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I've pretty much held steady but have been lifting like a beast and know I've put on muscle. People keep telling me I'm looking thinner though the scale says no, so I must be offsetting fat with muscle. Yay for me. I've started cycling again too which is a nice change of pace from walking/running. I plan on riding ~ 50 miles Saturday morning. I'm going to have surgery on my Achilles in Sept so I'm trying to get in the best shape possible before then - especially my legs, My calves are really growing which is a shame because the one will certainly experience a fair amount of atrophy given I'll be non-weight bearing for 6-8 weeks. The down side is, all of this time spent at the gym or outdoors exercising is really cutting into my riding time. I still only have about ~1700mi on the new beemer.

Using a clay bar alone can make a difference in some cars. It is used to get contaminates that are stuck in the clear coat off. Things that a normal wash will not remove. If you think your car might need to be clayed do the baggie test. Take a sandwich bag and put your hand in it and run it over the paint. Does it feel rough and have little bumps in it or is it smooth? If it's bumpy a clay bar will get those things out. You can use traditional clay or a Nanoskin style clay. I have the Nanoskin brand and it is amazing and highly recommend it, main thing is if you drop it you can rinse it off and keep using it unlike traditional clay and it lasts a lot longer (I'm about 8 cars worth in and it's still going strong). You can also use a decon step with something like CarPro IronX to help remove more before you clay to save your arms some work. If you are going to be using any kind of buffer and you have not clayed you run the risk of those small particulates sticking to the pad and then being spun around and scratching your paint. My current compound and polishes I use are Meguiars Ultimate compound and their Ultimate Polish. I'm planning on switching to using Griot's Garage Fast Correcting Cream for my compound and possibly their polish as well. I use an all-in-one product as well (polish and sealant) from Chemical guys called Blacklight. It's marketed as a sealant but it has small abrasives in it for very minor correction and used with a polishing pad can leave a great finish and it's a sealant so you get that added benefit as well. Once I run out of it I will be giving Optimum GPS a try. I use compounds with a Microfiber cutting pad, polishes with a white foam pad and AIO with a white foam pad as well. I have an orange foam pad that I use sometimes with the polish and AIO but it is case to case basis. After polishing or before applying a wax or sealant use something like CarPro Eraser or a 10-20% IPA (isopropyl alcohol) on the paint to ensure a clean surface to allow the wax/sealant to bond properly. This was after I washed, clayed, Blacklight applied with a white pad then some spray wax after it had cured for about an hour.

I rode all of 555 today. It was pretty clean until south of 78. After that it was the usual gravel and torn up parts. Took 7 over to 144 and headed back north. Hit parts of 377 and 550. Gassed up in Malta and hit 669, one of favorites, took it to 668. Ended up doing around 330 miles total. I turned over 65,000 on the FJR, today. Oil change and some other maintenance tomorrow.

Moldex 6800 pura-fit I got a sampler pack from the earplug superstore and I liked these the best. http://www.earplugstore.com/unfoamtrialp.html?_s_icmp=HOMEBAR1_TRIAL_PACKS So I picked up a case. http://www.earplugstore.com/mopufit3bof2.html Should last me for a few years.

I raced my bike in the time trial at my local trail system. There were no beginners last week, and only two older guys this week. I wanted someone to actually race, and I preferred the 6 mile course to the 4.5 mile beginner course, so I raced "expert" despite being anything but. One of the expert women (there were only two) told me "we're going to start ahead of you, since you don't have a 'real' bike." she was joking, but I hope I beat her bitch-ass... I caught and passed her friend, which means I was at least 60 seconds faster. Didn't catch the woman who started 120 seconds ahead of me, but I may still have beaten her. Fingers crossed. Times will be published tomorrow.

Haha, just don't blow it on the mountain trying to back up.

Congrats! Is there a way you can message her and point this out?

Those go on your ass...a little big to shove in your ears

Put a real horn on it!

Eat the right thing at the gas station and you'll lose a lot of weight through unpleasant means...

For those who want the total package, get these VERY limited edition boots with the matching Arai Corsair X Vinales 2 Replica Full Face Helmet. Give MIKE a call today to get one or both!

Next week is the last. it's a series of 3, with your fastest 2 times added together for your final 'score.' I missed the first one and I won't make next week. I had intended to ride the 15th (cancelled) and the 22nd, but I'm busy the 29th. $15 https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/programs-events/2017/mill-stream-run-reservation/mountain-bike-time-trials-2-1?instance=42178 I consider it a donation to the park, and incentive for them to do more events like this. $20 if you register 'late.'

As does @TheBrown57 i really wish I had the patience and time to develop the skills either of those guys have. My poor Firehawk is in need of some major paint correction!

SOLD

Upon further investigation, I am more convinced she isn't a bitch, and was truly joking, but it did fire me up. Unless she was borrowing her (quite serious and expensive XC bike), the name/flag decal on her frame suggests that she finished second in the women's division two weeks ago, but that would have put her 15th in the men's division... Still hoping i beat her, but I'm not optimistic. The loop we rode is the same one I did 3 times last Saturday, but the opposite direction, so my 34 minute lap from my weekend ride is faster than her, but when you reverse the loop, you're taking the fast downhill trail and turning it into a long, gradual climb. That said, I had ridden 12 miles before I set that time, so I should have been fresher yesterday. I set PRs in every strava segment i logged, so it's a personal victory regardless - I pushed myself. My Strava time is 39 minutes, but I started the GPS early (so i wouldn't forget), and was pedaling around the start area to warm up and figure out which gear was best for a standing start, to accelerate to the trailhead. I assume that 39 minutes is my total moving time, but I don't know how much will be 'cut off' before my official time started. I know the trail, but it's weird to take certain parts as fast as possible. I nearly bit it in the gravel next to the road. turned left, and my front tire nearly slid out. I'm usually stopping there to make sure no cars are coming. With the road blocked for the TT, I was accelerating to pass the woman ahead of me while we were on the road, and before we entered the second trail. (she was way cool about being passed, btw - after laughing at my bike, she was cheering me on to chase down her friend).

3 mile RT = 6 miles x 4 = 24 miles!!! Even better.

Absolutely love that little stretch of 669 between 555 and the river. First time on it caused a little pucker due to blind turns an sketchy signage though.

@oldschoolsdime92 does paint correction, he'd surely know what works well in the compound/wax industry

144 from Coolville to Stewart was my daily drive back in high school. I should've died a couple times on that road.

That would be test drove right? bucket seats and a steering wheel

Yea, I types + twice. Meant Speed.

Thanks man. HD+ and HD Speed look really promising.

Planing on taking the boy's this sat. supposed to meet Keith and 3 others at P3.

3D is not newer but really made a hard jump into the realm of polish/ compounds and other detailing car car supplies. http://www.3dproducts.com/ not plugging 3d as at work , we are a wholesaler for 3m , mothers, meguires , jaxwax and 3d... but as far as compounds go 3d is the best and easiest to work even our Colorsource BASF rep swears by it. normally 3m is a 4-6 step process sand with heavy grit , cut/polish, sand with 2000-3000, cut/polish sand with 4000 then buff and done.. 3d is sand heavy cut , sand with 3000 , polish and done...

Must be an awful small bike.

Took the Honda out for a flogging. Got it up to 92mph before things started feeling squirrelly. 92 indicated on my aftermarket speedo could be anywhere between 85-105. I need to calibrate it. Oil temp stayed around 150° while I was moving pretty good. Got up to 180° at stops, 170° in city traffic. Cooler seems to be doing a good job. Oil temp gauge is also not calibrated so temp could be way off. Also did fork seals and oil change on a customer's Suzuki m50 turd. Will be a nice payday this weekend.