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Thanks, Jake.

Fear the Beard...always.

EMAW

Snow, 50 degrees. Snow, 49 degrees.

Snowing here.  Go figure - I'm less than ten minutes from some of the finer ski resorts in North America.  But still...I've got things to DO!  It was nice this past weekend, and nice this coming!

The new Specialized Epic 29er is nearly complete.  Well, technically, it could be ridden, but there's some work I'd like to do on it yet:

• Just replaced the bar with a new Easton EC70 carbon composite riser bar.  Quick shout to Tim Mt. Pleasant, for hooking me up with his one bar at factory wholesale price.  Stellar.
• Need to replace the rear tire.  I have an old S-Works Fast Trak 2Bliss on it, but it's just worn enough it's got some difficulty holding air, even with sealant.  Sorry to say, but it's time to put the stupid-light 530g tire out to pasture.  I have a Hutchison Python AirLight sitting on a wheel hook in my garage - probably getting the call-up.  Or I have a brand new Fast Trak Control 2Bliss that is unused - could go on as well.
• Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals are sitting, NIB, in my garage.  Just haven't put on the bike, cause...
• Want to replace the crankset.  I'm using a take-off Shimano LX-level crank for the time being.  BRICK.  Putting a new XT crank on there would take a quarter-pound off the bike, but takes $200 out of my pocket, too.
• Rear derailleur could use a replacement, too.  The Shimano SLX I have on there would work just fine, but considering the rest of the bike, it doesn't exactly match spec very closely.  Could drop another 1/8-pound by putting last year's XTR on it, for $100.

All considered, the Epic would be near 26.25lbs at that point - pretty damn light for a full-suspendo 29er race bike that isn't space-age drillium.

Probably (maybe?) going to Fruita on Saturday for the first mountain bike ride of the year.  Preceded Friday night by attending the Kathleen Madigan performance at Vilar (yay birthday present!), and followed up by playing in a back-to-back doubleheader for the Vail basketball league, and I might be pretty wiped out come this time next week.  If Fruita doesn't happen, a several-hour road bike ride will...

If it's nice where you're at - GO RIDE!