My Week #97 (February 21 - 27) on Vimeo

My Week #97 (February 21 - 27) on Vimeo

My Week #97 (February 21 - 27) from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

The highlight? Liz Tylander's dance lesson.

My Week 95

My Week #95 (February 7 - 13) from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

From frigid to springlike. Gotta love Nebraska.

Getting out

Boy, do I love the winter thaw!

After my disappointing end to 'cross season and a longer-than-expected recovery period, I had a lot of trouble getting myself back in gear to put in base miles outside. The fact that we'd had plenty of snow and ice (generally things I really enjoy...well, at least the snow...) kept me gun shy about another crash, and the longer I was gone from group rides, the more I knew I'd fall behind frustrated after wasting a bunch of energy trying to keep up at the start.

No more. Today, Kat, Ryan and I opted for a later start time and a goal of 50-60 gravel miles at a pace we could all maintain for the duration. We rolled out a little before 11 and headed into a SW wind, Cortland in mind for a first stop.


We found gravel roads in beautiful condition, with options for packed smooth middles, a little pea gravel in between tracks, or churningly difficult wet shoulders. Kat needed that slowing power later in the ride when her front brake cable snapped, leaving her relegated to stopping with a pretty worn out back brake. Scary!


Ryan, riding singlespeed, kept a nice crisp pace for us whenever we started slacking. After worrying his gearing would be too low, he ended the ride thinking this will be his Gravel Worlds gear for this year. (Sorry nerds, I don't know the gear ratio and he's not here right now.)


With temperatures fluctuating from the low 40s to the mid 50s, plus a wind cold enough to make wind chill a factor, clothing decisions were a little challenging. I stayed pretty comfy with a silkweight capilene baselayer, wool jersey, wind vest (detachable sleeves came off pretty fast), neck gaiter, wool cap, glove liners and shell gloves, and cozy Craft running tights over my bibs. Wool socks in my winter shoes were toasty!

After exploring uncharted (to us) gravel east of Cortland en route to Hickman, we ended up back at home with 59.59 miles. Nice way to kick off the outdoor training year, and it felt great to do something more on roads where you didn't have to worry about just staying upright on 1-3 inches of pure ice. Bring on the Spring!


In other news, I was able to make this likeness of Hunter S. Thompson during a work professional development activity in which a team of us were given 16 items of which we could choose 6 to keep after surviving a plane crash in the Australian desert. We chose none of these, though we spent a good deal of time considering the Jameson. With 6 of us, though, it wouldn't have gone very far.

Snowy Commute Home

I got a helmet cam! Time lapse photography with a photo every 5 seconds made for a nice documenting of my commute home on a snowy January evening. I love how the shutter stays open longer as it gets dark. Music by the lovely Snowblink.

Rolling Movie Marathon

Winter. Cold. Dark. Movies! Watched in the last week:

Inception
The Warriors
SNL Best of Will Ferrell
The Messenger
Pan's Labyrinth
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Let The Right One In
Big Man Japan
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

I think I'm forgetting one...

January begins

A beautiful short film documenting the New York Christmas Blizzard, followed by Roger Ebert's effusive praise.

"Man in a Blizzard," by Jamie Stuart - Roger Ebert's Journal

Now, where's our snow? I'm tired of this ice that doesn't lend itself to anything fun.

Sheclismo's First Jerseys

It's Just Fairness, Y'all

Screening this Thursday

Haven't had a chance to see When We Stop Counting yet? It will be screening on Thursday the 9th at Indigo Bridge Bookstore at 7 PM.

While I'm on the subject, Brent and I are trying to raise funds to get the film broadcast-ready. If you can spare some extra, please consider donating at this link.

To Be A Superfan

I'm all packed up to head to Iowa City for Jingle Cross. All year, I've been looking forward to this weekend -- the closest really big race and a chance to line up with a bunch of women in a sport I've really come to love.

Well, I won't be lining up. A crash in last weekend's Lincoln CX left me with a fractured thumb and the inability to grip handlebars -- not exactly OK for 'cross racing. This past week has involved a lot of psychological pain and frustration on top of the physical as I've watched the gnarly bruises develop.

So, this weekend, I'm shifting gears. Trying to take inspiration from CVO, Liz and others, I'm transforming into superfan mode. Best of luck to my Sheclismo teammates Sydney, Kat, and Kimberley, to our honorary member Ryan the singlespeedo, and to all the other Nebraska riders taking the course. I wish I were out there with you, but I'll be happy to heckle you or hand you a drink, too.

My Week #83 (November 15 - 21) on Vimeo

My Week #83 (November 15 - 21) on Vimeo

My Week #83 (November 15 - 21) from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

Late fall sets in.

Chip fracture.

My Week #82 (November 8 - 14) on Vimeo

My Week #82 (November 8 - 14) on Vimeo

My Week #82 (November 8 - 14) from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

It's definitely fall. I love my housemates.

Abandoned Flags

A little long and a little too heavy on the tracking shots, but it's set to one of my favorite Godspeed songs and with a pretty incredible location, so who cares, really?



via After The Storm - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

My Week #81 (November 1 - 7) on Vimeo

My Week #81 (November 1 - 7) on Vimeo

My Week #81 (November 1 - 7) from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

Brent leaves, we vote, I rearrange, I go down in history as (one of?) the only model(s) to put clothes ON on the catwalk, I rehabilitate in Wilderness with Liz, and we celebrate my aunt's birthday.

My Week #78 (October 11 - 17) on Vimeo

My Week #78 (October 11 - 17) from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

Cat, lots of work, conspiracy theories, late at work, beer ride, Popeye the cat, and a return to cyclocross at the Boulevard Cup in Kansas City.

My Week #78 (October 11 - 17) on Vimeo

Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center

Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center




FREE SCREENING: WHEN WE STOP COUNTING
Tuesday, October 26 - 7:00 p.m.

This screening is free and open to the public.

It is in our best interest to educate all children. But what happens when a small town’s school system suddenly becomes 50% minority? Crete Public Schools, in Crete, Nebraska, has an answer. When We Stop Counting follows six Hispanic high school students, living their personal struggles and triumphs while bearing the pressure of their parents’ backbreaking sacrifice in hopes of achieving the American Dream.

Administrators, faculty and scholars examine how schools serve both students and the community, while students themselves record their own footage of experiences at school, at home, at work and at play. When We Stop Counting humanizes the issues of education, immigration, and most importantly, our future.

Shot, directed and produced by:
Brent Meier, El Centro de las Américas
Elisabeth Reinkordt, Nebraska Department of Education

Premiere of When We Stop Counting

Facebook | Premiere of When We Stop Counting

Please join us at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center on October 26th at 7 PM for the premiere of When We Stop Counting.



Students and directors Brent Meier and Elisabeth Reinkordt will be answering questions following the screening.

The film will also be premiering in Crete at Doane College's Heckman Auditorium on Thursday, October 28th, also at 7 PM.

Trailer

A year and a half in the making...

"Three Bullets" by Kill County on Vimeo

"Three Bullets" by Kill County on Vimeo

"Three Bullets" by Kill County from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

Music video for Kill County's song "Three Bullets." Written and performed by Andy "Ringo" Witkowski and Josh Holstein. Shot, directed, and edited by Elisabeth Reinkordt. The Man played by Patrick Sands.