in the woods at the Plateau). I'm also not sure how much of it was a result of my tires:

I just upgraded (busted the sidewall on the WTB All Terrainasaurus that came on the Volpe) to Vittoria Cross XGs on the left. They didn't grip as well as the WTBs, but I kind of blame that on the minimal-ish nob structure in dry conditions. I think they'll outperform the WTBs in the mud since they'll shed mud much better. The problem may have also been the higher PSI I was running (about 55) to not be embarrassed by potential pinch flats from my clinchers. I could be totally wrong about everything and I hope that somehow somebody who is knowledgeable reads this somehow and comments. 

I think that's all I'll blab about the practice. Wish I met more people but given my awkwardness and how incredibly intimidated I was by all the really good people, it's obvious I didn't.

As for entertaining stories for any of my friends not interested in cyclocross... Well I don't really have any. Some lady kept hassling me about getting her pigs blood on the ride back on Spring Garden. Wasn't sure how to respond, so I didn't. Worst red light ever.

And then there is a new development on the Warlocks incident that happened a while ago. Being the intimidating motorcycle club that they are, I try to avoid any confrontation (sign on door reads: "NO TRESPASSING. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again").  Well this one day it was inevitable. It all started with some eye contact. Before I even had the chance to greet the man with a friendly hello, "Hey Homo!" I was happy that they live up to the badass Warlocks name, and about a 2 months later, I finally came up with the only appropriate response (that would surely have resulted in a thorough beating): "I believe Hogwarts is that way." Warlocks, Harry Potter, get it?

"The jerk store called, they're running out of you!" Godspeed.

An introduction...

What is The Gorka Factor?

Think Fear Factor. Then take away the fear, and add Arthur Gorka. 

While I have many thoughts and opinions, I'm going to keep this blog limited to mostly my cyclocross progress and outdoor adventures. Since I'm relatively new to the sport, I probably won't be able to impress you with many stories of glory. However, I will do my best to have neat pictures and the most entertaining tales of defeat you'll hear. 

I don't want to bore you with introductory nonsense, so here are a couple pictures of things to come: