Getting all parts together ...

It's been a long time project, I either never had the time nor the option to create such space, now the time to put all together it's here, and I'm pretty happy with the results so far, still a lot to do though. Stay tuned :)

Coffee and bread of the best place possible :)

You have an appointment with your doctor ...

New tools of the house ... 

El Gordo on the Swamp



El Gordo on the bench



El Gordo, Mojo and Tarmac ... the three beast of the house :)

 

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

Summer rides

Here we go again.

Summer is SC is typically hot and humid, with temperatures in the high 90's and a terrible humidity percentage, a weather that does not invite to get on the bike and give your 100%.

But despite this, for some reason this last weeks the temps have been bellow the standard, and although the humidity is terrible, the mornings are cool enough to get on the bike again. And so I've been riding for some days on the Swamp Rabbit trail.

I've been testing different configuration of pressures, but it's clear that to ride the Swamp the higher the better. The bike is working perfect, the Ventana "El Gordo" is fat but so fast I've been beating other bikers with lighter bikes and thinner tires. It's true that the fact to roll with fat tires, gives you a final 29" on the external diameter, and once your speed is getting up, it's just a question to be able to keep it up ... if you can, you roll really fast.

The Swamp is a "green way" like some of the ones in Catalonia, and you can always find plenty of people, runners, bikers, families ... I love to ride there, and now even more that I can leave home and don't need my car to get closer.

Some pics of the last days, hope you enjoy...

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

Flash back ...

Today I had a flashback ... sometimes called "deja vue", but I had one where we were riding in Terrassa, with our Orange and Green Pesto Ibis Mojo (and the Yeti if I'm not wrong) under the rain back to Terrassa after a full day of MTB.

It was fast, it was raining, we were laughing ... not sure about what, I'm thinking just about the stress, the fact everybody needed to be back "soon", and we were laughing, under the rain, happiness, is all I can say ... it was a rainy and happy moment.

I had a similar one today, again on the Swamp Rabbit trail, when I was riding down back to Greenville, the rain showed up, light rain, not strong as the Terrassa one, but it was nice to have a similar feeling ... this time the Orange Ibis was not there, I turned back to see if the Vicious and the Spotbrand were on the corner, or ahead of me, or just behind ... but you were not there.

It was nice though, it was nice to feel alive, to feel close, and to feel that friends are as close as you want them to be, and as far as live drives you away. But on my mind, I can tell you were riding with me today ... I was laughing, promise, and I was happy ...  you were riding with me.

Crossing the rails ...

Crossing the rails ... 

Downtown alive, old bricks and new buildings

Downtown alive, old bricks and new buildings

Downtown Ready River Falls ... just beautiful !

Our Freedom jersey :)

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

El Gordo riding in Greenville SC

Finally riding with the El Gordo,

First impressions, bike is not as "fat" as I thought ... even if I compare with my road bike is like two different worlds, the bike feels light and fast, the 45North  Husker DU's with the Bontrager Jackalope wheels help a lot on this feeling.

The ride has been using the Greenville downtown Swamp Rabbit trail, and old train track converted in bike and pedestrian path from Greenville to Travelers Rest north of the city. The first section around downtown and Cleveland Park had some more turns and corners to see how easy the bike moves, and compared to the Ibis there is a need for more work when cornering. It's clearly the result of the external 29" diameter (26" in wheels + fat tires) and the fact of moving more tire.

The geometry it's excellent, I felt perfect from ground zero and the ride finish the same way, no muscles with any feeling of pain due to positioning.

It's still early to judge, as I didn't use any gravel road or trail, it was almost all flat or ascending just to get a feel and my body up from winter.

Photos attached ...

Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Furman University lake.

Forman University Bell Tower.

Detail of the paved path ... donations.

My El Gordo doesn't look so fat in front of a train :)

Greenville downtown, Reedy River Falls park, the Bridge and Main Street on the left ... love this city.

The two fats of the family ... attention to the small adhesive on the rear of the car :)

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio