Worst Purchase of 2008: SIDI Toasters

 

I wanted to get my worst purchase out before the shopping season gives full sway, and I’m not buying anything else this year, anyway. No, I wasted a huge chunk of change on this worthless item, the SIDI Toaster heated insoles. Jesus fuck. How could I be so stupid? I was drawn in by their wonderful new winter riding boots, the Diablos, which were my best purchase last year. I dreamed of maybe beating chilly toes forever! I could even wear these in my regular shoes, and race cross nationals in the snow and have warm feet!!!! Fucking delusional, eh?

   The Toasters have serious reliability problems. I’ve managed to get them to warm about half the time. One of the chargers didn’t work (I bought two!!! I’m stupid…), I managed to lose one of the remotes, and can’t get anyone to respond about how to get another one. The insoles seem to have problems charging consistently, and discharge varies in an unacceptable way. Often one sole works and the other does not.  I could ignore variable performance on something like this if it cost about $50, which is what these things should cost. $50, not $250. And, it’s completely unreasonable to market an item used on your feet in Winter and not have spare parts available! That is bullshit. You can buy any small part Cateye makes for really reasonable prices, and for older models! And, their shit isn’t this expensive. I wish a more reputable electronic outfit would market a heated insole and actually support it. SIDI should stick to shoes.

Huntin’ Time in So ILL

 

Better stay out of the woods in So. Ill this weekend (Thurs-Sun) and the first weekend in December!! It’s Gun Season!!! Drunk rednecks with guns, bitter about the election of a liberal communist african islamic antichrist, and lookin’ to kill’em some spandex wearing homos to mount above the space heater in the trailer.

Suson….Waaaaahhhh!!!!

I even look like a baby...thanks to John Musselman

That was a nice course at Suson. I should have had a better day on a course like that, but I really wussed out on the downhills. I’m actually trying here on the uphills and stuff…Nate and Josh really put the fists down today. What with a Pirtle and all. Great rides by a bunch of guys, including Danimal and Reeschard!!! Robo was in the B’s, but snapped a chain. So, he grabbed lunch and started the A-race while eating a sandwich. Reeschard saved my ass by flagging me when I left my wheel leaned up against the car….geez, I was just trying to get out as soon as possible so maybe I can get home by dinner and score tickets to nightcross….

Second race of the year on the Dogkiller. My front brake exploded, then my rear brake cable snapped while I was warming up!!! At least it didn’t happen in the race. I have a dud pair of Empella Brakes on the race bike. The ones on ‘killer are five years old and have never had a hitch.

Pease on us all!

 

Night cross may really be bringing in the crazies. None other than Michealangelo Von Peasewick may well make the trek to STL to race cross and see his old buddies at the Hustler Club. Pease has been doing really well down over there in New Mexico. He’s won the NM State Cross series, and been second twice (after this year, he’s second and locked). I think all of this cannibis pollen down here in So. Ill was holding him back.

Faustian, even

 

Hey Mikey, wait up!

The first Bubba of the year at Faust was quite an event. Looked to have great attendance, and an awesome, punishing course. Unfortunately for me, the punishment was left-side off camber dismounts and remounts, which didn’t sit really well after the hip fracture six months ago….I could have done without rolling the tubular, and probably should have took 40psi out of the tires on the pit bike (and maybe tightened the quick release on the front wheel…). But, there were throngs of enthusiastic supporters! The Team Revo crowd even  made me want to dislocate my hip! Darrell was rocking way up there for Mack, Matt, Walt, and Robo were also in the House. Robo had a bad start or he would have taken the B-race. And how about that Anthony Dust! Nate had to put in a real dig to finally drop him. Reeschard and Ron Bridal both had great races as well. And Mikey Weiss!!! I couldn’t stay with him and Kurt Russell when my tires started going goofy, and with the bike change and 80psi Speedmax. Plus, I suck.

And, I shit you not, Dr. Mark took a phone call in the middle of the race. Definitely proof that he is, in fact, a physician. I was coming into the woody section and I saw Dr. Mark way up ahead and off his bike. As I got closer it was evident that he wasn’t really doing anything (like fixing a chain, or popping on a tire). Once I was on him, I realized he was on the phone!

Gary and Tom represented So. Ill in the C’s, and Tom was riding really well but had serious shifting issues which put him in the pit. Dave Neis was rockin’ hard in the B’s.

Ah well. At least I ripped off the old Tufos last night, and I’ll start gluing up the new Challenge Grifos, which everyone raves about . I think the Tufos have a problem with consistency, people report both good and bad results with the tubular and tubular clincher models. Mine always sucked. They were too slick and hard to get traction in the muddy stuff or  on super dry courses. It doesn’t help that I got them on sale from a big discount house, and I bet they were 3 years old when I bought them 1.5 years ago. Oh well.