Old Man and His Bike

Before Today

2011-03-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

Today is boring. Another day filled with Client changes (again), long bus rides to and from work and rain. Nothing worth talking about there.

But, before today, I had a little fun.

The trails were calling a few weeks back and despite a little dampness (and excessive fuzziness) I ventured out to St. Edward's State Park for a sloggy trail ride.

The following weekend, the rains departed (temporarily) to allow one a chance to venture out and enjoy the miles of bike paths near home. This one took me by the Redmond City Hall which features some very nice public art on their site.

Beautiful copper and pixie stixs of glass and metal.

Sculptural.

Next up, a first ferry boat trip in the Sound. Though it was a gloomy day (and when isn't it here in winter?), we ventured out regardless. Leaving the City behind, we sailed forth to the new world.

Okay, just to Bainbridge Island actually. But it seemed new and different. Definitely a place with a slower pace there amongst the trees and astronomically expensive homes.

The following weekend, we saw a bit of sun (and cold wind) and with the boyz in tow, headed out to Waverly Way Park on Lake Washington. The boardwalk there will be a great place to launch a kayak in the summer. Dewey wonders what we're waiting for?

The park features an homage to man's best friend in the water here: Salmon. Mmmm, salmon!

Pac NW Trivia: Seattle was once known as Salmonville. Honest.

The next ride was a cold road route up to the land of Gates. Bill Gates that is. Redmond, WA. But first we had to climb. A lot. Up and up and eventually round a circular ramp south of Kirkland. From there you could see Seattle and Lake Washington. And on a clear day, I am sure the Olympic mountains.

Round and round we go.

Along the way, I found a resting spot. Not sure why it was here. Maybe a Victorian bus stop?

Onward past Microsoft's offices (campus).

Around and back to the Sammamish East Trail. Featuring a rather well worn (or burned?) railroad trestle.

Two weeks ago I finally made it out to the East side of town, to the foothills of the Cascades to ride Soaring Eagle Trail. It was a great place to ride (despite the adjacency to a golf course; notice the scavenged balls on the top of the bench) but a bit damp in places. I am sure in the summer, it will be a regular route for me.

As I said, it was a bit damp.

Last weekend (after two weeks of not riding), I decided to take advantage of the sunshine and relatively warm temperatures to do a circumnavigation of Lake Washington. It seemed like a good idea when I left.

Along the way, the route takes you along I-90 and across to Mercer Island. There I found a park perched high on top of the freeway. These are the vent stacks which remove all that nasty car exhaust from way down below.

Later, on the Seattle side of Lake Washington, the I-90 trail features a tunnel for bikes. A long tunnel. Like a couple miles long. Very cool! There are neighborhoods and businesses perched on top of that tunnel. Amazing.

As the day wore on and I wore out, I eventually found my way home. Too little water, too little food found me pretty wasted after a good 60 miles. Not going to attempt that again until Spring.

Once home (and after some good pasta), I cracked open a Oskar Blues TenFidy. Sweet, sweet dark goodness from Colorado. It almost made me feel better. Okay, the second one did the trick!

This past weekend, we enjoyed two whole days of sunlight and no rain. It was amazing and suddenly, things started to grow. Our backyard is filled with interesting flora, some with built-in protection devices.

Though the weather has taken a turn for the worse (again), Spring can't be far off now. And daylight savings is coming back this weekend to deliver weekday evening riding time again.

Maybe tomorrow is better than today!

New Terrain

2011-01-27T19:15:00.000-08:00

The title says it all. I felt the need to start blogging again and hopefully, it will stick this time. We will see.

Feels as though I have been around the world since my last post. Part of the world at least.

The Pacific Northwestern part to be exact.

The place where the wild things grow. And bicycles are very happy.

Where an Old Man can find good beer to drink after a long ride. Or even a short one.

A place that I can bike on a sunny day with my best friend.

This is a land of new and fuzzy things. In fact, fuzziness is everywhere you look.

I left a place were water flows along sandy beaches. My new home adds rocks to the mix.

Our Boyz are loving the rocks and the beach and the water and the sunshine.

And I am loving the view. Everywhere you look, it is amazingly beautiful.

Even the buildings are wavy and colorful.

And some are just cool.

They have a lot of fish out here. Good tasty fish like Sockeye Salmon and Halibut. I'll take one of each.

One Tree Hill. In case you ever wondered where that was.

People out here are very friendly. They have made us feel at Home. We like that.

Fall was very pretty this year. And seemed to last forever.

I am constantly finding cool, interesting, unique things around town. This might not be one of them.

But this is. Gasworks Park is a must see if you come out to visit.

And Fort Lawton Park. Beautiful views of the Sound, but you do have to work for it!

I have finally started working again with Architecture. It has been fun so far.

So, that is all for now. But there will be more. Hopefully. Keep your fingers crossed. Or not.

Well, until next time, peace out.

The rain, the park and other things

2010-08-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

When the rain comes down, it is better to light a candle than to curse the dark.

From the roof last night, you could tell we were in for a storm. Down on rain the past month, they needed it.

Luckily, I had gotten out early in the morning to ride before the heat and the humidity (and the storms) set in. Rode past the Walker Sculpture Garden on my way out to the trail. This is Claes Oldenburg's "Spoonbridge and Cherry".

This is Alexander Calder's "The Spinner". I did not get a chance to see it in action due to a lack of wind.

Just to let Morgan know, I am taking risks on the bike again. Rode this concrete/rock rail with a minimum of trepidation. Guess you can teach old dogs new tricks.

One of my favorite photo stops along the Theo Wirth Trail. The base is all that is left of a tree that appears to have been hit by lightning.

The ride out to Theo Wirth Parkway is through the city and along the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. The linear trail system includes two separate trails for biking in and out of the city, a trail for pedestrians and a gravel trail along the railway for MTB's. Lined by native grasses, it is a very well planned and beautiful place to ride.

I rode the gravel trail. Flat and fast with only the occasional runner or walker with dogs.

Riding a single-speed Niner does require more pedaling than usual. For Morgan: Yes, I have since installed the YAWYD and it now is sporting a New Belgium cap. Thanks again!

Of course, while I was out having fun on the bike, Rene was off to the North Shore to work. I dropped her at the MetroRail which would take her to the airport. Beats the hell out of driving out there.

The weather here has been stifling hot and sweaty in Minneapolis of late. Really looking looking forward to getting away from this heat (hopefully) for a couple of days back in GR. We are flying "home" on Friday to help my daughter move to college. We also have to pack up our remaining "stuff" in the storage barn there which will be coming with us to Seattle. It looks to be a busy weekend capped by a long drive back here in a moving truck, but nice to have one last chance to visit family and friends before our push West.

Hope your weekend is a little more relaxing!

Sea Change

2010-06-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

After many (many!) months in hiatus, I have decided to re-start my blog. Not exactly the re-birth of Spinal Tap as a Jazz/Fusion group, but rather I plan to just pick up the story where we left off. Well, sort of. When we last saw our Hero, he was in Michigan, "enjoying" winter. And I was employed. As of two weeks ago Friday, I am living in Minnesota and officially unemployed (of my own choosing). I will attempt to make sense of all this as best I can.

As I have mentioned many times on this blog, we (Rene and I) have desired finding a place to live where commuting to work is more commonplace and where one could reap the benefits of a relatively car-less existence. And this past spring, the first step towards that dream was realized when Rene (and I, sort of) made the bold step of leasing a condo in downtown Minneapolis.

We moved her here in April and since that time, I have been commuting (by car and plane; DOOH!) to visit as much as possible. Taking time off without pay as well as impromptu vacations has given me the chance to be in town. The concept was to continue this "lifestyle" until I could find a job or we sold our house, which ever came first. By the end of June, neither of those two scenarios had materialized. Running short on vacation time coupled with a continued slowing of the economy in Michigan, I began wondering how realistic it could be that we move to the Big City.

And then, one day, it happened. One of our neighbors (back home in Michigan) is in real estate sales and on a whim, asked if we would consider renting our home. We said we would and made plans for a Wisconsin couple to come by and take a look. Once in the door, they asked when could it be available and would we be willing to sign a 2-year lease! It took about 10 seconds for us to make up our minds. Finally, the chance had arrived that we were looking for. Someone to pay our mortgage while we try to make a go of it in Minneapolis. Papers were signed and an agreement was made for turn over on August 1.

Given that decision, we now had to find storage for our possessions that would not be coming with us (amazing the amount of stuff you accumulate in 20 years!), find a home for our daughter until college starts in the fall and finish all of those pesky home "projects" that we (I) had been ignoring! With only a 30 day window, it seemed daunting, but do-able.

Excitement set in and we were quickly starting to make headway when Rene was told that she needed to attend a Sales conference for her company in California (Santa Clara to be exact) the week before we were to be out of the house. It was a frantic time but Rene felt we could afford to take a couple extra days that week and make a mini-vacation out of the trip (free hotel rooms and car rentals; save those sky-miles people!). So, off we went to San Francisco.

Though the weather there was surprisingly cool, it was a welcome relief to the stifling heat we had been enjoying in Michigan for the past month. And as a bonus, we were able to spend time with some good friends in the area on Sunday night. Morgan and Lauren had invited us out to their house in the Berkeley hills for a nice BBQ. Ryan Christbaum and his wife Tracy (and daughters) came by to join in the fun. We had a great night of conversation, grilled salmon and maybe a few adult beverages.

The view from the "hills" surrounding Morgan and Lauren's patio of dreams.

And, as a bonus, Ryan, Morgan and I made plans to ride the local area the following Tuesday and Wednesday while Rene attended her daily company functions. It just don't get no bettern' that! Though I have no pictures to document Tuesday's ride, Morgan and I met at Daddy's Bike Shop and set out to (attempt) a nice day of riding in the hills surrounding the Oakland/Berkeley area at Joaquin Miller Park. But an hour and a half into the ride, disaster struck in the form of a major lapse in judgement and a smidgen of poor coordination (on my part) which resulted in a serious impact with the ground. This unfortunately put an end to the days riding. I was in serious pain having fallen full force onto the ground with my chest. Once I was able to get up and assess that I was not gushing blood, we began to walk out.

As I was pushing my borrowed bike (thankfully, intact and undamaged in the melee; thanks Lauren!), the phone rang. It was Rene, calling to say that we would not be moving to Minneapolis the following week after all. Instead, our new home would be slightly further West. See picture below (can you name it?).

That's right. Seattle. Washington. Needless to say, I was surprised, shocked and yes, still in serious pain at that point. After begging off the call and eventually remounting the bike, we made our way down a very steep, long fire-road which led back to one of the Park entries. Following some cell communications and a very nice wild apple, I was finally picked up by Lauren (literally; she had to put the bike in the truck for me!). Morgan had rode on to get better cell service and ended the ride at home on his bike (the way it was supposed to be).

Back at their house I found beer, ibuprofen and leftover salmon to ease my pain. And yes, I finally able to reconnected with Rene. She confirmed that we were indeed, moving to Seattle (soon, gonna be a dental floss tycoon). After a very nice dinner and a little more good conversation around the table, I said my goodbyes, thanking them for everything (including my rescue) and headed back to Santa Clara for a night of sleeping in a chair.

We stayed one more day (which was supposed to be my ride day with Ryan. Sorry. We will ride again I promise!) and then we flew back to Minneapolis and sadly, me, to Grand Rapids. I promptly arose the next morning, headed to work and gave them my notice. Boxing up my things and saying goodbyes was surprisingly not as sad as I expected. I have worked there off and on for 10 years + and though I will miss my good friends in the office, I am ready for a change. Rene came home (to GR) that night (or should I say Saturday morning; 6 a.m. thanks to weather delays!) and the next day we began our final push to move out of the house.

It took a full week of cleaning, boxing, moving and even, giving away our possessions but by Friday, we were in the car and headed for the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Minneapolis is the first stop of our journey. We have 3 more weeks here before the final push West. More storage, more boxing, more cleaning, more giving away and definitely, more driving ahead! But we will get there. And when we do, a new home and City Life awaits us.

But sadly (for me anyway) we must leave this City Life behind. Minneapolis has been fun.

I do love the place and their support of cycling is exceptional. While here, I was finally able to meet Hurl Everstone, the man, the myth, the legend and the owner of Cars-R-Coffins Cykle Garage. He is a great guy and if you ever need a bike upgrade or are just looking for a second-hand city bike (in the Minneapolis area of course), see Hurl. He updated my Masi with a sweet combo Ultegra/Surly crank. I also picked up a CRC t-shirt and bottles to commemorate the moment.

If you believe in bike commuting, this is your place. They have instituted a bike share program within the past couple weeks and it has been a smashing success.

I also have had to leave one more thing behind in Minneapolis: Mr. Ridley; aka Carbon Sweetness.

Yes, one of the bikes had to go and he drew the short straw. Though I have loved riding the Ridley, my Trek XO.1 can now serve as both cyclocross steed and road hog. One set of wheel for each discipline and wah-lah; two mints in one! Goodbye old friend. You will be missed. But riding my 29er will help to make the transition easier in the meantime.

As we go, I am planning to use this as a travelog of sorts; to document our move West as best I can. It is going to be an interesting trip but I can't wait to get there!

It's Beginning to Get to Me

2010-02-14T15:16:00.000-08:00

Winter that is. Not sure, but the picture below might be a clue.

A couple of full moons have come and gone and yet, it is still winter.

On sunny days, I have ventured outside to enjoy a hike or a ski. I even grew a beard to help fight off the cold.

But back came the darkness and gloom. So, I stayed inside and played with my camera, recording images of shadows made by moonlight.

When that didn't work, Rene and I headed to Chicago to try to find some comic relief and celebrate our anniversary. 21 years of bliss. Well, for me anyway!

I tried burying myself in my work. But even that is getting close to finishing. There will be another one. But this one was fun while it lasted.

It has been a cold winter. Even the river has frozen over. And ice dams have flooded the park.

But every once and awhile, a nice warm moment comes along and gives you a chance to think about something other than cold and snow. Our newest family member Duke. Our grand-puppy if you will.

But now, I hear folks talking. Talking about races. Races like Barry-Roubaix. 32 miles of hills and gravel. And a little over a month away. So, I reluctantly head to the basement and begin the slow painful process of training. Or torture. Had to happen sooner of later.

One hour today. While watching Olympic XC ski race on NBC. That took my mind off the pain. A bit.

Hope your enjoying winter. It seems to everywhere this year!

Return of the Giant Hogweed

2009-12-16T14:52:00.001-08:00

I'm back. The giant hogweed lives.

This is not hogweed by the way. Just partridgeberry bushes or squaw vine. Either way it is a pretty site in Fall when everything around is dying.

The sunsets in Fall are often the best. The low light angles seem to enrich the sky colors.

As fall is winding down, so goes my riding. I was able to find one shiny cold day in November to ride the gravel once more. It is the last time I have seen it in over a month now.

It was a beautiful day to be out in nature, riding the single speed along beautiful quiet roads.
I am hoping to get out there again soon, but for now it is buried under snow and brutal cold.

The second to last cyclocross race of the season was at Manhattan Park. The day featured sunshine but no mud (yet) in sight. The course was fast and fun and featured some good climbs. I finished mid-pack as usual, slower than I would have liked.

The sandbox section slowed me down though I did pass this guy! That is actual a friend of mine who is a pretty good triathlete and a recent convert to cross.

Next up was the 'A's and the field was fast. This in Danielle Musto's significant other Scott finishing up an early lap.

The Bissell Boys stayed neck and neck with each other even in the sand, but they were no match for the front runners this day.

This shot was taken on the last lap of the 'A' race and features the eventual winner, Tom Burke, giving his best impression of the Lance Armstrong "look" as he rides away to victory. Notice the hanger-ons on his right shoulder! I picked up a couple of those during my race too. Tom won over Brad White (the 2nd rider back in the photo) who is a pro riding for the Ouch Cycling Team. Pretty impressive win!

Next up, the Holland Mud-Fest! Last year it snowed during this race; this year it rained. The mud was exceptionally sticky and deep but the course was much improved over last years.

I started the race in the rain, chasing my buddy Eric (red and white kit) and stayed with him for a change (he usually finishes in the top ten). I actually got passed him on the bell lap and held him off to the finish. Of course, his bike had an additional 10 pounds of mud to drag around too! Paid to be riding a cross bike this day.

Me nearing the end of the spiral section on the final lap. Notice I am trying to stay high and dry using the outside line!

This is what all the fans came to see that day. The Death Spiral! It really was a fun addition to the course, but a major pain in the ass to ride. By the end, it was pretty darn soupy.

Some old familiar faces showed up for the final race including Nate here who had been absent for 2 or three races. He rode a mountain bike with cross tires to a respectable 5th place despite the absence of brakes (notice the levers have no cables!)

In the end, it was Tom Burke finishing 1st ahead of the field by a good margin. He made his break mid-way through the first lap and stayed out front the rest of the way. It was a great final day in the saddle and tough to see the season come to an end.

The following weekend, winter arrived and that dashed any hope of extending the riding season any longer. The first snowfall was significant and we finished with well over 8 inches that weekend.

Along with the snow came quite the cold snap and temps have been in the single figures already. Pretty unusual for this time of year and as a result, ice is already forming on the river.

My biggest objection to winter is driving and those first few days were hairy to say the least. For some reason, a number of folks forgot how to operate a car on slippery roads since last winter. That seems to be settling down now as we have had a number of sketchy days to practice.
I have resigned myself to pull out the rollers and become a subterranean bike rider once again. But you do have to do something to avoid going stir crazy this time of year.

The Holidays will be a nice reprieve from a busy work schedule of late. We once again are being given the honor of a week off between Christmas and New Years without pay. That is like a bonus, right?

Spring seems like a long way off right now.

The Sun Doesn't Like You

2009-11-10T08:21:00.000-08:00

Mr. Sun has not been kind to us in the Midwest during the month of October. And that coupled with the limited daylight hours available, riding is sporadic at best.

I was able to get in one last week night gravel grind on the single-speed just before Halloween weekend; in between the rainy days of course. It was a cold ride requiring toe covers, ear covers and insulated base layers. But the road was dry and fast, so quit yer bitching and get out there! I made a stop to see the mystery train along the way. Still have no clue why these are here?

But with November has come a warm up. And I for one am enjoying it. The mornings often feature foggy sunrises thanks to the cool night air and still warm river water.

The big warm ball in the sky returned this weekend and with it, I hit the road for a CX bike gravel grind. I found all the local roads to be dry, packed and great for riding. The final tally was just under 30 miles and it turned out to be one of the best rides of the year. Just love those Big Green Machines. I want to drive that behemoth!

It was so nice this past weekend, I was able to ride both days with shorts and short sleeves. A rare occurrence here in November. Saturday was an MTB ride at the Ski Hill trail. I had the place to myself all afternoon, which I incorrectly assumed was due to the 4,000+ racers up in Traverse City enjoying one of the warmest Iceman’s on record. I assumed wrong. Actually, the Ski Hill trail is closed to riding for the rest of the year and I was pouching! Had I known that fact, I would not have ridden there. I did not see a sign indicating this and no one came running out of the lodge to stop me, so, let’s just call it a misdemeanor. A first offense if you will!

This coming weekend is round #5 of the Kisscross series; Manhattan Park. The last event was Halloween weekend at Richmond Park and the course was a beauty. It had a little of everything and that combined with sunshine and a chili potluck, made for a great day.

The Bissell boys were fully in charge during the ‘A’ race and finished one-two.

Steve Kunnath, the manager at Ada Bike was all smiles here. He later crashed the barriers (which I recorded for posterity!) and mangled a shifter/brake lever. But he trooped on and finished in the top 10.

There were a lot of mountain bikes in attendance at this race and the course suited them. The guy on the sweet blue Niner above actually rode over the logs and up the run up, so that had to be an advantage!

Jeff Jacobi from the Founder’s team always seems to be enjoying himself. As he was riding by, he asked me if I got his good side. I said "what good side?" and he almost feel off the bike!

Then came Bronson (me). I had my best race of the season, moving up 8 or 9 positions from the previous week. Part of it was due to the new Vittoria tires but a bigger part was not hanging back at the start for a change. I eventually caught Kirk (who beat me last week) on the final lap and just barely beat him to the line! That was fun but we were both feeling like death warmed over afterwards.

It will be a long week due to a project deadline on Friday and that coupled with the sun setting at 5-ish probably means no riding until the weekend. Guess its time to pull out the wind trainer and head for the basement!

Champagne from a Paper Cup

2009-10-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

I guess the title could have said "make hay while the sun shines" but I thought that might sound too colloquial. My point is the weather, my work-load and the world in general have been pretty hectic of late. But despite that, I need to focus on the positive.

So, here are the "highlights". Fall has been beautiful here this year. Even with the gloom and rain, the forests and fields have been amazing. All month it has been a joy to walk the trails as it has been in a constant state of flux.

The boyz really enjoy running around in the leaves but often get lost sometimes as the trail disappears from sight.

The sunsets have been beautiful and often enhanced by the cloudy overcast skies. Rene and I have sat down by the river a number of times in the past couple weeks to take in the light show.

Between rainstorms I have been able to get out and ride and it is a treat for the eyes too. Every tree lined road is a canopy of color and you just have to stop once and awhile to take it in.

And then, there is cross season. It really has been fun regardless of my finishes and I am looking forward to this weeks event at Richmond Park despite the possible rain in the forecast. The last race was a great course with a mix of true cross challenges like a never ending series of s-bends and some MTB style, rooted trails. It was fast and the weather was great. I could not muster up the skill or ability to beat Kirk (pictured below in the red jersey and blue helmet) to the finish line but we were neck and neck the whole race! The loaner Challenge Grifos from Ted at Ada Bike were awesome and as a result, I made a purchase the next week for a similar treaded tire by Vittoria. We will see how they compare at this weeks event.

So, life goes on and the dance continues. I guess you either have to join in and find a way to enjoy it or become a bitter, grumpy old man. Well, lets just try to avoid being grumpy then!

Moon, Turn the Tides . . . Gently, Gently

2009-10-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, despite my constant whining the weather here has continued to be cold and rainy and November-like in October. After a September of 85% sunshine and abnormally warm temps, we are enjoying 3% sunshine and temps 10 degrees below normal. Sounds like Cross season to me!

Speaking of which, I entered race #2 at Highland Park two weeks ago and enjoyed a big move towards the podium, leaping from 34th to 32nd place in the standings with my stellar performance. And all while mugging for the cameras!

Since then we have had little good weather for riding but when I do get out, the fall scenery can be spectacular. Harvest time is in full swing too, so this is a constant sight along most of my gravel road routes.

The mornings can be frosty and foggy, but once and awhile we are treated to a light show spectacular.

Last weekend, we stopped procrastinating and spent Saturday downtown enjoying the final day of ArtPrize. This was a artistic competition brought to Grand Rapids by one of the Amway co-founders son's (I won't hold that against him!) and it appears to have been a success. From all accounts, the revenue brought to our local economy by visitors and residents alike was substantial (and a welcome boost!) Plans are in the works for a 2010 version as we speak.

I was able to get out once this week (between rain and darkness) to ride the famed Luton trail. The park is in its peak of fall beauty, so I just had to stop periodically to capture some of it. However, that cuts down on riding time. I was only able to get in two laps before dark.

This weekend is Round #3 of Kisscross; Caledonia Park. I have not entered this race before so I am looking forward to a new venue. Weather outlook is favorable now (hopefully this doesn't jinx it!) with sun and mid-50's temps. I am trying out some new tires this week thanks to my friendly Ada Bike wrench Ted. Challenge Griffo skinwall clinchers! Real cyclocross tires. Should be the difference between 31st and 32nd place for sure!

Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Hindsight

2009-09-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Looking back over the past couple week, I just realized how quickly the time has gone by. Much of it lately has been filled with clean and discarding and giving away and relocating many of our too many cherished possessions. Why you ask? Because we officially have put the Green Box on the market. Yes, our home of almost 10 years is up for sale.

The time has finally arrived to start making our next move(s). Rene is looking at a new position with an old company or another upstart she has been working with on the side. Either way, we will have to move. And we want to. Not because we hate it here or even MI for that matter. We just need to "shake things up" as Rene says so often now. And we do. Try something different. There are so many things yet to be done and most of them are not here. We have been here and done this.

Speaking of trying things that are new, I have officially decided to run the full season of cross this fall. First up was the Kisscross night race, held at Cannonsburg Ski Area, home of one of the best mountain bike trails in the local area. It was warm and wet and very un-cross like that night, but it was fun too. And painful. The course was very sandy and slow going and the legs were dead tired at the end. I finished 5th, from last. Not my best outing but no where to go but up, right?

Since the night race, we have been lucky enough to have a long streak of very nice, warm fall weather. Plenty of time to hit the trails if you hurried out after work. And so I did. Luton Park has been my regular ride most days. The photo above does not do justice to the fun, twisty trails that lay just beyond the cornfields.

Even the old barn where I park looks rather shabby and in need of repair. But the trails are n great shape. The newest route, the black loop is still sporting marker flags.

On nights I did not have time to drive out to the trails, the gravel roads were happy to provide me a nice workout. Most are slick and fast now with the cool nights and some recent rains. Hilly and in many areas, tree covered, there is an endless number to pick from. You can usually ride a good 20 mile route with only limited stretches of pavement between the gravel.

Along the way, there are many great sights including this line of parked grain cars. This is the line being removed to build the new Rail Trail but for some reason, this section has remained intact all summer. My original theory that they were temporarily parked there until the wheat harvest did not seem to hold true. I am going to have to ask around and find out what the story is. Stay tuned.

The biggest deterrent to riding this time of year is the lack of light. The sun is setting earlier and earlier now and one has to hustle to get miles in. But the low light makes for some great shadows too!

Along with fall comes cooler temps now. Mornings have been foggy and grey most days, but eventually burning off to allow a little sunshine.

So, when the sun is shining and I have more time, I am still out there on the road too. I have been able to get a couple 40-milers in the past couple weekends and as the colors change it is a great time to tour the area by bike.

But most of my on-bike time has been on-trails. Mainly riding Luton on the single-speed thanks to a stupid move on my part. I dropped my mountain bike. Not while riding it. Rather, I actually dropped it. From over my head while taking it off the rack. And it landed, on the fork dropouts. Which then proceeded to break. Ouch. And since you can't safely ride a bike with broken drop-outs, the Inbred became my main trail-squeeze. I had to send the fork out to Fox for a replacement lower assembly (which beats the hell out of buying a new fork!) and it just came back this past Friday. A costly lesson in roof rack removal techniques!

The nice thing about having the geared bike back is not having to pedal the roads with only one gear all the time. And the bumps are a little easier on the arms too.

This weekend I ventured back to the Ski Hill trail with the reborn Sinister and enjoyed riding the very fall-like trails. Many are covered already and the season has just begun. The trail was fast and fun and I virtually had the place to myself that day.

On Sunday Rene and I and the Boyz ventured out to the Fallasburg Fall Festival in the park. An arts and crafts fair, it comes to town each year and we typically trek over to take a look. Last year Rene and I purchase some new "wedding rings" so you never know what you might find. This year, it was more crafts than art and after a short tour of the booths, we decided to go to the park trail and enjoy the fall colors instead. Spots of fall are showing through here and there but it is still pretty green. With the cooler temps this week and rain, that will soon change.

I am home today with a cold or something that has thrown me for a loop. Not sure where it came from but it started coming on last night and hit me full force at work. I decided to cut my losses and head home for some R and R and hopefully, the other R; recovery. Can't afford another day of this. And not riding. The next Cross race is this Saturday at Highland Park and I am really looking forward to getting out there and mixing it up. Or tagging along behind. One or the other!

Rene is in Minneapolis today until Thursday, making an appearance with the powers that be to remind them she still works there. The final plans for her job are still up in the air and we are on hold because of it. But regardless, there is no looking back now. The wheels are in motion. They are rolling slow almost imperceptibly sometimes, but change is coming.

chaos/control

2009-09-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming to an end. Hate to admit it but the signs are all there. Cooler temps, color in the trees. Apples ready to be picked. Yup. Fall is here.

Straw has been cut and stored, ready for pickup.

So, with one last batch of nice weather and an extra day off, we headed to Chicago to visit friends and see the sites.

Found some interesting bikes. Not sure I would want to pedal this one in city traffic!

But with Fall comes cross season and I am really looking forward to it this year. Especially the first race this Friday. A night race under the lights! Hopefully, the bike will not look this bad for at least a couple races!

I do need to work on my barrier style. Not really sure it is a style. More like a leap! Probably should do that tonight. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

I hate to see summer end, but I do love fall and cyclocross. So, bring it on!

Rain Down

2009-08-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

It has been a little wet here of late. Okay, a lot wet. Like, 7 straight days "with" rain wet.

It finally stopped on Saturday but the sky still looked gloomy even on Sunday.

So, with the trails still damp and recovering, I spent my ride time heading downtown to the Gaslight Criterium (the State championship event) to watch the youngsters tear it up.

The road was dry and the riding fast. I can't imagine hitting this corner in the wet at the speeds these guys were riding!

Found a nice xtra-cycle hanging out along the course. I don't know who the owner is but they had better invest in a lock!

Danielle Musto, endurance racer extraordinaire was hanging out having coffee and watching her sister tear it up. Seems pretty engrossed in the race! I was actually worried that plant would fall on her, but it never happened. The guy with the white glasses behind her is Ben Renkema, the eventual Men's pro 123 winner and State champ. He used to race MTB with my son during the Youth Cycling Team days but has gone on to fame and fortune as a road racer with the Kenda Inferno team. Good kid.

I have been riding this thing a lot thanks to the rain. Trying to stay off the trails and wet gravel, the road bike is the go-to ride lately.

This is what I want to be riding. And in the dirt. On trails. Hope to be out there tonight or tomorrow. Rene is out of town the next 3 days scoping apartments for her potential move to MN in October. Not thrilled at the prospect of her being away for an extended period of time, but in this economy you do what you have to do. And if all goes well, I might just join her next May. But that is a long time from now.

Saving up airline miles and vacation time for future rendezvous here and there. We were laughing the other night at the idea of both ordering a movie on HBO, turning on the phone to speaker and watching it "together" on a Saturday night! Might just have to give that a try.

Until then, we are enjoying the end of summer and hoping to take a trip to Chicago in a couple weeks for a day or two. One last get away before fall. And Cross season!!

I'm Lonely (but I ain't that Lonely yet!)

2009-08-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of my on-bike time alone. It is convenient and often, easier to just get out and ride by myself. We live in a rural area and there numerous places to ride right from my doorstep. But very few of the folks I know who ride, live near my doorstep. So, I travel solo the majority of the time. And this year, more than ever. But it has been nice, really. The time I spend on the bike is not only beneficial to my health, it is crucial to maintaining my sanity.

And lately, that has been important. Life has been chaotic this summer for both of us. Even though Rene has thankfully been at home, it just seems busier than usual. Our oldest daughter came home from Tampa FL to visit with us (and her old friends) a couple weeks ago and while she was here, we had an impromptu family reunion at the house for Rene's family. Our daughter Heather left for home just this past week and we said goodbye in typical fashion: a final family Mexican dinner! And my son acting like a moron. Wouldn't have it any other way!

Speaking of the boy, he has decided to also fly the coop. He lost his electrical apprentice job in January and has been out of work since then. With a lot of extra time on his hands, he has decided to go back to school. Starting this summer he enrolled at a local junior college and now is becoming a full-time student this fall. Along with that came the desperate need to move out of the house. He and 3 college friends have found a cheap house to rent in the big city and are living the life without parents that they have always craved. Well, except for the occasional trip home to steal food and other items from our house that they need!

And this past weekend, the final child has left the nest. My youngest daughter moved up to college on Saturday and after only 27 trips up and down 4 flights of stairs, she is officially moved into the dorms. And the nice thing is, we get to do it all over again in 8 months when the first school year is over! But now, Rene and I are empty-nesters and as you can see from the photo below, pretty sad about the change!

So, time to get back out there and get some late summer riding in. The roads are still fast and shady.

The local drivers are not well trained in car-bike interaction. It should say "do not pass unless you plan to give me three feet clear!"

The rail trail is well underway but I don't think we will be able to ride it until next summer. The original rail bed is still in place and difficult to navigate. And they might want to consider installing some railings along that old rail bridge too.

Hope everyone is having a great summer. But hurry, its going fast!

One Hot Minute

2009-08-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

Is it me or is the earth spinning faster around the sun lately? Either that or my clock is running fast. This seems to happen every year. I just realized it's August. Damn. Snuck up on me again.

I have not raced since May 3rd! This was Fort Custer just after the crash. That did help keep me off the bike for awhile.

No Hansen Hills, no Big M and no Ore-2-Shore (despite the fact that I said I was definitely entering this year!). Not sure why not, but think many things have contributed to my lack of competitive spirit. Graduation parties, a trip to Tahoe and Chicago, the Family Moser visit and generally just too much goofing off (like attending the Picnic Pops on Thursday nights instead of riding my bike!)

But we did have fun that night! Dancing, singing and maybe, a little consumption of adult beverages may have occurred.

Since then, I have spent most of my mountain bike time on the gravel roads and trails near the house due to car issues, time constraints and wet weather. I think we may have watered the flowers 3 times the entire summer! To say we have had a little regular rain is an understatement.

I have been putting in good miles when I get out there, but never enough. I can hear the sound of Cross' season coming in the distance (one month from today!) and just know I am not ready. Maybe if I spent more time riding and less time taking pictures, it would be a small step in the right direction!

The trails are in good shape thanks to the consistent rains as it tends to compact our sandy soils. When I have been out there, the riding is fast and fun.

But the rain also makes grass grow, so my secret trail (which isn't maintained) is looking a little long right now. Oh well. It doesn't really slow you down too much.

Both of my youngest are leaving me. My daughter Lauren is leaving for college this Saturday and yesterday, my youngest son Matt moved out. He is attending a local college downtown and has decided to live in the city, sharing a house with friends. We have officially become "empty-nesters" (as of Saturday afternoon) and it is a weird new experience. I am sad for them both to leave but not too much. They are growing up and it is good to see each of them moving on with their lives. And what the hell; I have an official music room now!

However, I am also pining for the old days a bit. Going through some pictures last week, I found a series from my son Matt's "racing days". He started riding seriously around 12 or 13 and soon wanted to race. His first event was surprisingly the kids race at the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge CO. We were out there visiting friends and they suggested we enter him as their son was also doing it. He was reluctant but as soon as the race started, the adrenaline kicked in and he was gone. We wandered around trying to find him on the course and saw one lap before he finished. Rene and I headed back to main street to pick him up at the finish line, but could not find him anywhere. We scoured the town until finally running into him pushing his bike. He had a medal for 3rd place! He told us he couldn't find us at the finish so he went searching for a much needed bathroom. Not finding one quickly enough, he decided to knock on a nearby condo and asked them to use their facilities! Someone actually let him in! And we are the worst parents in the world for not knowing he was in there!!

He continued riding for a couple seasons, eventually joining a team; Michigan Youth Cycling. The team had a trailer and a number of guys (and one girl; Toni Musto, Danielle's sister) who were slightly older than Matt and we entered a number of races that year. He had done well prior to joining finishing 1st through 5th in just about every beginner XC race he entered. After joining the team, they pushed him (and so did I) to step up to Sport that season. He did so reluctantly as his race confidence wasn't as strong as his legs. We even travelled to Vermont that season to race at a Norba event, Mt. Snow. It was a blast of a trip and the riding out there was amazing. And brutal. Elevation + rooty trails + big rocks = a Humbling Experience! For me anyway. Matt seemed to take it in stride and eventually placed 10th in the Junior Development race. I thought that was pretty amazing considering the field which included riders from sponsored teams like Bon Jovi's. He finished that season with a few good placings, but by the last race, it was clear he was losing interest.

Needless to say, I was bummed when he finally decided to hang it up. I love the sport of cycling and had hoped he would too, but it was not to be. He might come back to it some day, but for now, school and fishing are his priorities. But back in his "day", he kicked some ass!

Well, onwards. I plan to get more riding in this month but already the weather has again conspired to limit the chances. Most of the outings have been on the road bike, finally joining my buddy Randy last week for our first ride this summer.

The sandhill cranes showed up at the office last week too. Not sure what keeps bringing them back but we seem to be missing some veggies from the company garden!

We were hit with big storms this weekend and then, very warm, humid weather. I finally got out on Sunday and did a hot, sweaty, windy 30 miles. Wow. It has been a cool summer and I forgot how much the temp and humidity can zap your strength. Good workout for the upcoming cross season, so no complaining here.

Speaking of which, the season starts with a night race under the lights at the Ski Hill which should be a ball. Looking forward to it and plan to do all the events this year.

But, then again, I have said that before!

I'm on a Boat

2009-08-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

I had to do something to rid the blog-sphere of that hideous lip picture. So, here is a an uglier mug than mine. Not my son, the muskie!

And yes, to answer your question: the kid has no idea how a washing machine works!

Enjoy.

The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!

2009-07-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry. I am sure seeing that photo as my blog opens is a bit of a shock. Think of what I go through every morning walking up to that! My burden to bear I guess. But I digress.

The photo was taken by my wife upon returning home from my Monday night ride. During which I was stung "inside" my lip by a wasp! Head down, cruising along the shoulder of one of my favorite routes and WHAM. It hurt like a be-ouch at that moment and thank god there were no cars flanking me at that time. I was flailing away, trying to extract the bastard and weaving all over the road. Within 2 minutes, I could feel my inside lip starting to swell and as I went along, it progressively got worse. Another few miles down the road it was apparent to me that I needed to call it a Ride and head for home. Of course, that was 10 miles away (shortest route). When I walked in the door, I said to Rene (mumbled actually!) "notice anything different about me?" At first it didn't hit her and then she said "OMG! You are a cartoon character!" And she was right. My cheek had swelled and the lower lip was Hollywood collagen-injection-gone-mad size. She grabbed for the Benedryl and ice and by the end of the evening, I could drink a beer without drooling. Crisis averted I guess. Of course, in the morning, it was still "pronounced" and I had a meeting with contractors on a job site! Thankfully, I escaped that with my ego intact.

Last nights ride was a bit more uneventful. I ventured out onto the road again and pedaled up to Grattan Raceway for the Wednesday Night Training Races. Good to finally get up there as it was my first time this summer. Enjoyed watching the "professionals" battle it out from the safety of the sideline grass.

Heading home I came to a regular crossing near my house and was happy to find that they are extending the proposed rail trail into town. This has been in the works for years, but apparently, some stimulus money is finally being spent for something worthwhile! To me anyway.

Last weeks ride was my first time discovering the project in the works. It will be an excellent route not only for the proximity to my house, but also for the very nice, tree lined sites along the way. It should extend from nearly Lowell to Belding MI which would be a round trip of about 30 miles.

I have been absent from here quite a bit more of late and all I can say is, life is just busy right now. Sorry to be so distant, but there never seems to be enough time to blog.
Hope you can understand!

P.S. A shout out to my good friends Morgan and Lauren for their very kind package surprise this week. Rene and I really appreciate the t-shirts from Downieville and will wear them with pride! The book is already in process and I am enjoying it immensely. Be on the lookout. You may be find a package in your mailbox one of these days too!

Come Back Home

2009-07-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Since returning from Tahoe, life is finally getting back to normal. Sort of. The first few days were long at work catching up on e-mails, project issues and all the things I blew off prior to leaving. And it rained. A lot for the first couple days. So, no riding until Thursday.
I was able to get out for a very windy, slightly cool road ride that night and it was a work out. About 30 miles in against the wind. But it would be my only chance for a couple days, so I made it work.

Along the way, I came across a flock of turkey vultures sitting on a fence and was able to take a picture of one of these ugly guys before he flew off.

On Friday, our friends from Chicago came to town to stay with us for the 4th holiday weekend. We had a blast hosting Amy, Jason, their two daughters and their dog Spike. He and our dogs played well together all weekend which was a relief for all of us.

Saturday afternoon was a Party Barge cruise of the river with our neighbors and our friends. We had a great time and spent quite a bit of time out on the water. We all came back to our house in the evening before sunset to continue the party until dark. That is when the next door neighbors low-budget fireworks show started. The kids enjoyed the display, but the dogs did not.

Sunday afternoon, our friends packed up and hit the road for home. Rene and I did a little light clean up, took the boyz for a walk, had some dinner and crashed. The weekend was over!

Needless to say, I was jonsin for a ride so Monday, I dragged out the single-speed and hit the gravel. Some of the roads are starting to get dusty due to a lack of rain, but it was a great night for a ride.

I stopped to visit with some furry creatures along the way!

Wednesday night's ride was my first at Luton Park since last fall. They have added a new loop (the red line) and it is fun and twisty. I love this trail and need to get out there more. The trail was busy that night but you would never have known it.

On Friday afternoon, Kristy, Jeff and Charlie Moser came to visit us at the end of their visit to West Michigan. They have been in the area all week visiting with family and enjoying the lakeshore. We had a short half a day to spend with them, but it was action packed. All of us hiked over to the park where their son Charlie proceeded to play in the creek with our dog Dewey. Pretty funny to watch and yet no pictures. I forgot the camera! After hiking back to the house and cleaning up, we headed to downtown Grand Rapids for dinner and a tour. All enjoyed a pasta dinner at Bistro Bella Vita (and a couple Founder's Dirty Bastards!) and then it was time to see the sights. Highlights of the tour included Founder's Brewery, The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, the YMCA (one of my projects), the 6th Street Bridge, the DeVos Convention Center, Rosa Park Circle and the Art Museum, the Frank Lloyd Wright Meyer May House, Wealthy Street Theater and finally, Gas Light Village and Reeds Lake. And once again, not a single photo! I don't know what I was thinking. Hopefully, Jeff managed to record some of our visit, so check out his site at http://www.bikecarson.com/ .

Saturday morning I took the Mosers to Gerald Ford International Airport and we said goodbye. I cried like a baby of course, but thank god Jeff didn't have his camera out at the time! So, it never happened.

The rest of the weekend was beautiful and time to relax. We have been on the go for awhile and it felt good to just chill, have a nice dinner on the deck and enjoy the day.

Of course, one last ride too. On Sunday afternoon, I was able to sneak out and get in my first 40+ miler of the summer. It was warm and very windy (again), but a good time in the saddle.

No big plans for the rest of the summer. Time to settle in and just enjoy it. Hope everyone else is having a good one too!

Have a great week!

Man on the Silver Mountain

2009-07-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Brent, Sandie and Morgan discussing good whiskey.

Lauren and Morgan at the top of the Rock.

Jeff showboating for Morgan's video camera.

Sandie, Lauren and Jeff at the top of the climb.

Rocks along the Flume, looking down on Lake Tahoe.

Virginia City hills, just before the bar fights start!

Jeff driving like a maniac down the mountain toward Carson City.

I’m a wheel, I’m a wheel
I can roll, I can feel
And you can’t stop me turning
cause I’m the sun, I’m the sun
I can move, I can run
But you’ll never stop me burning

This man has left the mountain. And the mountain has won again. To say the ride kicked my ass
is to disparage all good ass kicking. It handed me my hat, showed me the door and told me to go home and cry to my momma. And yet, it was one of the best days I have ever had in the saddle.
The back story to my back-side trouncing started last fall during our first Official Bloggers ride in the hills around Oakland. Jeff, Lauren, Smudgemo and I hatched the original ride when it was discovered that my wife Rene would be traveling for work to San Fran. We met up in Berkley and after a great breakfast, rode most of the day in Joaquin Miller Park. Afterwards, it was agreed we must meet again the following summer, this time, in Tahoe. Though sadly, Smudgemo could not make it to this years event, we did manage to find a big crew of riders. The group consisted of a number of Jeff’s friends from the local area as well as Lauren’s husband Morgan and two friends of Morgan’s from Oakland. 11 folks originally and as Sandie said, if we finish with 9.5, it was a successful ride!

Rene and I flew out on Thursday morning and arrived in Sacramento CA around noon. We decided to take a day there and see the city before heading up to Tahoe. It was a beautiful day and we visited the home of Goven-ator Arnold while taking a walking tour of town. That night we found a nice restaurant near the hotel with outside seating and enjoyed a great meal. We stayed up as late as we could that day to try to assimilate to West Coast time, eventually crashing after a long 22 hour day.

In the morning we grabbed a Starbuck’s and then headed for the hills. Jeff had mentioned the elevation around Tahoe but I actually thought he was kidding. Along the way out (about a 2 hour drive from Sacramento), I started to see elevation signs along the way which quickly shot up to 5,000 feet plus! It eventually topped out just over 7,000 feet in the town of Incline Village on the North western edge of Lake Tahoe. It is hard to describe how amazing the lake and the surrounding mountains are but it was impressive. We found the condo and quickly unpacked before heading out to meet up with Jeff and Kristy and Charlie for lunch. We stopped by the Flume Trail bike shop located in Spooner Lake Park, right at the foot of the trail system to check on my rental bike for the next day. And then it was off for a whirlwind tour of South Lake Tahoe with the Moser’s.

Jeff took us to a number of great places including the Emerald Bay State Park where we viewed the Vikingsholm and Tea House and the nature trails. Of course, we both just spent time taking pictures of each other!

And then it was off to the Kingsbury Grade and down into Nevada to visit Carson City.
After a quick spin through town, we headed over to the Moser Estate where Jeff showed off his sprawling gardens and even more impressive bike storage facility! To see the Yute in person is really not to be missed!

Jeff and Kristy and Charlie took us out to see the Bunny Ranch (they insisted we see it!) and then on to what appeared to be a Hollywood western movie set but was actually a town called Virginia City. There we had a great dinner at Del Rios (along with my first Black Butte Porter!) before heading back to Casa Moser. Along the way we were ambushed by some armed desperado's who took all of our silver and gold (and lupines!) before riding off into the surrounding black hills. Actually, we sat for over 20 minutes waiting for the local authorities to clean up after a biker crash.

We headed back to Incline Village and a good night’s sleep before the big ride on Saturday. Lauren and Morgan arrived around noon that day and after dropping their bags at the Condo, we headed out to meet the others at the trail head. Rene spent the day slaving over a hot stove preparing our post-ride Mexican feast! Just kidding; sort of. After a round of introductions and the securing of my rental bike, we were off to the trail. Trails here in Michigan do not feature much in the way of elevation change. Typically, it is a series of rollers, with a climb immediately followed by a decent. Not here. From the first wheel off the pavement, the trail started climbing. And climbing. And then, it continued up. For 4 miles. There, we took a break and at that point, I actually thought I could cut it. And then Morgan mentioned that the next section was a bit steeper. More climbing? Oh, yeah. Two more miles. Needless to say, I had to bail about half way and walk the last section. So, here we are at 6 miles in and I am walking already.

From that point, the trail ran back down for a mile until turning sharply into the reservoir and into the first section of the Flume Trail. This is section I loved the most. Flat or mostly flat it runs along the perimeter of the mountainside, directly above the west shoreline of Lake Tahoe. To say the views are awesome is an understatement! Needless to say, we stopped a number of times to take pictures and jaw a bit, but eventually, this section came to an end. There we re-grouped and then headed into the next section, the Tahoe Rim Trail. Again with the climbing. Another mile of up. And then, it went up again. Now on single track, the trail runs back and forth along the edge of the mountain, virtually always uphill. This is where my fun in the saddle came to an end. Not only was I starting to feel the effects of elevation, but I was also not keeping up on nutrition and water. Both conspired against me and I lost energy fast. That combined with a very tricky trail (sharp rocks!), I had to bail numerous times and walk. This section seemed to go on forever and it was frustrating to only ride a small portion.

The rim trail eventually leads out of the woods near the summit to an open field where the views are unbelievable. It feels like your on top of world and at 8,400+ feet, you are close to it. There we hung out for awhile enjoying the beauty, taking more pictures and even enjoying a shot of whiskey, courtesy of Morgan. After a final group picture (see Jeff’s photos on flickr) we started our decent. And stupid me, I had my front shock locked out! The trail was so steep, rocky and fast there was no taking your hands off the bar for a second. I found a small level section, switched it out and then proceeded with the bomber run. This downhill went on forever, eventually leading back to the location where we had crossed the reservoir before heading back up one more climb.

At this point, there was nothing left in the tank and after riding a small portion of the climb, I wussed out and walked the rest of the way. Others there offered me gels and gummy bears and bars but I was so surly from the lack of water and food, I just yelled at them to leave me alone and started sobbing! Okay, I’m kidding about yelling.

The last section was the same first 6 mile section we had climbed at the end of the day. Thank God! Almost all downhill back to the cars. Never loved gravity more than that moment. We eventually rolled into the parking lot and I hustled over to the bike shop to drop my rig before rejoining the group. They were all talking and laughing and sharing a beer but I was weaving around like Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking! Slurring words and staring off into space, the days 22+ miles were hitting me hard. We finally said our goodbyes and then jumped in the truck for the ride back to the Condo.

After some much needed water, a little scrubbing and couple taco chips, I was starting to return to semi-normal. Rene had just finished up an amazing pile of burritos and guacamole and we all dived in. That combined with a couple New Belgiums and I was finally back in my happy place! Jeff, Kristy, Lauren, Morgan, Rene and I had a great evening of conversation and food and drink and I did not want it to end. But the Moser’s had little ones to attend to back home (dogs), so Rene made them a goodie bag and sent them on their way. Lauren and Morgan were staying with us that night and we all tried desperately to stay up and continue our discussions. Needless to say, it was a losing battle!

The next morning, Morgan was slated to head out and meet up with some friends for more riding, but thanks to my sobbing and wailing, he was convinced to stay and hang out with us for the day! We finished off a pizza, a pie, a roast-beast sandwich (with horseradish) and numerous bottles of water while chatting the day away. It was finally time for them to head home and we were shortly behind them, heading back to Sacramento for the final night. We checked in about 6 in the afternoon and the heatwave in the valley had reached 114 degrees! Do not let anyone sell you on that b.s. about it being “a dry heat”. It was a freaking oven outside! I do not think I have ever been in hotter weather. To survive it, Rene and I ducked into the same restaurant we had visited the first night but this time, stayed inside for dinner. And a couple gin and tonics (they had Hendricks!).

The next day we left CA around noon and went from 108 degrees to 63 upon landing in GR! And the cool air actually felt good. I have to say, this was one of the best trips we have ever taken. Not only was Tahoe an amazing place and the trail riding unbelievable, but the best part was the people who shared the experience with us. Thank you for everything. I cannot wait to get out there again and enjoy another ride.
Or just a beer and good conversation.

In fact, if anyone wants to skip the ride next time and just enjoy the beer, I am good with that too. Have a great 4th of July!!

Heat of the Moment

2009-06-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, I get it. Summer is here. I can officially stop complaining about Spring now. 80’s+ and humid as heck here this weekend. And rain? Ummm, I think we’re good thanks! Check out this video taken at a local fairgrounds where they were holding a large annual Country Music Bash. This was also on the National news Sunday night!

My niece’s car is out in that field somewhere! My oldest son went on Saturday and said it was a mud-fest but they managed to get their van out before the flood. Organizers are going to be “underwater” after this fee-ass-co!

It was a busy one (again). More grad parties, yard work, Rene packing for MN today and both of us preparing for our Tahoe trip on Thursday. I wasn’t able to paddle the Flat this weekend but it would have been a great one for it. Hot weather combined with high, fast water! Instead, I went out for a road ride late in the afternoon on Saturday. And it was hot and windy. The trails here are saturated right now, so I have made the choice to stay off until they have time to dry out. The ride on Saturday was so painful I didn’t even feel like stopping to take pictures. 35 miles later, I was cooked.

Last night was my last night to ride before Tahoe. Rene was in Minn-e-soda until today, so right after work I took the single-speed out for a long gravel grind (trails are still wet here). Along the way, I stopped at the White’s Bridge launch and found a small dog wandering around, obviously lost. I called him over and sat with him for 5 or 10 minutes until a car pulled up and two distraught teenage girls ran out calling his name. Turns out, he wandered away and after looking for him for awhile, they gave up and left to go get gas in their car! DOOH! Why they did not think to leave one of them there while the other went for gas (nearest station is 10-12 miles away) is beyond me. The dog could easily have been killed by the regular traffic of 4x4’s and cars that run up and down the dirt road near the bridge! I so wanted to get on their case about leaving, but they said thanks about a thousand times and high-tailed it before I could get all preachy on them.

The rest of the ride was uneventful. Well, except for the oppressive heat and humidity. It is full-on summertime here all of a sudden! Prediction is we hit 90F+ today. Felt like it at the construction site this morning. Not a big fan of extreme heat, but after all my bitching about cool and rain, I guess I have to shut up and enjoy it!

We are off to Tahoe on Thursday morning. I am looking forward to the get away and seeing old friends. Jeff has our trail ride mapped out for Saturday and we are planning to have the gang back to the condo for a Mexican food feast that night. Wish it was a longer stay, but I have a daughter and son in college now!

Hope your all staying cool!

Sound of no one clapping

2009-06-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Since no one reads my blog anymore (except blue), i thought i would take the easy way out and just post pictures of last nights ride. enjoy!

Into the Heat

2009-06-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, finally. The grass is growing anyway!

And the Queen’s Coronation is complete. Friday was my daughter’s G-Day party and it was a hectic week leading up to the event. Rene has heard from others that this celebration festival called a Graduation Party is more of a mid-western tradition. Not sure when that started.

When I was in high school (they had them back then?), we did not have parties. The town I lived in was near the lake shore (Lake Michigan) and we typically spent one to two weeks camping at the beach, leaving for the there 5 minutes after post-graduation pictures. My parents did not have to rent a tent or tables or a slushy machine and invite their 3rd cousin to pay a visit and bring a check. I think they got me a radio, which I took to the beach with me, if I remember it correctly. That was it. Some cake with Grandma and Grandpa who came for the ceremony and then I was out of there. Times have changed I guess. Maybe they need to change again.

Anyway. The rest of the weekend was clean-up duty and attendance at other graduation parties. And a little riding.

I was able to get out on Sunday morning and it was a beautiful day. Maybe the best day of the summer so far. About time. It was a nice lazy, 2-1/2 hour loop.

Past a vandalized old schoolhouse.

Over the Townsend Park trail bridge.

Past a few barns and silos.

And back home.

The rest of the day was spent at another graduation party. We were there until almost 10, helping them to take down the tent and put away the chairs. I thought carnivals had roadies to do that? Too many slushies, a few too many bbq sandwiches and probably too many beers. Needless to say, I slept like a rock that night!

Yesterday evening was another beautiful night and we decided to take the boyz out to the park. We had not been there in a week or more due to all the prep for the party. The trail is about a three mile round trip and for a portion of it we can let the guys run free.

The flowers were still in bloom and the field grass as high as I have ever seen it.

The trail runs over the river at the bridge and crossing it is always interesting with the dogs.

Back home and our wildflowers are really starting to pop. Daisy’s have gone crazy!

I am back on the bike tonight, hoping to get some much needed dirt time on the single-speed. It has been neglected for awhile, so we will be enjoying the State Game area trail after work. Final prep is in the works for Tahoe and it looks like everyone is in. Jeff has been wetting my appetite for riding by flashing pictures of him and his buddies enjoying the rare air of the Flume Trail. I know I am going to get bit hard by the mountain riding bug. Probably just call the kids that Monday and have them start packing to move!

Hope everyone is getting out there and enjoying summer!

City Escape

2009-06-08T14:17:00.001-07:00

Back to reality today after our partial weekend trip to the City of the Big Shoulders (Chicago). We had a great time on Friday night with our friends from the area, but my ride in suburbia was a bit of a bust. Besides breaking a rear wheel spoke, my biggest disappointment was with the trails. A co-worker of Rene’s who knew the area suggested that I ride the Busse Woods Trail, which is located near the Woodfield Mall and close by the hotel we were staying at in Itasca. The problem was, it was a paved trail and I had hoped to ride off-road on this trip. Looking back on it now, I should have brought the road bike and taken his suggestion. On our way to dinner on Thursday night we went by the park and it was very busy with bikes, skaters and dog-walkers.

I had researched trails last week and found a Chicago mountain bike site where the trails in the area were listed. Nice maps of the trails were posted courtesy of the Cook County Forest Park Preserve as well as photos and commentary about the different loops. I settled on the Palos Park Preserve, located near Willow Springs in the Western suburbs. The setting is beautiful with a series of park access points, picnic areas, boating/paddling areas and as I was to discover later, horse riding stables. The word on the site was to start at a location called Wolf Creek.

Following some minor wrong turns, I eventually found the area. There were other cars with bike racks and the trail head signs, so it must be the place. After unloading the bike, I checked the map and then headed out. The first trail section I found was the main yellow loop, which turned out to be the longest trail in the park. It however, was not single track but rather a wide hard gravel trail. It rode very fast, with ups and downs and a few twisty turns but it felt more like a gravel road than a trail. In numerous spots there were serious wash outs that appeared to be were caused by poor trail planning. No diversions were put in place to run the water off to the edge and in most places, the trail was lower than the surrounding forested area so the it served as a gully for water instead of shedding it. As I went along, I found this was a consistent problem everywhere.

Within the first 2 miles, I came to a section of legitimate single-track, the black loop and dove in. It appeared to be very similar to trails in our area, but within a short distance, it started to get greasy and wet. I came across a hiker who told me “there is a little water but most of it was in good shape”. As I continued down the trail was clear, but it continued to be wet and muddy. As a result there were numerous areas where riders were obviously re-routing the trail wider and wider to avoid the mud. I know they had received some recent rains (as we did in MI the week before), but the soil was more clay-like than ours and it did not appear to shed water well. But the more disturbing issue was the complete lack of trail maintenance and diverters that could have helped to route water away from the trail. The other issue was, rather than follow the contours of the ground, the trail often dove straight down a swale and then right straight up the other side. Both sides then became a funnel for ground water creating more wet and muddy spots. This section of trail was pretty clear and easy to ride and actually had some fun twisty sections. It eventually came back to the main gravel trail (yellow loop) after 4 or 5 miles of single-track.

From there I headed up the gravel trail which eventually led to an open field area and the next section of single track. As I was turning in, I noticed a deer heading towards me, so I stopped and got out the camera. It did not run away and walked around me, stopping to eat as he went. I decided to bail before he did and head in to the green loop trail. At first, in the open areas, it was appeared to be another fun section with some twists and turns, but it soon deteriorated as it ran back into the woods. This time, the trail was not only muddy and wet but now it was over grown. In sections you had to spread the branches out in front of you to avoid being hit in the face. In sections it improved, but then came the horses. Two riders appeared out of nowhere around a corner and I immediately stopped. I stood off to the side and let them pass with little comment, but have to admit to being surprised they were riding that trail. One, because horses and bikes typically do not share trails back home and second, this trail was not well suited to horseback riding. That coupled with the wet trail, they were doing obvious damage. I stayed with it until the trail came out to a main road, somewhere in the central part of the park. I did not immediately see another extension to the trail and rode up the road a bit to look for it. I eventually found it across the road and it was in worse shape than the first section. From the overgrowth and wash outs, it looked like it had not been ridden in some time. As I went along, I found out why.

The rest of this single-track was worthless. It constantly crossed muddy, wet areas, especially lowlands and yet showed numerous re-routes along the edges where riders had tried to avoid the mess. By the time I got out of this section and back to the park main gravel trail, I was coated in mud, my shorts were wet and I was not having fun. More than a few expletives later, I decided to stick to the gravel trail for the near future, if for no other reason than to clean the mud from my tires! There were other, non-marked single tracks that broke off of the main trail, but within a hundred yards, most deteriorated pretty quickly. I would be forced to back track and that became tiresome very quickly. So, I stayed on the main trail and at an intersection took off to follow the brown loop which headed south and west away from where I had started. I rode this trail for some time and saw numerous washouts especially on hills where no provisions had been made for water diversion.

After about 4 miles, the trail came to an elevated main road and there was a tunnel underneath. I noticed a sign stating that it was a horse crossing, but the trail markings did not indicate that it was for horses only. On the other side, I began to see more and more horsesh_t on the trail and found myself constantly avoiding it. After a couple miles, I came to a main turn in the trail and there I found the first stable. There were a couple horse riders on the trail and they made muttering comments as they walked by about bikes on trails (I was standing off to the side while they passed). I continued on for 5 or 6 miles until the trail dead ended at another stable. All along the way, it was covered in droppings and I suspect that is why there were no other bikers on the trail. It was open to bikes but given the mess and the potential confrontations probably not worth riding.

At that point, I started heading back to the car, hoping to find other single track sections along the way. I followed the yellow loop until it intersected the orange and cruised that for 3 or 4 miles until it came to the red. There I turned down a short section of trail that I thought was a loop, but it dead ended at another road. That is where I broke a rear wheel spoke, trying to hop up off the trail onto the road to turn around. I torqued a little too hard and bang. Luckily, the wheel was still rideable, so I looped the broken spoke around an adjacent one and started riding again. I still had about 6 miles to go but avoided the rest of the single track, cruising the gravel trail back to the car.

In the end, I did get quite a few miles in and it was a beautiful day to ride. But the lack of single-track was disappointing. I am not sure why it was in such poor shape but maintenance did not appear to be high on the park systems priority list. But allowing horses to ride MTB trails? That is just stupid. The park is so large it seemed to me that they easily could have segregated the groups into specific regions to avoid conflicts as well as trail damage. I enjoyed the chance to ride the trails but I think next time, I’ll bring my road bike!

We moved downtown on Friday night after Rene finished her training class and stayed at the W on Lakeshore Drive. We were lucky enough to have a room on the lake side, so I was able to take pictures of the Navy Pier and beachfront from the room. After checking in, we headed into town for some coffee and shopping along Michigan Avenue. We only had a couple hours and then it was back to the hotel to clean up for dinner. We were meeting some good old friends who live in the area at one of our favorite restaurants, Coco Pazzo. We have gone there numerous times and it never fails to please, but we especially love sitting out along the sidewalk where you can really people-watch!

After dinner we headed to a local piano bar where we actually sat at the piano and enjoyed a night of good music. I will post some of those pictures later!
The evening ended back at the W. The lobby bar was closed but they have a Club on the 33rd floor, so we stopped up for last call. All of us had a great time watching the "crowd". From the looks of things, desperate times call for desperate measures I guess!

Rene and I had breakfast in town before heading out. The traffic wasn't bad and with only a few construction zones along the way, we made it home in record time. Just in time to head back out to a number of my daughter's friends graduation parties! Fun stuff; not. It felt great to just sit on the couch and vegetate that night!

Sunday was all work and no play which made me a very dull boy. But it had to be done. Weed pulling, garage cleaning and basement cleaning, all in preparation for our girl's party. Friday is only 4 days away now and everything must be perfect or else. Not sure what else is, but believe me, it is not an option!

Hope you got some riding in!

Random Analysis

2009-06-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy couple weeks. My daughter’s graduation, Rene’s travel and my work schedule have conspired against me riding as much as I would like. Our yard/garden/wildflower work is slowly coming together. Given the amount of rain we have had of late, all is growing like crazy. Some of the local farms have made their first cutting of hay this week! The great lake levels are up so dramatically this spring (we were in a deficit for years) folks along the shore are whining about losing beach!

We had some unusual visitors to the office last week: Sandhill Cranes! They were tapping on the door trying to get in at one point and spent most of the day hanging around in the yard.

My car has been a royal pain in the ass of late. With mileage in the 130k range, it has been very reliable for a long time. But of late, the car randomly will not start. There is a glitch in the electrical system that Volvo can’t find so I am taking it there on a regular basis every time it fails. I would ditch the car and ride if I could but with construction site meetings, client meetings, Rene’s trips out of town and no bus or rail service to fall back on, I need the car to work. A 21 mile commute one way and outside office trips, I can only plan to ride 1 or 2 days a week right now. I also can’t afford to buy a new or even newer car, so getting it fixed is a necessity. Anyway.

Rides of late have been typically on the road. It is saves time and trips to the trails, especially without a car! Last night was a long gravel grinder. It was good to get out and put some miles in while enjoying the wildflowers, random animals and few assorted “good folks” along the way! Photos are in the phone so nothing to show here at this time. I was able to combine single-track, double-track, gravel and pavement all in one ride. And all on the single-speed.

We are off to Chicago on Thursday afternoon (Rene flies out tonight) for a bit of a get away. She has a class on Thursday and Friday, so I am planning to do some off-road riding just outside the City. There is a cool trail system in Willow Springs (Palos Park Preserve).

http://cambr.org/TrailGuides/guideElements/maps/Palos2008Map.pdf

It appears to have quite a few miles of riding and I am planning to spend the day exploring all of them on Friday. Taking the Sinister out for the first time in awhile.

We will move that night to the ‘W’ in downtown Chicago (free room!) and then meet some friends from the area for dinner. Saturday might be a quick one in the City as we have to be back for graduation parties that night. Fun!

After that, it is all about Lauren (my daughter) next week. Her graduation party is on Friday (and if you’re in the area, feel free to stop by!). I personally will be glad when the hoopla is over!

Then we start prepping for the Tahoe trip!! I need to step up my riding to hopefully avoid embarrassing myself too bad while we’re out there. I have been suffering from congestion that has lingered on for weeks now due to allergies, so I hope to be rid of that by then as well. Gonna be fun!

Not much else to say. Work is slowing and that makes me nervous. GM is in bankruptcy and that will trickle down to all of us here in the Mitten State. Just fun, fun, fun to live in Michigan these day. Still no final word on moves, but we are leaning that direction. Biggest issue is whether to sell the house or sit on it until we have a more firm grasp on the future. And who knows when that will be!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Brighter Days

2009-05-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

The sun came out today after what seemed like a week hiatus. Bright and warm but windy, it was a beautiful day. One that requires you to appreciate how nice a day can be and not waste it. Though I did not ride today, I did take a hike. Not figuratively, but literally. Down to the park with Rene and the Boyz, along the river, finally settling into its normal summer shallow-ness, watching the kayaks from the bridge under the bridge and stealing lilacs from an abandon home's yard. Better we enjoy them than no one!

All in all, a good day. A little salad with salmon for dinner, a good beer and bread with a movie and it is 11 p.m. before we knew it. Tired now, but good tired. Even the boyz were. They didn't fight me too hard when I said it was time to hit the kennel. Usually, they grumble or ask to go out one more time and then run around the yard for 30 more minutes. But not tonight. Tonight, they were satisfied they had accomplish all they needed to. Any more would be greedy!

So, we head to bed. Tomorrow, my youngest baby walks up to the podium and receives her well earned diploma. And I will be proud. Happy in her accomplishments, glad to see that she is becoming an adult, but a little sad that she can fly now.

But they all do someday. It seemed so far away just yesterday and now, it is here. I love her as much as all of them, but she is the last.

And now she too is taking flight.

Less is More

2009-05-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am finally riding more but writing less these days. More or less.

Bike to Work Week was a bust again in 2009, mainly due to Rene being out of town (rides to the airport) and my work schedule (numerous meetings out of the office). Finally wrangled a ride on Friday, with a nice 21 mile commute each way (added a few miles to avoid the bigger hills; wuss!). Met up with my Bike to Work com-padres at Starbuck’s in Ada at midpoint for a chilly latte stop (it was 44 degrees at ride time!) and then on to the office. Our resident marketing person asked that we pose for a group pick so she could brag on our website how “green” the employees are by riding to work. One day. Wow. Impressive.

Saturday was busy with preparations for my daughter’s upcoming graduation. Pictures, cards, etc. Shopping basically. The rest of the day was house and yardwork, but I was back on the bike on Sunday. Windy as heck, I headed out on the road and was able to get some hills and mileage in. I even ran into (not literally) Danielle Musto, racer/coffee drinker extraordinaire out on the road and we chit chatted about her Poison Ivy at Dirt, Sweat and Gears race. I had to let her go so as not to affect her training numbers and get her in hot water with the Coach! Finished up with another 30 miles in.

Monday was Danielle’s No-Drop Ride Night, this week at SGA. Super Bon Bonnie and Barry showed up too and it was great to ride and catch up. I took some shots from mid-ride and what you can’t see in the photos are the swarms of mosquitos that stopped by to feast on us. It was intense. All the rain has hatched a bumper crop this year. Might have to get a case of Off!

Not much else to tell. Still aiming to do the final time trial event in the Milk Jug series, as I am 0 for 2 so far. After that, it is a bit before I race again. Just enjoying the finally warming weather and sunshine and hoping to get many miles in before I have to go visit the Carson and Oakland-ites!

Have a great Holiday weekend and try to get some riding in!

Get on You're Bad Motor(less) Scooter and Ride

2009-05-13T14:14:00.001-07:00

I had to get back on the horse sometime. In the past week-ish I have been able to get out 3 times; twice on the road and one gravel grind. The pain of my crash a few weeks back is still lingering, specifically, the torn muscle in my chest/arm area. It does not like it when I ride, but like a junkie looking for a fix, out I go anyway.

Friday last week, Rene went off to the bar with a neighbor/friend so I snuck out and did a gravel grind on the single-speed. It was a beautiful night and with time on my hands, it seemed like a good plan. I did manage to get in 20 miles, but it paid me back in pain the rest of the weekend. Probably wasn't the best choice so soon, but I was itching for saddle time.

Yesterday night, the weather was a little windy but the sun was out. Great night for a road ride. I could not ride into the office that day thanks to two construction meetings which required a car, so I brought the bike along and rode a loop from the office after work. The wind made it a workout for a good portion of the ride, but I was able to get 30+ miles in, so it was worth the struggle. However, today, my arm is not happy again. I probably should lay off the bike and just let things heal, but I have never been good at that. I take a break tonight; have to pick up Rene from the airport (she was in MN again this week). Tomorrow night is another Milk Jug race but we will have to see how the arm is fairing before I commit. The first race was rained out.

Weather and work have prevented me from participating in Bike to Work Week so far, but fellas from the office have assured me we are on for Friday! I am hoping we can make it work (no pun intended, really!) including a stop at Starbuck's in Ada for a little caffeine fuel up.

Things are all a-bloom here thanks to all of the rain and sunshine.

River is still high and running fast. I need to get some paddling in one of these days!

We are planting a vegetable garden outside the office and it is in the ground and on its way. Hoping to see some cucs, carrots, tomatoes and jalapenos soon!

Season Finale for LOST is on tonight. Be there or be squared!

Man Down!

2009-05-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend’s race was a bruising lesson on knowing the course. The race is the Fort Custer Stampede which is located in a State Recreation area and has been run virtually the same for many years. This year they decided to throw a twist in and reverse a section of the course. This part of the trail features very twisty single-track in the woods and a constant series of log crossings. I am not much of a fan of log “stunts” and this section has more than its fair share of them. If a tree falls across the trail, you typically make the required corrections (by hatchet, axe and saw), but for some reason, the designers of this trail actually, purposely added fallen logs as obstacles. Not sure if they are functioning as speed bumps, but the nature of the trail doesn’t really make that necessary. And they appear to provide no erosion resistance, so I am baffled as to the need. This isn’t a free-ride course and it probably is ridden by a fair number of inexperienced bikers who could be “tripped-up” trying to cross them. Case in point.

The point I’m getting to is, when you put in logs, you create the need to cross them. And the nature of a trail is that they are typically designed to be ridden in one direction as well. I was actually surprised by the lack of a designated direction for the trails we rode in Oakland last fall. Most, if not all, trails in this area are specifically marked to be ridden in one direction only. As a result, they often “flow” or ride better in the direction of travel. This is the case in this area of the Fort Custer trail. Not only were there some sketchy climbs as a result of the reversal, but one log crossing proved to be downright dangerous (in my opinion). It was a stacked pile, maybe 4 logs high at the center and in the normal direction, had a relatively flat, downhill approach that allowed you to maintain your momentum over the obstacle. Reversed, you were required to ride up to it on the taller side and if you did not crank hard, you easily could lose the momentum needed to clear it. And that is what did me in.
I started the race with as much effort as I could afford, trying to stay in the lead group, maybe 6 back. For the first mile or so, I pedaled as hard as I could, but at the first uphill, lost some momentum and fell back in the pack. With that, I was now on my own and had to push myself to catch up again. Enter, the reversed trail section. Maybe 4 miles into a 9-1/2 mile trail, I came to the infamous log pile with some speed but obviously, not enough. As I cleared the top with my front wheel, I discovered on the back side, a gap between two logs exactly the width of my tire! Needless to say, my wheel went right in. Given my lack of speed, the bike stopped on a dime and I kept going. For a moment, it appeared I could actually fly! And then, the rude awakening as I tumbled to the ground, that I could not. I landed hard on my shoulder, right arm and hand and for a second, thought that I would be joining Lance in the cycling wing of the broken shoulder clinic. It hurt damn bad. I was lucky enough to not have someone directly behind me. One, I would have probably been run over, adding injury to injury. But also I would have had an audience to my screw up. That would have been more painful!
Once I realized I had not broken anything (including the bike, surprisingly), I decide I could continue. After the first race frustration of a broken chainring and walking to the finish, I was determined to ride this one out. I caught up with a couple riders who had passed by during my stunt and tried to hang on and make up some ground. That seemed to help me focus on riding and not on my arm which was hurting. We eventually made it around to the water crossing, which was deep but not as much as I expected. I did not plan it out and ended up drenched on the other side. In the process, I made up some ground on a few of the riders who lingered on the hill coming out of the stream and finished the first lap with a decent time.
The next lap was a blur and I just rode as fast as I could, gaining a bit of ground on a couple guys in my class and bettering my time by about a minute. Not an awesome display of power, but glad to see I sped up the second time around rather than falling back. I actually dismounted and ran over the log pile the second time around (using my cyclocross skills!). I had no desires to “be a man” and try my luck again. Best to learn from your mistakes!

I got into a group of about 5 guys near the end and we rode in a pack right up to the last half mile. There I was able to get around most of them and though it was mostly symbolical (they were not in my class), it felt good to have something at the end. Finished up 12th of 16 in the end, not my finest hour, but better than I thought I would finish while I was laying on the ground at the log pile.

It turned out to be a beautiful day and I even ended up with my first tan lines of the year afterwards. My buddy Matt, who rode down to the race with me, finished first in the Clydesdale class, so we hung around after cleaning up to give him the chance to stand on the podium and collect his booty (nice pint glass with the 15th anniversary logo of the race). They were giving away free beer as well (one to a customer) from Anchor Brewing and the ale I had was very tasty.
Danielle’s husband Scott finished first in Expert for the second race in a row, so the boy is back! He had a chain incident during the race but was able to fix it and still beat the competition to the line. Must be the cool Twin Six Metal outfit he wears that is making him so fast!
I had a ball racing but still suffering some pain in my hand and arm today, so I have stayed off the bike so far this week. Looks like we will be seeing rain again for the next couple days, so I may not ride again until the weekend. Racing is over for awhile (except for the Milk Jug events, the first of which was cancelled last week due to rain). Next possible race is early June but I may skip that and just focus on commuting and riding to train for the rare air in Tahoe.
Next week is bike to work week, so I hope to get a chance to participate. Check out Jeff Moser’s site “www.bikecarson.com” for all of cool stuff happening this month in Carson City. The boy goes all out and has even snagged some sweet sponsors like New Belgium Brewing for this years festivities. Excellent work, my friend!
Mid-June is the Great Harvest Cycling Classic in Minnesota (Minneapolis and surrounding areas) and I hope to get over there to see some racing. The event is June 10-15th and it should have some big names in attendance. We are again looking at moving to the area as things are changing on the job front for Rene but it is still too soon to call. We are thinking of doing some job and apartment reconnaissance during our visit if we can get out there that week. We will see.
Hope everyone is getting some riding in.

And remember: Just say No to Log Piles!

Return of the Swamp Thing

2009-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Swamp-like. That is the best way to describe West Michigan lately. As I write this, it is raining again. The rivers here are pretty darn high, trails are muddy and it is just damn gloomy; again. We have had the weirdest spring this year. One day of 80 degree temps and then 3 days of 50’s and rain. No consistency and that has really played havoc on my riding. I had planned to race tonight in the first Milk Jug series event but given today’s rain, I am not sure I will bother. I had already planned to race this Sunday at Fort Custer, site of my first SS race and my first DFL last year. So, given the weather forecast, I decided last night to take advantage of the lack of moisture to get out and put some mileage in. The best bet was to either road ride (it was windy and cool) or hit the gravel. I chose the later but this time on the newly restored Inbred. Sporting a shiny new Surly chainring (round and flat as can be!), I headed to the park right after work. The creek is running as high as I have ever seen it.

Given the depth and current, it is best I don’t let my dog in there right now! The poor boy would be paddling his ass off!

The grassy areas are still very mushy, so I stuck to the pavement all the way to the first gravel road. From there it was 20 miles of sandy, rocky roads with some good climbs to test my new crank bolts. They held up like champs. First stop was at the rail crossing along a line that is supposed to become a very nice, long rails-to-trails route. However, given the State’s budget shortfalls and a host of other, more immediate concerns, this will not happen for some time to come. It is a frustrating but understandable situation.

Onward. After about 15 miles in, I came across this very unique grain silo. I have never seen one with a clerestory (the wrap around windows at the top) before. Not even sure why that is there, but I have a feeling there is a ladder or stair inside leading up to that crow’s nest. The silo sits at the top of a plateau that looks out over the river valley a good hundred feet below, so I’ll bet the view is amazing. But the bonus of the night was the bald eagle sitting on a branch right next to the silo. If you go to my Flickr page, and blow up the photo to the larger size, you will see him. We have a number of them in the area and they have even been known to make a stop by my house from time to time, but it is still rare to see them. Very cool!

Around mid-ride, I hit a stretch of paved road between sections of gravel. At one of the turns, I ran into a couple older guys out pedaling and said hi as we rode up. Both of them gave me the cold shoulder! What the? I couldn’t believe it! One was wearing a full Bissell Team kit and he was hacking and wheezing like he had just lost a lung up the last climb. So, to spite them for snubbing me, I cranked up the SS and hung right on their wheels for a mile or so. They finally tired of me (or the sound of my knobbies on the pavement) and rode away. Thanks guys. Appreciate the friendliness and camaraderie. Putz.

Back to the gravel. After a series of hills, I passed by a local farm where I found a swan making the moves on a couple ganders right in the road. They high-tailed it when I came by but I have a feeling the ladies probably hooked back up with him after I was out of sight!

Heading back, I decided to hit the park trail. It was in good shape despite the rain, but near the river, things got a little more damp. The water is running high and fast right now, which is amazing. In the summer, the Flat is typically a very shallow and lazy river. This is a small stream where you usually can ride across without getting wet. The rain has really created some “beautiful plumage” this Spring.

After ride beer selection: Breckenridge Brewery – Vanilla Porter. Good beer. Go get yourself some!

The weather looks gloomy for the next couple of days, but Sunday is predicted to be sunny and in the 60’s for the race. We will see. This was the course water crossing from last year.

I might want to look into a wetsuit for this year’s event! Keep your fingers-crossed that I can keep a chain on and ride all the way to the finish this weekend!

Plans are finalized for our trip to Tahoe. I could use the vacation now, but like a kid at Christmas, we will just have to wait. But that also gives me more time to get in shape for the high altitude riding!

Last and least, my dorm project for a local university is finally taking shape after a lot of frustration and difficulty. The brick-ies are just about done installing the facade and it looks pretty good. And in about three months, the first kid moves in with his mini-fridge and blacklight posters.

Nothing else to see here. Have a great day!

Sit Down, Stand Up

2009-04-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Another weird week here of ups and downs. The cold rainy weather on Sunday stuck around for the first half of the week and that combined with a serious project deadline meant no bike time. Speaking of Sunday, here are two pictures from the TT race.

Start.

Finished.

Pretty much says it all.

So, last night was my first chance to get out and ride, but first I had to stop by Ada Bike to pick up my replacement chain ring. Surly wouldn’t spring for it, so I had to bite to bullet and pull out the credit card. Consider this my “economic stimulus” contribution! We are now at 12.6% unemployment here on the West side of the state, so hopefully this will help keep the Shop lights on for a little while longer.

I headed out to the Ski Hill trail for the first time this year and on the way over it started to rain. I was bumming a bit but determined to get a ride in. That eventually cleared and it ended up being a great night out on the trail. Well, except for my lack of conditioning. The hills were kicking my butt last night and I was barely able to get 3 laps in before hanging it up. There was a few lingering piles of snow on the hill, the last remnants of winter clinging to the slope.

On my first pass, I rode through a section of the trail that cuts across the hillside and just about bashed my brain on this.

For some reason (I am sure it wasn’t intentional), the lift had been stopped so a t-bar was directly in the path of the trail. If you were standing on the pedals while riding through there, it would have smacked you right in the face! I saw it at the last minute and was able to duck under, but it caught me by complete surprise. I have ridden that trail a hundred times and there has never been a t-bar hanging in that spot!

The trail was in great shape and fast (if you weren’t a slacker like me) thanks to the moisture we had this week, which helps to compact the sand. It appeared that a couple re-routes are in the works as I saw what appeared to be new sections being marked out along one hill. The area is one of the worse for trail erosion and sand, so from the looks of it, they are planning to make a fix. I need to check in with the MMBA group and see when their doing the trail work.
We originally were planning to head to Chicago today and visit some friends, but decided to put it off for awhile later. Life is really up in the air right now and it is probably the best to stay close to home for the near future. Minneapolis may be back on now with some changes that are happening at Sun (can’t say anything yet, but the word starts with O and ends with Racle), so we are considering all our options.

We have made a commitment to the June Blogger’s Ride in Tahoe this summer and in the process of finalizing our accommodations there. Right now it looks like we will be renting a condo for 3 days at Incline Village, so anyone who can make it up there from June 26th through the 28th are welcome to hang with us. Really looking forward to the trip and riding the trails, but excited to see the folks from Oakland and Carson City again.

Of course, that is if Jeff promises to buy the beer this time!

Have a great weekend and get some riding in!

Flat Broke

2009-04-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! Saturday was our first really warm day of the year (70+ degrees!) and we took full advantage of it. After running to my office to deposit some old electronic at our sponsored recycling drive, Rene and I headed downtown to visit my favorite record store Vertigo for National Record Store Day. The place was packed which was nice to see. I joked with the owner that it felt like the good ol’ days when you would be elbow to elbow with folks going through the bins, looking for music. Those days are sadly behind us now I think.

I did pick up the new Appleseed Cast release “Sagarmatha” on vinyl and a sweet package it is. If you have not heard this record yet, by all means, give it a listen. Very good; maybe their best ever. My other purchase was the new Silversun Pickups release “Swoon” on CD. Very tasty as well. Rene went digging in the used bins and found her music: Elton John’s greatest hits, Billy Joel’s greatest hits and the Chili Peppers greatest hits. I am sensing a theme to her purchases!
After that outing, it was all yard work, all the time. We raked and cleaned and trimmed until I thought my arms were going to fall off. A good start, but plenty more to do. We walked the Boyz and then had a nice pasta dinner on the deck, all the time watching a gaggle of goldfinches devour our birdseed.

It was a beautiful day. So nice, I actually wore shorts for the first time this year!

But that all came to an end on Sunday morning. I woke up to rain and gloom and much cooler temps. And it was race day. First event of the season for me, the annual Deep Lake Trail Benefit Time Trial. Almost every year this race is a scorcher with temps easily into the 70’s and plenty of sunshine. This year was the exception. It rained pretty much from the onset, though the first couple groups got off before it started. My buddy ex-XTERRA Matt was there and racing in the expert category, which was bumped up to a 2-lap race for the first time this year. Here he is show-boating for the crowd at the starting tent!

He finished strong and about mid-pack but out of the medals.

Danielle was there with her husband Scott and I was able to get the first official photos of her non-production, super-secret full suspension Tomac race bike! Very nice. A virtual carbon bonanza with even a carbon wrapped suspension fork.

She finished well with a strong second place in the Elite class and Scott finished first in Expert.

Then came my turn to race. I decided to race single-speed this year and having ridden the course a couple times on the Inbred, I felt comfortable doing that. It was raining at the start, but the rain actually seemed to help solidify the sandy course, which will eventually dry out and get slippery as summer comes. It was fast and I was able to maintain a good pace consistently throughout most of the first half. The climbs here are difficult and it did take some cranking to get up a few. As I got further into the back section of the course, I noticed a consistent clank coming from the bike. It sounded like the creaks I hear sometimes when the rear loosens up and sure enough, the chain looked slack when I checked it. So, I stopped, twisted the Surly’s a bit and started up again. Went for another mile or so and the clanking was back, so this time, I thought the quick release may have been loose. Checked it and it didn’t seem loose, so I kept on going. At this point, I still hadn’t spent much time off the bike and felt like I was maintaining my speed. And then disaster struck. Coming out of the hilly section of the trail, there was more loosy-goosy going on, so I was forced to stop again to tweak the stays and the two guys I had passed, got back by me. I was determined to make up the time and catch them, so I set off cranking. Just as I started up again, we rounded a turn and rolled into a short but steep climb. That is when the bike broke. Bang and two bolts on the crank sheared off, which immediately left two to carry on and they in turn, torqued the chainring from a circle into an oval. The bike came to a screeching halt as the chain fell off mid-climb. I was so pissed! I put the chain back on and tried to pedal, but the crank would only turn a half-rotation and then jamb or throw the chain off. My race was done. At that point, I was still 4 miles from the finish of a twelve mile race, so I started hoofing it home. I would roll on the bike on the longer downhills and run the rest of the way, but needless to say, it took some time to get back. Determined to not DNF, I actually walked my bike over the finish line sensor for DFL instead. A few of the folks at the finish were looking at me funny wondering why I was walking. And then they looked down and saw this!

Morgan mentioned that it looked like a Rotor Elliptical chainring! But alas, no; just a Surly steel 34T, no longer in service. I wonder if they have a replacement warranty? Not sure yet if the chain is damaged but we will see tonight when I get a chance to look everything over. I just didn’t have the heart or the ambition to spend any time with it when I got home.

And so, the racing season begins with a bang! Hopefully, we can get back on track here and finish a race on the bike. The plan is to enter the Milk Jug Race Series, which starts next Thursday. I plan to race single-speed again, but we will see. The next XC race is May 6th at Fort Custer, which was my first SS race last year (and my first DFL too!).

Maybe I’ll bring the Sinister, just to be safe!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Pictures of Bliss

2009-04-10T09:30:00.001-07:00

Last nights ride in pictures (sort of). They equal a thousand words, so that should save me a lot of time!

Trying to decide if I should go short or long. I wussed out. But I did make it home before sunset.

I love remnants I find along my rides. This used to be a barn. From the looks, it hasn't been one for some time.

Break time. Bike needed a rest. Trek was slacking a bit, so I took pity on him. But he really needs to step it up.

Mutt and Jeff stopped by to say hi. They kept their distance, but let me know they were watching. Good guys.

Spinning along. This was a long stretch of flat gravel that goes on for miles. Not sure if my cell works out there. Hmmm . . . .

There are a couple places along this stretch where (I think) the view is so cool. I love these trees both now and in the summer when the leaves make this section feel like a tunnel.

Last stretch just before home. The roads are extremely dry right now and every car crop-dusted me as they passed. This is a cloud still hanging in the air a good 5 minutes after the car went by.

I finished up with about 22 miles in and it was a slog-fest. Some of the ride was smooth and packed but much of the route has become loose stones and gravel. I love riding out here, but it is a workout. It was still windy and cool, but I will take what I can get right now. Thanks again to the two teenagers on quads for the gravel shower on White's Bridge road. Your parents must be so proud!

I need to check out my left shoe cleat when I get home tonight. Woke up with significant pain behind my left knee. That has never happened before and I am suspecting it will be a crooked or loose cleat. Stay tuned. Hopefully, it doesn't linger too long.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Don't forget to watch Paris-Roubaix this Sunday; Hindcapie's last chance to win!

Been a Long Time Cousin

2009-04-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile, I know. Call it a lack of motivation or whatever you want, but basically, I haven’t felt compelled to post. Maybe it’s writer’s block. That sounds better than “I got nuttin’ to say”!

The past couple weeks have featured some riding, but it has been sporadic and rarely features any sunshine. I have yet to roll without knee and arm warmers in place. Some rides, have been downright chilly. But you have to get out there regardless.

I skipped out on Barry-Roubiax this year. The week before the race, I was only able to get out one time to ride. I did 3 nice loops at the State Game area on the Sinister but that was it. I would have liked to have raced but the fitness just isn’t there yet.

So, not feeling up to the challenge of a 31 mile race (ride) this early in the season I instead rode a shorter 23 mile gravel-grind of my own that same Sunday. It was windy, cold and grey by the time I got out. It took a lot of effort to stay out and finish the loop.

The gravel roads here have really dried out and were very loose, which made riding the CX bike hard work. My buddy ex-XTERRA Matt finished 8th in B-R right behind Danielle’s husband Scott in the single-speed category and after my ride, I think the SS would have been the right bike choice for the race. The bigger wheels roll over the gravel instead of bogging down into it like the skinny tires. Later in my ride I had a run in with a large, German Shepard, but luckily for me he turned out to be a “good boy” and just came by to say hello!

After that Sunday, I was not able to ride the rest of the week thanks to the weather, work and a car that has been acting up. As we speak, it is at the Volvo dealership for the third time in 2 weeks. Thankfully, Rene has been home the past couple weeks so I have “roadside-assistance” but this is getting ridiculous. I know, I should be riding my bike to work which would allow me to never again worry about inconvenient breakdowns. The difficulty is my job. I have to be able to randomly leave the office for construction meetings, client meetings, etc and most are not right around the corner. When I can plan it out in advance, there are days where commuting by bike will work. But for the days that I can’t, having a reliable car is a necessity. And mine has not been lately.

Car issues aside, the weather finally cleared up on Saturday and I went back out to the State Game area to ride the single-speed. It was still in the 40’s and breezy that morning, but the sun finally came out for the day. I did one lap and near the end came across a couple guys from the MMBA doing repair work on the trail.

I stopped to chat and from the tone of our conversation it appeared they were not too happy that so many folks were riding that day. We had some rain earlier in the week and that coupled with the saturated ground, left some muddy areas along the trail. And folks like me were plowing right through it, causing further damage. I typically avoid the trails when they are in that shape, but honestly did not expect it when I set out that morning to ride. And I had no clothes with me to change into to lend a hand, so I was feeling a little guilty.

I decided to finish up the loop, do the first section of the next lap (which had one small area of mud) and then head out on the roads to do a gravel-grind. It actually worked out well and I finished up with about 25 miles in for the whole ride but in the process, found another “secret” loop in the State Game area that did not appear to get any riding. It is only a little over a mile of trail, but featured some fun up and downhill singletrack sections.

The hunters in the area (and horseback riders) have left their mark on the trail, so maybe that is why the bike riders don’t frequent this section!

The area was littered, literally with old tires, bedsprings, even part of a roof overhang with shingles still attached! It amazes me that we riders get such a bad rap for our tire damage to the trail (which we are guilty of from time to time) and yet much more serious offenses such as this do not illicit calls for a ban on access. And horses are not even allowed on these trails. They cause significant damage to the SGA trail earlier in the Spring that has only recently been “cleaned up” by an increase in riding.

Regardless, it was a great day out on the bike. There have not been too many of those yet this year and with the weather we have here now, it may not happen again until late this week. We here in West Michigan lucked out on the Sunday/Monday snowstorm, but it has turned cold again. We could see temps back into the 50’s by next weekend, so keep your fingers crossed.

My first official “race” will be the Deep Lake Time Trial (MTB’s) on the 19th. I hope to continue to get some riding in before then. It is a fun event which raises money to help in the maintenance of the trail system, so it’s a good cause too. Besides the Iceman and Ore-to-Shore, it typically has the largest number of entrants for any race all season. If I can get into shape, I may even race single-speed this year. Maybe.

Hope things are warm where you are!

A Great Leap Forward

2009-03-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was good, but this week was better. Not sure if its great yet but definitely heading in the right direction now. I was even able to get a road ride in on Monday with temperatures in the 50's. Wasn't able to shed the warmers yet, but pretty darn nice time in the saddle regardless. The roads are a mess and you really need to be on the lookout for potholes, but the ride went off without one finger raised in anger.

The Grand River is very high in Lowell, but we have avoided flooding so far.

The rest of the week was a blur. The weather turned very cold and windy. And work was infringing on my evening hours, so no additional cycling was allowed. The weekend weather looked promising.
Until I woke up on Saturday morning to this.

After the initial shock and immediate depression wore off, things improved. We had a party planned for that night and spent most of the day trying to clean. By the time we ran out to the store in the early afternoon, the sun was shining, the temps were in the 50’s and all traces of snow were gone. We had a small group of friends and co-workers over that night and it was a blast. One of the guys has been tracking the Space Station and dragged us all outside around 10 p.m. to see it whiz by in the Northwestern sky. Pretty cool.

After a small clean up Sunday morning, it was time to ride. The weather had turned again, with wind and 40 degree temps but I had to get out. The Barry-Roubaix race is this Saturday, so any miles are good miles right now. I headed out on the singlespeed with the intent of re-tracing my CX ride last weekend. But then I saw the big red gate off of Montcalm Road and couldn't resist a ride on the jeep road.

This two-track cuts directly through the middle section of the Lowell State Game Area and is supposed to be off limits to ORV’s. Of course, they find their way on regardless and have made a mess of the trail. Witness the water-logged section below I had to walk around.

Most of the trail was actually in good shape and except for sticks and leaves, a good ride.
I did a combination of two-track, gravel, pavement and eventually, some single track to put in a good 15 miles. Legs were tired so I decided to head home. Along the way I stopped to enjoy the views of the river from the State Game Area and down by the park.

There were even a few brave soles paddling the river. The water is high and fast and very cold right now.

A good ride, but I need to get out at least a couple more times before B-R this weekend. It won’t be pretty, but I am confident I can make it back to the finish line now!

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Now get some riding in!

Goodness Gracious

2009-03-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Good.

All you really need to say about this weekend.

Anymore would be piling on.

Good food. And good beer (goes without saying, really!).

Good walks in the park.

And, a good bike ride (Felt great, but it's early so I don't want to over sell it).

The weather is not great yet, but good is way better than it has been.

So, we're good.

With Good.

For now.

Hope it was good for you too!

The Magic Rollercoaster

2009-03-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

Life has been a bit of a roller-coaster of late. Up and down. Good and bad. Thrilling and sad. And I would like to get off, please (the roller-coaster, not life).

Last week we started seeing improvement in the weather and with it came some sun and warmth. But I also had an accelerated project deadline that had me working late every night.

Ups and downs.

Last Monday, my Mom called to inform me that one of my old neighborhood buddies had passed away. This was a guy I had known since moving to our town at age 3. We were in the same class at school and in the early days, spent quite a bit of time together, playing a multitude of sports, building tree forts, riding to the 5 & 10 for baseball cards and hanging out at each others house. In high school, he was the first guy on the block to have a car and he drove me to school in the morning so I didn’t have to ride the bus with the rest of the bus riding losers! We took auto shop together, played on the baseball team together, drank MGD beer together (underage of course) and finally, barely graduated together. And then we went our separate ways. I went to college and he joined the Marines. As soon as he got out, he moved away with a couple other ex-friends from high school to Kansas City, MO, where he suddenly developed a talent for stand-up comedy. I never thought he was all that funny when we were kids, but he always enjoyed putting on a show. Musicals, plays and student council were his typical venues back then. But despite the lack of humor, he developed one on the circuit, eventually moving up the Bigs; performing as an opening act at casinos in Vegas. Seriously. He opened for Willy Tyler and Lester as well as bigger up and coming stars like Chris Rock. For 15 years, he was on the road as well as playing in Vegas. He came to town once and awhile and when he did, my wife and I would try to get out to see him. He often told stories that were taken from our childhood, including one notable memory of my Dad shooting the head off of a puff adder that he and I thought was a rattlesnake. The bit was about snakes being more scared of you than you are of them, but I was the only person in the room that knew where that joke actually came from. But over the years, I think the comedy gig faded. He never achieved any significant attention from the comedy powers that be and eventually, hung up the shtick for good. He settled in a small town outside Chicago, where his brother and his wife had relocated. He took a job at a local butcher shop and spent time with his brother’s family when he could. He lived alone, having never married or had any kids of his own. He actually lived above the butcher shop his brother told me. In the past year, he had found a new calling that built on his days as a comedian; working as a reporter for a small, independent Public Access station. He would interview local veterans for the Library of Congress archives, do man on the street bits at the town parades and fairs and interview coaches and players from many of the local high school sports teams in the area. He seemed to be enjoying himself, from the video archives I have seen (posted on the stations website) and happy to have a chance to be on camera; something he was never shy about! Unfortunately, the newfound “career” was cut short by his untimely death last weekend from a brain aneurysm. Needless to say, we here were shocked to hear the news. Most of my family and friends had not heard from or seen him in 15 years or more. But as the word got out, many people contacted me and eventually made an appearance at his visitation and funeral. Some of these folks, I had not seen since graduation! We all had great stories to tell of our friend’s life and it gave us a chance to smile a little through the tears. He was 49 years old. Way too young to be leaving this world. But while he was here, he made a mark and he lived his life on his own terms. I am sure given the choice, he would have gladly taken more time. But he touched lives and left people with some good memories of time spent with him. I guess that is all any of us can really ask for.

On a brighter note, I finally got on my bike (outdoors) on Friday and suffered through a nice, 2 hour gravel grind on the CX bike.

It was cool but pretty comfortable and I was able to get a couple miles in before the sunset.

The park that was underwater last weekend is still showing signs of abuse from the trees and debris left behind. It is a mess including part of the paved bike path and it will take some time to clean up come Spring.

The rest of the weekend was rainy and cold. We did not see any snow, but it was miserable regardless and I did not get in one more mile on the bike(s). Spent some time finishing the painting work I had started the week before and did a thorough house cleaning in preparation for Rene coming home on Sunday. I did see a couple good films this weekend, one of which was “Gonzo” a documentary on the reporter/author/crazy man Hunter S. Thompson. Good film with narration by Johnny Depp, who played Hunter in the film “Fear and Loathing go to Las Vegas”. The other film may well be one of my all time favorites after seeing it for the first time last night. It is “The Fall”, directed by Tarsem Singh, who’s only other notable film was “The Cell” (he might want to work on the movie titles a bit in the future!). Visually, this was a stunning film but as a story, as enjoyable a couple hours as I have ever spent watching a movie. Touching and funny and dramatic, all rolled up in one great story. Trailer below.

Well, the weather is not improving rapidly enough for me. It appears we have some sun now, but the temps and rain are going to fall the next couple days. We might be in the 40’s next weekend and if it dries out, I might be back on the bike again. One can only hope!

The Ice Melts into Water

2009-03-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

Winter is receding slowly here. Too slowly for me. I cannot believe how long it has dragged on this year. Ground is still frozen with patches of snow hanging on for dear life. Mr. Sun has done his best, but the cold winds have kept the air bitterly cold. So cold, I can store my beer in the garage! This weekend was painful. Beautiful and sunny most of the days, but a step outside told the real story. Windchill in the teens and single digits. I tried my best to ride on Sunday but was turned back by the threat of frostbite. It hurt and that is no fun. So, I wussed out and came home.

The rest of the weekend involved cleaning, painting, beer bottle returning and camera shopping. I am trying to get back into a hobby (photography) that I gave up on a few years back when I sold all my equipment on eBay. So, now I have to buy new. Digital this time. And starting out slow, just a camera and a lens. Don’t want to rush things. See where it goes.

The river ice has finally started clearing. The majority of it was floating downstream this weekend.

And with it, went my dock. Yep; it’s gone! Every year, the ice pushes it around and I usually have to spend some time making adjustments. This year, no adjustments are required. It is officially toast. Down river a bit and underwater! So, I guess I will be building a new dock come spring. And some warmer water temperatures! Thank god I tied the canoe to the railing of the stair or I would be the market for a new one of those as well.

That is about it. Watched an interesting film Sunday night on the band Joy Division called "Control". Very good if you enjoy that sort of thing. Rene leaves on Wednesday for Tampa Bay to visit our oldest daughter. I am not going. I have work. She will be attending the Billy Joel-Elton John concert with my daughter and enjoying a few days of warmth and sunshine.

I will be painting.

But hopefully, I will be doing a little riding too.

Keep your fingers crossed!

The Ice is Getting Thinner

2009-02-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Okay. That was quick. Was that actually two full days off? Not sure that it was. I am actually considering asking for a recount. Felt a little light to me.

So, is everyone still reeling from their post-Oscar party buzz? I’m sure more than a few of you are sleeping off that last round of shots from the Best Picture awards! Wow. Was that exciting or what? Came right down to the wire with an amazing hail-Mary surprise ending! Who could have seen that coming, am I right?

Speaking of finishes, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of effort by Highroad and Garmin in the final stage of the T of CA yesterday. Given that both had a rider within less than a minute of the leader, why they didn’t stage a coup and go for it is a little surprising to me. I know Dave Zabriskie is not the strongest rider in the peleton, especially going up hill but I would have thought Highroad could have challenged Astana had they worked like a team. Instead, Hincapie went up the road and was trying to contest for a stage victory and all but conceded the Tour by not helping Rogers. That was one of the hardest, last stages in a Tour I have seen in awhile and one where the outcome could have been changed with a great performance. I can understand in the TdF when all the teams make a pact to not contest for the win after 3 weeks of hard racing but I am not sure that a group-hug was warranted here. It almost seemed like the outcome was pre-destined and no one really wanted it bad enough to challenge the script. I know it is early in the season and teams are still sorting out who is going to be the leader and how hard do we push now vs. later. But come on. Other than winning the Solvag time-trial by 3 seconds, Levi was never dominating. Hell, yesterday, he looked like a little kid riding on the back of one of those clamp on half bikes pedaling like crazy to just keep up with his dad! I like Levi and am not trying to bash on him specifically, but it would have been nice to see the race finish with a bit more of a bang and not a whimper. Nuff said. Regardless, it still was nice to watch cycling every night last week!

Saturday was our final (though we didn’t know it beforehand) cheerleading competition. The District semi-finals which included 12 teams from the local area. Well, 11 local and one from the U.P.! Escanaba which is at the midpoint of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and a good 8 hour bus ride from Grand Rapids. You have to ask; how are they in our district? I am not complaining, just questioning the logistics of a district that includes 11 teams within 30 miles of each other and one that is 366 miles away (checked Google maps)! They are closer to Green Bay (113 miles!) then Grand Rapids! The Eskimos (seriously, that is their team moniker!) came in last place and regardless of the journey, seemed to have a great time down south. I just thought it was odd that they would make such a long trip to compete. If they had finished in the top 4, they would have had to come back the next weekend and do it all over again!

We were hit with an amazing snowstorm during the afternoon that eventually dumped about 5 inches of new snow. My daughter had left her car at school and when she got back to pick it up, the battery was dead. So, Dad had to drive up there Sunday morning, jump it and drive it home as the Ladies where head out Prom dress shopping! Silver lining in a dead battery after all, I guess!

On the way back to the house, I took a longer route to give the battery time to charge and ended up hitting the gravel roads down to the park near our house. The river has crested and then some, with huge ice dams forming and breaking and the lower portion of the park (bike trail) is underwater. Pretty dramatic stuff and destined to get worse before it gets better. The forecast for Thursday is near 40 degree temperatures and rain. Makes me glad I built my house on the high ground!

My son came home that afternoon for the first time in two days, I think because he needed oil for his sled. He and his buddy have been hitting the snow hard, riding their sleds constantly all weekend to get as many miles in before the rain comes and spoils their party.

Must be nice to be unemployed and spending your time snowmobiling and ice fishing. The kid ran for the hills when I told him I was planning to paint the basement later that day too!
Yes, Sunday was painting day. I have needed to “touch it up” for some time. It takes lots of abuse from the kids, the dogs and my bikes. So, Sunday was a good day to get that done. But before conceding to a work day, I quick ran out with the cross country skis and schussed down to the park to take some pictures.

Great day with some sunshine for a change and the snow was great for skiing. If only I didn’t have that pesky painting project waiting for me back at the house! Well, that was the weekend in a nut shell. Busy but productive. And the T of CA is over now, so I have no more excuses to not get the rest of the projects down around here! Maybe I should check the Versus schedule one more time . . . .

Is it Always this Dark?

2009-02-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

Once again, winter has returned to our sleepy land among the lakes. We woke up to 2+ inches of snow on Saturday morning after a week that almost seemed like Spring.

So, its back to beer and crying again, I guess. Extra Special Beer. And whimpering.

It turns out, the God’s were just taunting us. But, the Tour of “Col-e-forn-e-ah” has started so it feels a little warmer. And tradition has it, if Dave Zabriske see’s his shadow during the prologue, there are only 6 more weeks of winter. He didn’t! Damn.

Regardless, this was our second to last “cheer” competition weekend. One more to go and the season will be over. It has been fun to watch our daughter be a part of this team and compete. She is not the competitive type, but she takes it very seriously. I have to say, these things are a day-killer though. I thought my son’s soccer tournaments were long! Wow.

My sister-in-law's daughter (my neice) scored her 1,000 college career point this past week. This isn't it, but a fair representation of her skill shooting the pill. Congratulations Sara!

Saturday night we went out for dinner for the first time since our trip to Asheville (New Years), so it was a special evening. Special, meaning a nice looooong wait in the bar. Because we forgot to get a reservation. Oops. Is today something special or what? Why are all these people here? Regardless, we had a great dinner and enjoyed playing who is the bigger bullsh_tter with the Owner (sort of a friend of ours). He won hands down. According to him, he lived most of his 4 years at State (MSU) outside a frat house on a couch (“No kidding; I sh_t you not!”). And had to mow his parent’s 25 acre lawn with a push mower when he was a kid (“I never got any handouts!”). And was an executive chef on a company CEO’s yacht, parked next to other company CEO’s yachts like Larry Ellison (“Not like those guys who just cater events; I lived on board!”). Chatting with him is worth the 10 dollar Cosmopolitan’s!

More house projects; starting a little repair and painting in the basement. Walking the dogs on a chilly, sort of sunny Sunday. Watching the First stage of the Tour. Sort of. Rain delay for most of it. But, an excellent finish by Mancebo. Nice to see someone make a break and hold it all the way for the win. Lance seems to be playing Domestique this ToCA; can’t wait to see photos of him back at the team car taking on bottles for Levi! Should be a great week to watch bike racing.

Not much else. Life is in a state of non-flux these days. One pretty much runs into the next. Boring might be another word to describe it. But, we’re still pretty happy here in our little corner of the world.

So, there’s that!
Have a great week!

People of the Sun

2009-02-09T13:43:00.001-08:00

To say it has been a difficult winter so far, is an understatement. A visual clue to the level of our confinement, I present my beer remnants out in the garage.

So, to fill the many hours of no sunshine and indoor tedium, I spent some time making changes to the CX bike. Paul Component brakes, some old purple anodized straddle hangers and new bar tape to name a few. I also installed an old cycle-computer that was collecting dust in the basement.

And then, it happened. On Saturday, the sun came out. And our tiny corner of the world didn't seem quite so barren and bleak. The ice on the river started to melt and with it go the deer trails.

Further up river, the ice was melting quickly and open water starting to appear. I was finally able to dislodge the canoe from it's icy grip and after clearing out the snow, returned it safely to the dock.

Sunday was even sunny-er, so we decided to hit the road and walk the dogs. The future looked so bright, Rene had to wear shades. Sorry!

The clear pavement meant I didn't need to give them both a bath afterwards. Sweet!

And to top it all off, after the walk, I even broke out the CX bike and took a short spin. Only 5 miles, out to the park and back. I stay on road; the trails are still too deep with snow. And I didn't feel like spending a hour afterwards cleaning the bike!

This was a bonus weekend. It is amazing what a little brightness can do to a guys disposition. I think I could get used to it! Tuesday is supposed to be in the 50's! If that holds, I will be skipping out of work and getting out on the road again.

Winter isn't over yet. But for 2 days, it sure felt like it!

Doctor, doctor please!

2009-02-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

"oh, the mess I'm in."

Life has been a bit of a pain of late. Sickness has found its way into my body and is raising havoc right now. I started feeling it on Monday and today, I am really feeling it. And the worse part; I have a free ticket to a Red Wings game tonight. Box seats, food, beer and the Phoenix Coyotes in town. Someone up there hates me.

I haven't been sick in some time and this just comes at a bad time. Work has been difficult of late, with project issues and even layoffs. One was my buddy ex-XTERRA Matt. It was a bit of a shock given that we have been busy. But, he has always been an outspoken and independent employee in an office that requires group compliance, so I am sure this decision wasn't completely "economically" driven. He has been dealing with it well, but there are few opportunities out there for him locally. We have the highest unemployment numbers in the nation. Higher than the numbers the experts are predicting for the nation at the END of the year! So, he has put his house up for sale and is making plans to leave town. And the state. I support him, but I will miss him. And I wish him the best.

Regardless of the turmoil, the world keeps spinning and we all have to spin with it. Once and awhile, we can coast. Guess that is where I am now. Coasting. But realizing that some tough pedaling is ahead. I am not much of a sprinter, so I had better make an effort to catch the break. Cause' the broom wagon is looming.

So, I am sitting here on the couch watching new "Flight of the Conchords" episodes and trying to figure out how to get my canoe out of the river.

And working on my taxes. Hope your out there and enjoying the ride. Keep pedaling!

Re-Covered Now

2009-01-30T07:53:00.001-08:00

With all this indoor time on my hands, I have been spending more time reading and watching TV than I would like to be. Last night I watched an episode of a newer show called "Life on Mars" that has caught my attention, partly for the great cast (Harvey Kietel, Michael Imperioli, Jason O'mara) but mainly that it is set (sort of) in 1973. As a result, they have a great 70’s soundtrack and last night they played a favorite song of mine that took me back; “Whiskey in the Jar” by Thin Lizzy. Which leads to my intended topic on music. It is an issue that I have wanted to expound upon but never found the time until now. Covers. P.S. The show is actually a cover (if you will) of a BBC show from 2006.

So many artists over the years have “reinterpreted” other bands work, often with mixed results. One of the most prolific at this was Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, most famous for their hit “Blinded by the Light”. Many know the song and could easily sing along, but few might be aware that it was originally penned by none other than Bruce Springsteen. And if you gave a listen to the Boss’s version, you might be surprised and even have difficulty recognizing the song. There are many other well known examples, but this leads into my original point about covers and the song “Whiskey in the Jar”. Here is Thin Lizzy’s version.

Many of you might be saying now, I think I know that song. But some are also saying, who the hell is Thin Lizzy? Well, they are best known for the rock anthem “The Boys are Back in Town” and “Jailbreak”. But this was one of their best, lesser known hits. Most wouldn’t recognize the title or their version of the song but this interpretation might “jar” your memory.

Metallica made this a hit in 1998 and actually won a Grammy award that year for the song. But once again, it is actually not just a cover of the 1972 Thin Lizzy recording, but another reinterpretation of this song.

That was the Dubliners performing the Irish ballad in the 1960’s. The song is actually a traditional Irish ballad by an unknown author sometime back in the 17th century. It has been covered since then by a slew of Irish folk artists, Peter, Paul and Mary, Roger Whittaker, Jerry Garcia, 80’s bands like Pulp and even U2. The most recent cover was by the band Belle and Sebastian. This song obviously has a very long and varied history. But despite that fact, the public’s awareness of it is the metal rock version made famous by Metallica.

My intent with this is not to bash Metallica (I actually love their version). I just was trying to point out through this example that we are so often not aware of the origins of popular tunes. Many famous bands over the years have found great success reinterpreting “covers”. The Beatle’s, the Stones and even Nirvana (“The Man Who Sold the World” was originally a David Bowie tune but made famous by Nirvana in their 1993 during their MTV Unplugged set) made old songs their own. Manfred Mann in their day covered Springsteen more than once, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Joni Mitchell, the Police and even, the Rolling Stones. There is hardly a song on their albums that wasn’t penned by someone else! And yet, their versions are sometimes, my favorites. Though I love Bob Marley, who was a genius in his own right, I really dig Manfred Mann’s cover of “Redemption Song” (heard in the closing credits of the movie “I am Legend”) on their album “Somewhere in Afrika”. The Beatle’s were fond of covers and had big hits with “Roll Over Beethoven” (a Chuck Berry tune, later to be a hit again with ELO), “Hippy, Hippy, Shake” (Chan Romero) and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” (Larry Williams) just to name a few. And in turn, their music has been covered by more artist than I could ever possibly think of listing.

So, in conclusion, I guess my point is, don’t believe everything you hear (is new).

It could be a cover!

Where Ever I Go

2009-01-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

Where have I been? Nowhere really. Just around.

Doing a lot of nothing but a little of this.

Not sure what we are doing this weekend. Supposed to be cold. er. Again.

Hope all is well where ever you are!

And warmer.

The Frayed ends of Sanity

2009-01-09T09:57:00.001-08:00

That's right folks; Old Man Negative Thoughts is back! I have just about snapped. If I don't strap some boards on my feet soon, there will be repercussions. Maybe a bit overstated, but more than likely something could end up on YouTube. And that is never good.

You would think I might be flying high after our New Years "quickie (watch it!)" to Asheville. Warm, spring like temperatures, sweet trails and wonderful sites to see. Oh, it was grand. Wonderfully friendly people, cool art galleries, eclectic (and reasonably priced) restaurants, beautiful views from the hills surrounding the city and a great music scene. And the riding?

Take the shear drop offs, climbs and fun-factor of Oakland's trails and combine them with big rocks, Michigan like terrain and you get the sweetest trails ever. And that was only the one next to the Landfill! I have to go back to try Pisgah, Tsali and Bent Creek!

But that high, has faded now. And I am feeling a little shaky. Like withdrawals shaky. So, just to keep myself even, I have been getting a contact "high" off upgrades to the rides. Each of them has been tweaked, ever so slightly. Bar tape. New stem. Seatpost. It is keeping me sane, but barely.

This past week, I had to make my final run to New Mexico. My hope was for a little warm weather "bounce". But as my father in law loves to say (repeatedly): "man makes plans and the gods laugh". So, I guess the big-guy had a big-guffaw at my expense that week. It was 30 degrees in Dallas and 28 in Albuquerque. Are you Freaking kidding me?

But they did have sunshine in spades, so I did my best to soak up all the available melatonin you are legally allowed to carry on an aircraft. It took the edge off. Until I got home. Or Chicago O'Hare. Either of the two could have been the trigger.

When I did get back to GR, it was un-bury my car at the airport parking lot at 11 p.m. time. And the drive home was at a blistering 35 mph on the freeway to avoid certain embankment impact. The beast begins to raise from his slumber. The townspeople cower in fear.

But this week could be the deal breaker, umm kay?

Temps in the single digits are predicted and snow every day. This after a month (December) where we saw 3% of our total available sunshine. 3%. That is less than we get in one day here in July. We were the gloomiest, cloudiest, saddest place on earth. As if the Auto industry going out of business and the Lion's weren't suck-age enough for Michigan! No, it is a conspiracy. I know it.

So, to get my self through this next week of brutal cold and relentless snow, I decided to purchase some liquid sunshine in a bottle from a shiny, happy place.

And think happy thought like this.

Who knows? Maybe if I think hard enough, my wish will come true.

Nah.

Angelina will never leave Brad for me!

Top Yourself

2009-01-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

Just want to say Happy New Year and offer a little inspiration for 2009.

Keep smiling. Goes without saying, really.

Don't avoid all obstacles. There will be more of these in the future. I have to admit, I took a look first. But then I rode around it. And it felt good.

Just remember, above all; Love is the answer. Don't let them tell you its Money. Or Power. Or god forbid, Fame. It is still letter 'C'; Love. So, keep on shining some.

Get some sleep. It does the body good.

Be a winner. Most of us can be in some way. Life is difficult, so make an extra effort.

It has been an interesting year, 2008. We are all still reeling a bit from the after effects.

But there were good times too. Plenty. So, hold on to those and make more when you can.

Lemonade tastes better when it's made with lemons.

Where's Waldo (and Mrs. Waldo)?

2008-12-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

Anyone who can correctly identify the city I'm in by these two photos, wins the chance to MTB with me tomorrow morning (or afternoon; I'm flexible!).

Good Luck!

Hint: These were taken from our hotel room window, facing south.

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful . . .

2008-12-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

So, stay inside by the fire silly!
To everyone who routinely drops in here, thanks for stopping by in 2008. I just want to wish all of you a safe and Happy Holiday!
Now, go drink some egg-nog or something.
Nothing more to see here.

Faded from the Winter

2008-12-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

Is it actually winter yet? I think it officially started on Saturday. Who cares. I am sick of it already. I know, I know; I was going to be all positive and think happy thoughts in 2009. Screw that. Besides, 2009 isn't here yet. I still have time to be grumpy.

A weekend long blizzard has a way of changing a guys attitude. If we had received say 4 or 5 inches of snow, I would have spent the weekend gladly ski in the woods. We got 18 instead. Or more. I know I have shoveled at least that much off my deck. I have pushed more than my share of cars out of snowbanks and up the driveway. And I have filled bird feeders, standing in snow up to my ass. I haven't gotten to the fun part of winter yet folks.

Too much time indoors messes with your head too. I had to get out on Saturday and ride the bike around for a bit just to keep my sanity. And to keep from reenacting Jack Nicholson's "heeeere's Johnny!" segment from the Shining. Cabin fever is real people. And more cowbell is not the cure. Music and reading did serve to calm the savage beast, but its only a stop-gap. I might have to bring out the big guns: the snow sleds. Maybe bustin' a move around the trees behind the house will help to work off some of that latent hostility. Let's hope so. Hate to see anyone get hurt.

Of course, I am kidding (sort of). But a little sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures would go a long way to improving my demenor right now. Let's just hope that we don't have to wait too long until that happens! Could get ugly here.

Speaking of ugly, this is my favorite song of the Season. Enjoy!

Like Spinning Plates

2008-12-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been back to the basement since this weekends mud fest. I was able to finally fully cleanse (watch it!) the Trek to like-new condition. But man, what a mess. And now Danielle is telling me they are thinking of holding a second, Cross-Vegas style event at the same venue, this time under the lights! I might be interested if the lights are heat-lamps! The reason for all of this football field action is the school plans to install artificial turf for next season, so they have no problems with a bunch of bike riders tearing it up. And we are happy to oblige.

We are cold and snowy and windy and tired of it already. This early winter is for the birds. I do hope to get out and ski this weekend, so that may help my cabin fever. Wait, I think I see sunshine outside! HOLY CRAP; it is! Excellent. No more massive doses of Vitamin D for me now!

I was reading at our local cyclocross series website (http://www.kisscross.com/) that they are planning a spring event titled "Barry-Roubaix" (it will be held in Barry County) that will be a killer gravel road race! Sounds pretty cool. They mention multiple distances of 19 miles (beginners), 31 miles (sport/expert) and 62 miles (elite). The main ingredients of this event are: gravel, bikes and beer. I believe I am interested in all three of those! The date is March 28th which is a very iffy time weather-wise here in MI. Could be snow, could be rain, could be both. Sunshine is optional. If your interested, come on up and join in. I would be glad to host anyone at our place who is foolish enough to want to participate. Let me know.

Last of all, I just wanted to post another video of me training on the rollers. I am getting pretty good at it now and it even seems to be having an effect on my appearance. For some reason, I am looking a bit androgynous but younger; so its all good! Enjoy.

Let's Get Ready to Stumble!

2008-12-15T07:49:00.000-08:00

Wow. That was fun. In a painful, Bataan Death March sort of a way. I had anticipated that the race might be a little sloppy given the rainy, sort of warm weather that moved in Saturday night, but I underestimated by about the length of a football field.

Right here I have to thank my sponsors (me), for giving me just a great set of racing tires.

While all the rest of the bikes out there were slipping and sliding, especially up in the marbles, (the first turn coming out of the second stair section), my CX Pro’s held on and did not let me down. I also want to thank Velo City, Founders Beer and the folks from CX Cowbells Unlimited. Couldn’t have finished the race without them! Also, my new C-dale gloves worked like a charm, so no cold fingers this time.

But before we get into the nitty and the gritty, let’s go back to Saturday for a moment. We attended my daughter Lauren’s first season cheerleading competition which was an invitational hosted by the Comstock Park team. There were 15-20 teams and 4 divisions, so it was a long day. So long, that I actually ran out and bought some beer during a break! No, not for the girls; for me. And I need to stop here and send a note of thanks to Chris “the Man” in Texas for his suggestion of Shiner Holiday Cheer. Mmmm, good.

But I digress. Back to the cheerleading event. The girls were shaky in the first round, much shakier in the second but finally seemed to gel in the third segment. The third round is the “throwing the little girls in the air and catching them” portion of the competition and thankfully, my daughter is a thrower and not a throw-ee. They had some nice moves and were pretty steady but it wasn’t enough to make up for the mistakes in the first two rounds. They finished last in their division, but they were up against larger schools that they normally would not compete against. Regardless, they have their work cut out for them. And as a nice cap to their day, they (including my daughter) returned to the locker room at the end of the match to find that someone had gone through their bags and stole money, iPods and even a cell phone! Thanks Comstock Park Public Schools for doing such a great job policing this event and making sure the girl’s belongings were protected! Pretty damn sad.

Later that night as I was getting my stuff together for the next day, I considered changing bikes for Sunday’s race. With the warming weather and rain coming down (40 degree temps; down right balmy!), it seemed like it might be to my benefit to use the single-speed MTB instead of the cross bike. But, given the fact that I had gone to all the trouble to buy new treads and install them on the bike specifically for this race, I decided to stick with the CX bike. Wrong. Looking back on it now, I know I would have been faster on the SS. I did not need many gears for this course but what’s done is done. I will say, despite the horrible course conditions (wait until you see some of the later photos!), the new tires were awesome. I did not slip or fall once during the race and given some of the awkward off-camber sections of the course, it is amazing that they held as well as they did. Thanks again to Sydney for the suggestion to go with the Schwalbe CX Pro’s!

At the starting line the older guys had to wait the mandatory 2 minutes behind the B Group starters and it was painfully cold. There was a brisk wind blowing across the football field that cut right through you and Martin Hall suggested we skip the first turn and ride right over to the bar instead! Needless to say, that got a big thumbs up from the field. The start was a run on pavement directly behind the football stadium where most of the course was laid out. The first turn through the grass was muddy, but not half as bad as the next section coming just after a climb up the stairs to the top of the bleachers and then a short steep twisting pavement section back down. The course then ran around the edge of the stadium along a grass slope and it was very off-camber. Without the right tires you could not ride it, especially because it was quickly becoming a mudslide due to the B’s and C’s racing ahead of us. I think I actually rode that section all the way through only once (maybe twice?). Then we were into the stadium which actually ran through the football field which had been plowed down to the grass to form the letters HUP. As far as I was concerned, that was the slowest section of the course. The grass was firm and held up to the bikes, but it was soft and squishy and offered a ton of resistance. You actually had to get out of the saddle and hammer like it was a hill to maintain any speed. After rounding the goalpost at the end of the field, you came to the second set of stairs which led back up to the concourse.

At the top, there was a short pavement section and then down into the grass for another off-camber area that saw many falls during the race. A number of them just in front of me! I actually passed a few people there by simply staying upright and on the bike. Following that was another the paved concourse on the backside of the stadium (with a tricky dip into the grass behind a light post) and then back down into the slop. The very back section of the course went out into the woods and reminded me of those mud bog truck events you see on ESPN or the SPEED channel! You had to hit the gas and just keep pedaling. I think that section of the course was faster than any other due to a layer of frozen hard ground under the mud. There were some tricky deep holes but if you watched for them, it was a place to make up some ground. The last portion of the course came back into the stadium and onto the grass again. It was also off-camber and got so bad after the second lap I just jumped off and ran the entire section, pushing the bike. By the end of the race, your feet were completely submerged in mud in that area! The final stretch of the course was back onto the pavement and back to the start finish line. It seemed like I was spending most of that part of the course trying to clear my shoes of glob. That pavement may have been the only place I shifted to a higher gear the whole race!

After the 2nd lap, I was sure I was not going to finish. My feet were wet and it felt like I was spending more time off the bike than on, but I decided to stick it out one more lap. After 3, I realized I could make it. In the last 3 laps I actually passed a few (emphasis on few!) riders including a couple back marker B’s in the very last segment. It wasn’t pretty but I did not finish DFL this week and I may have even moved up a couple spots (make that one spot; 22 out of 26) from the last race.

Needless to say, my bike and I were a mess afterwards. I had to strip down to my shorts in the cold outside the car to avoid getting the whole interior dirty. That even including standing in the parking lot in my bare feet to take my shoes off! I was not well prepared for the level of messiness from this race and could have used a couple gallon jugs of water to clean up. I did have a little left in my water bottle but it was not enough to make a dent in this grime.

The organizers had planned an end of season party at the local Holland Brewery after the race which included much beer and pizza and awesome prizes (like Cross frames and forks awesome!). But Rene was leaving today for another full week in Minnesota (she had been there all of last week as well) so I really needed to get home. I usually stick around to watch the A’s race, but didn’t even do that this time. Once I was reasonably clean and the bike was on the car, I headed home. Sort of a bummer end to a great short season of racing. But the baked ziti and veggies we had for dinner were awesome!

I have to say I really love this new-found sport of Cyclocross racing and just want to thank everyone who encouraged me to get out there and mix it up. Despite the dirt and mud and cold, it has been a ball and I only wish I had jumped in sooner. One additional little item from yesterday. Just after getting back on the bike on the 3rd lap or so, a guy in my category passes me and as he goes by he said “I dig your blog” or something to that affect! I answered a half coherent “thanks” but must admit I have no idea who he was! Pretty cool of him to say so and I appreciate the comment. Blogging has been a wonderful new connection for me to the greater world out there. Getting to know people who not only share my love of cycling but also those who have interests in other areas such as music and politics has really been wonderful. Thanks again to anyone who checks in here from time to time; I really enjoy sharing it with you.

Back to the grind today. It will be another long week with Rene in Minneapolis and that combined with the awesome frigid cold weather that showed up here today just makes it that much more painful! Guess it is back to the basement and the rollers again for the foreseeable future. Hope everyone had a little less grubby and warmer weekend than I did!

Had to add this to the blog! Great video of the race. Watch out, it's very dirty!

Sixpence, None the Richer

2008-12-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Bonnie, I have once again been asked to open up the secret vault and reveal six deep seated secrets about me that might better be left buried. I could be over-exaggerating that issue just a tad, but we’ll see. If I remember correctly, I was asked to do this about a year ago and at that time, it was seven things about you that almost no one knows. Has the weaken economy and general downsizing come to the blog-sphere? Regardless, in no particular order, here is my list:
1. I want to be a World Rally Championship driver and have for some time. Despite my dedication to protecting the environment, expanding the use of the bicycle and generally trying to limit my interaction with the automobile, I secretly want someone to bankroll my dream of driving for Team Citroen. The opportunity to drive a 4-wheel drive rally car down Swedish country roads covered in ice and snow at speeds approaching 100 mph (150 kph!) would be a dream come true. And the pay isn’t bad either! Of course, no one is knocking down my door to take over Sebastian Loeb’s seat. But he was injured earlier this year in a fall from his mountain bike, so I am waiting patiently by the phone just in case that should happen again.
2. Before 1982, I had never traveled west of the Mississippi River. Ever. That was the year my then college girlfriend’s parents bought me a ticket and flew me from Detroit down to St. Louis for a visit. And to eventually drive back to Detroit with her for school. That flight actually was only the second time I had ever been on a plane as well. My parents were never big on traveling. We typically stayed in Michigan, often in pop-up trailers at MI State campgrounds or in motels in Charlevoix or Traverse City. I think we went to the U.P. one summer for a week and stayed in a cabin up there. Sort of like traveling to another state! Other than trips to Indiana to visit my step mom’s relatives or my first plane flight to Florida, we never went anywhere. That trip was to visit my grand parents who were living for the winter in Coco Beach and to see DisneyWorld which had just opened the year before (1971 I think). Me, my mom and my two brothers. I think I was in 8th grade then. My dad didn’t come because he was too busy at work. Supposedly. It was the trip from hell. Not only was it a week in Florida staying with old people at a condo complex filled with more old people, but my mom was determined to visit every freakin’ stupid, lame, predictable tourist trap in the State. We went to Weeki Wachee to see the mermaids, Cypress Garden’s to see the flowers and the skiers and finally, to SeaWorld (which had also just opened). I was so pissed off and bored by the time we got to SeaWorld I refused to go in and sat in the car by myself all afternoon. Ah, the good ol’ days! When a kid could be left in a car and the parents wouldn’t be arrested for child endangerment. Later that week I met a kid who lived in a nearby condo place (we were playing hoops at the park) and eventually went to his house for dinner. It was me, him and his mom. I had to get away from my family, so I just went. Of course, I neglected to tell my mom before doing so. Needless to say, I caught hell when I got back. So, what was the point of this one again? Oh, yeah. Vacations. Not my favorite thing to do as a kid.
3. My wife and I met at our class reunion. Embarrassing as that sounds, it was the best day of my life. And nothing has been the same since. That day I had breakfast and played golf in the morning with buddies from high school at a local course in our home town. By the 7th hole, we had had had a few beers and some of the guys were chased off the course by the groundskeeper for reckless cart endangerment! Afterwards, I went home (I was living at my parents house, having just moved back a few months before from Washington D.C.) and decided to rest up for the nights Class Reunion festivities by getting in the hot tub. It was July and 80 something degrees outside and I thought sitting in a hot tub after consuming a couple beers and playing 9 holes of golf was a good idea. Nothing can go wrong here. Wrong. I fell asleep. And my parents were not home. But for whatever reason, I did not drown or have a heart attack (obviously) despite the stupidity of my actions. But was in there for awhile. After I managed to regain consciousness, I sobered up and got going out to dinner with some pals before the Reunion. We made it to the event late and most of my classmates were already there. This was 1987 and a time when Miami Vice fever was gripping the nation. I was a fan. So, to make that point painfully obvious to everyone in attendance, I wore white linen pants, with no belt, white slip on loafers (no socks of course) and a cable knit mint green v-neck sweater. The hair was slicked back. There might have been a gold chain in there some where; my notes are fuzzy on the accessories. Needless to say, I was stylin’! I spent most of the evening high fiving my ex-sports buddies, talking with old girlfriends and sampling the “punch”. At one point, my best friend said he was heading to get another drink and I struck up a conversation with Rene (my wife) while waiting for him to come back. I think at some point, we decided to dance and well, the rest is history. She fell madly in love with me and we lived happily ever after. Okay, I might have over-simplified the past 21 years, but you get the idea. Regardless, despite my embarrassing attire, she decided that I was not a criminal and 6 months later, we got hitched. And I moved into her mobile home trailer. With her two kids. And 3 cats. And we lived happily ever after; for real this time!
4. When I was a kid, baseball was just about everything I cared about. Well, I liked to build car models too. I had Sox and Martin’s Dodge, the Little Red Wagon and both the Snake and the Mongoose Funny cars. But, I digress. From age 8 or so, I lived for summer and baseball. When I was in 6th grade, my dad brought home a catchers mitt that was given to him by a guy who caught for the Cubbies. He was just the bullpen guy, but it was still cool. That is when I decided to be a catcher. The mitt is still at my parent’s house. I will get a picture at Christmas and post it along with some other memorabilia that is sitting in their basement, collecting dust. Like my G.I. Joes. But again, I have gotten off track here. The point I was trying to make was to tell you about our secret baseball field. Not much of a secret given the fact that it was just behind my house. But my point was, only a couple of guys played there and we guarded it like Fort Knox. The field was approximately 70 feet wide first to third (a normal field is 128 approximately) , hemmed in on three sides by a chainlink fence (it was between three bordering neighbor’s yards) but the outfield was wide open and a hundred yards deep. And featured an 8 foot tall hedgerow (which is still there; remind me to get a picture of that too) right down the middle of centerfield. So, needless to say, we only needed a right and left fielder. Center was an automatic double. If the ball went in there, that was all you got. And often, you had to halt the game and go in with the guys to find the ball. We didn’t have many, so it had to be retrieved. At this point, I want to say that any parallels to the movie “Sandlot” are coincidental. But that movie could have been me and my buddies every summer as a kid. That is why I love watching it too. We had rival teams and a homemade dugout and backstop. And sometimes, we actually played with only 3 guys. Two in the field and one up to bat. Ghost runners and one outfield side was an automatic out (changed every inning just to keep things interesting). We would play like that for hours. Only stopping to eat lunch at one of our houses and when the sun went down. Greatest days of my life. Just about. My kid’s births were pretty darn awesome too. But I would give anything to go back and just hang by the fence again, waiting for my turn to pick up the Carl Yastrzemski bat and double one into the hedgerow.
5. I used to steal (a lot) when I was a kid. Money from my dad’s dresser, candy from grandmothers cupboards or later, things from stores. I took baseball cards from buddy’s boxes when they were in the bathroom, food from their kitchen when their mom was outside hanging laundry; even toys from a sandbox. It lasted into my teenage years. I once took a baseball from a hardware store. My dad and I had gone there to get some home fix-it materials and I wandered over to the sporting goods section (that is where kids bought sports equipment before MC, Dick’s Sporting Goods or the Internet) to check out the mitts. I was testing a glove with one of the balls and when my dad said it was time to go, I just walked out with the ball (also, no alarm systems at entrances back then either!). When we got to the car, my dad saw the ball and asked if I had paid for it. Realizing I had been nabbed, I started crying and told him that it was an accident and I just forgot. So, he dragged me back in and told me to apologize to the owner, who said “no problem” and I went on to steal again. The last time was junior high. Buddy’s and I went to the Kroger store (it is a Village Bike shop now) and pilfered baseball cards and candy, shoving it down our pants and calmly walking out. It worked the first couple of times, but eventually a guy in the barber shop who watched us come back again and again, pulling candy out of our pants, eating it right around the corner from the front door, decided to call the store. We went back for one more haul and as we rounded the corner, realized our bikes were no longer leaning against the outside wall. It didn’t take long for us to catch on and we high-tailed it out to the adjacent field and eventually back home. But now, my bike was in the manager’s office at the store. And eventually, I would have to fabricate a lie to explain where it went. So, I fessed up. Right about the time, the store called and asked to speak with my dad. We had to go down to the store and talk with the manager. Afterwards, they said that I was not welcome in their store again. Ever. That was it. No cops, no court date, no community service. But there was pain. Big time. After my dad finished beating me (with a belt; and I deserved it), I had my bike taken away along with leaving the house, watching TV and friends over. For a month. And it was a month. Not two weeks for good behavior. 30 days of hell. Yard work, scraping paint, picking weeds, washing dishes every night, etc. You know; good ol’ fashion punishment. And I learned from it. Not to say that I have never taken home a pen from the office or drove over the speed limit, but it was a lesson learned. I hate to say it, but I am not that good of a parent myself. My kids have never, really had to pay the price for anything like I did. And I deserved it. I don’t even want to go into the story about the field I set on fire! Nothing good down that road. No lives or property lost, but lets just say, playing with lighters; BAD!
6. I hate my profession. It is not what I signed up for. When the high school counselor recommended I look into it, I had visions of fame, fortune and travel. And in college those ideals were reinforced. Philosophy of design, the architect’s grand vision and its impact on cities and nations of the world. Any mention to say a girlfriend’s parents of my college major, brought an instant, positive reaction. And why not? Frank Lloyd Wright was a name everyone knew, even if they had no clue what he designed. And Mr. Brady (Bunch); come on, the guy was a god! But seriously, there was a time when people would say the dream professions were doctor, lawyer, astronaut or architect. And of course, it went without saying that all of those jobs paid about the same as well. Wrong. I started working full-time in 1985 and the best deal I could find (in Washington D.C. mind you) was $14,500. A year. And I took it. With excitement and an eye on the prize. It was just a matter of time. Put in your dues and the good life comes knocking at your door. But mostly, I had intentions of making my mark. Of having an impact. Designing great buildings, working with interesting, important clients and traveling the world. Boy, was I naive. I labored 3 years to get my hours in and took the licensing exam so that one day I was able to legally call myself an Architect. And clients could now, legally sue me for any mistakes I made. Happy days! The reality of this profession (at least today anyway) is a lot of mediocrity, filled with ridiculous deadlines, endless paper work and paper shuffling, working with clients who have no grand visions (or understanding of what we do) and accepting fees that would be embarrassing to a public defense lawyer. There are no headlines or travel to exotic lands. The local paper even has a standing policy to avoid mentioning the architectural firms name in any article concerning a new project in town. The developer gets interviewed as does the contractor and if you didn’t know better, you would assume they design it as well! It is just a thankless profession with poor pay, no benefits or opportunity for advancement and very few pats on the back. Maybe its just me, but I want something more out of my 40+ hours a week than just enough to make the house payment and a maybe a gift certificate to Meijer at Christmas. There has to be something more fulfilling out there to do every day than this. And I hope to find it. Eventually. It would be great to work in a community setting, having an positive impact in peoples daily lives that doesn’t involve selling your soul. I will keep searching for that slice of the dream. And when I find it, maybe there will even be some travel involved. The French countryside is beautiful in early July. I know that because I have seen it on TV. During the Tour De France broadcasts!
Well, there it is. A bit wordy, I know. Sorry about that. Most of you check out at number 4 I’m sure, but those of you still here; thanks for listening. Any of you who are interested in jumping in and giving us a peek behind the green curtain, are welcome to do so. Have a great weekend!

Spin the Black Circle

2008-12-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

That pretty much sums up my cycling “de rigueur” of late. Just spinnin’. Up to an hour now but that may be the limit of my enthusiasm more than my fitness. It just bores the hell out of me. But it has been damn nasty and ugly outside now for some time, so this is the only form of riding I can take.

I actually watched an episode of “X-Files” from 1997 while riding last night! I only had the VCR in the basement for entertainment (that and my iPod), so I selected a tape at random from the pile, dusted it off and pushed play. It actually was one of my favorite shows back then and this was the episode entitled “Men in Black” which preceded the Will Smith movies of the same name ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_in_Black ). Damn funny to watch. The commercials were hilarious; there was even one for the upcoming 1997 MLB All-Star Game (Randy Johnson on the mound gives up the game winning homer to Sandy Alomar Jr.)! And the Dodge commercials hawking their Neon’s and Intrepids! There was even a preview of an upcoming show on FOX called Roar, which happened to star a relatively unknown named “Heath Ledger”. I think the Dark Knight came out on DVD today. Weird.

Work is busting my ass to get out another project and now that I am finally free of driving my son to and from work, I can stay late to work overtime. Yahoo. Ridiculous deadlines is our business. Wouldn’t have it any other way!

Hoping to race this Sunday at the Holland Kisscross event. Hearing rumor it will be brutal with off camber snow bowls sections and long stair run-ups. Hell, maybe they will add in a “death spiral” to the course just for fun! The weather is looking slightly better (right now) for race day but I would imagine snow will be the majority of the racing surface. I have some new tires coming on Thursday (thanks Sydney B.!) that will potentially help and maybe even keep me upright this race. Schwalbe CX pro’s will replace the existing Bontrager Jones CX. The originals will be kept for summer grass and gravel adventures, but the CX pro’s will be my racing tires. As if I have a clue what I’m doing!

Not much else on the agenda these days. Settling into winter. Doing more reading, listening to music and catching up on home projects. We take the dogs out when we can and hope to get on the ski’s one of these weekends. Rene is in MN all week this week and next but then has some time off around the holidays. It is looking more and more like we will be moving there in 2009, though I will be here until late summer at least. Should be in time for the Cross season!

Chris asked me to set up a camera to record my indoor training technique. So here it is.

Hope everyone is having a great week and staying warm!

A Mad, Unthinkable, Utterly Impossible Present

2008-12-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would show off my bootie (watch it!) from this years b-day. First up, from my wife, my favorite snack treat: Peanut M&M’s. And one of the bags is greenies only. You know what that means! Of course, I will be bringing them to work to avoid consuming the whole thing myself. Thanks Honey!

Second up, from myself, new cold-weather gear from Cannondale (via Ada Bike). The cyclocross gloves I had were not cutting it for the cold conditions, especially on the road. So, I combined liners from MC Sports with Cannondale Windproof gloves and hopefully, the digits will stay toasty. The Holland Kisscross race should verify if I was right (from what Steve at Ada Bike told me, it is going to be a dew-zy!). Thanks Me!

Last up, from my ex-EXTERRA teammate, a set of Minoura rollers. He had bought these on clearance a year or so ago and never used them due to joining a spin class. So, I have inherited them temporarily and may give him some cash or a six-pack of Founder’s; not sure yet. I need this to work off the M&M's. Thanks Dude!

Took them home last night, set them up and promptly fell on my ass. I had set a chair next to me as a bailout device and the chair tipped on my first go, which caused me to fall over on the concrete floor in the basement. Good start there dufus! So, I resorted to what worked for me many moons ago in college and moved them to an adjacent door jamb. Climbed on board and away we went. I spent 45 minutes on there and when I was done, remembered why I hate indoor training! Holy crap. Someone get me a towel, stat! I may need to pull out the box fan and try to alleviate some of the heat build up from my Herculean efforts! But of course, I did some digging and now I know what I really want: E-Motion Rollers! Yeah baby. Check out the video below. These things are awesome. And $800. Crap.

So, in a nut shell, that was my total haul. We took some friends out to Bloom this weekend and that was sort of my B-day dinner too. Great food and presentation and service as usual. I miss being able to go there as often as we would like. But if I want Motion rollers, we have to cut the budget somewhere!

Last but not least, I have to direct you (if you don’t already know) to Dave Zabriskie’s DZ-NUTS site. Not for info on his new line of chamois creme but rather, the hilarious video “spots” where he is hawking the product! Pretty darn funny stuff. Check it out at http://www.dz-nuts.com/. And just to show you what a funny guy he can be, check out this video interview below from his CSC days. Enjoy!

Up the Hill and Down

2008-12-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

Coming on the heels of a difficult weekend, it is good time to look forward and see a little light peeking in around the edges of the darkness. In the midst of suffering and loss, we all should remember to be hopeful. To not let go of our dreams; big or small.

I am as guilty as anyone of grumbling about LIFE. One can slide into that mode today with realitive ease. If you focus on war, 401K statements, world hunger or just the sad state of our local economy, your vision is blurred by funk. So, to balance that dark side, I have resigned myself to find more happiness. It is a bit of a change of pace for me, being one who has always reveled in serious idealism. Continuously championing the cause of the frustrated artist, I found satisfaction in say a song lyric that reinforced unfulfilled ideals.

An example, from the song Piano Lessons by Porcupine Tree:

I remember piano lessons

The hours in freezing rooms

Cruel ears and tiny hands

Destroying timeless tunes

She said there's too much out there

Too much already said

You'd better give up hoping

You're better off in bed

You don't need much to speak of

No class, no wit, no soul

Forget you own agenda

Get ready to be sold

I remember piano lessons

Now everything seems clear

You waiting under streetlights

For dreams to disappear

But maybe, its time to look in a new direction. To see a sunny day and the opportunity it holds. Look for the positive reinforcement of life’s possibilities. Maybe even some new song lyrics.

Let’s try An Architect’s Dream by Kate Bush:

Watching the painter painting

And all the time, the light is changing

And he keeps painting

That bit there, it was an accident

But he's so pleased

It's the best mistake, he could make

And it's my favourite piece

It's just great

The flick of a wrist

Twisting down to the hips

So the lovers begin, with a kiss

In a tryst

It's just a smudge

But what it becomes

In his hands

Curving and sweeping

Rising and reaching

I could feel what he was feeling

Lines like these have got to be

An architect's dream

It's always the same

Whenever he works on a pavement

It starts to rain

And all the time

The light is changing

Winter and the lack of sunlight do not make it my favorite time of the year. But maybe, if I look on the bright side of life for a change and see the good things, it might just move along a little faster.

Can’t hurt to try!

This is No Rehearsal

2008-11-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

I had originally intended to post about my "first half century" with silly anecdotes and a commentary on memory loss. And then, this morning I opened the obituary section of our local paper. Something I do now that I am older. Usually, I read about an old guy who fought in the Korean War and lived a quiet 87 years with his wife and family. But not today.

Today I opened it to find a smiling picture of my friend Bill from work. Yes, the same one who started fighting lung cancer a little over a year ago. There he was, with that smart-Alec grin on his face that I remember so well; the look he always used when he was trying to sucker you into buying a story! The same look I will always remember. The one that hopefully, will bring a smile to my face when I think about it.

I am heartbroken over this. So I just sat there and cried. At the dining room table, holding the newspaper. Thankfully, Rene wasn't there to see me. It was embarrassing and yet, I could not help myself.

My belief had always been that he would shake this off and we would work together once again, as if it had never happened. But in my mind, I feared this day would come. Because it can. And it does. In a time when medicine is making amazing strides and there are cancer success stories everywhere, there are still those who suffer. And don't survive. And sadly now, my friend is one of those.

He leaves behind two wonderful teenage boys and his wife of many years. Their loss, I cannot imagine. I can only understand mine. And it is painful.

I think the thing that I focused on was his age. 50. Just a few months older than myself. That perspective is sharp and you cannot help but see its relevance in your life. Time to recognize what is valuable and what can be so much baggage. I can only hope that out of this loss comes a greater clarity.

Bill was a wonderful guy and I will miss him dearly. Godspeed my friend. You lived Strong.

Kicking Your Crosses Down

2008-11-24T05:58:00.000-08:00

Looks like old man winter is back. We are being hit hard by lake-effect snow and there must be 2 inches on the ground already. Great. Glad this weather showed today and not this weekend.

The weather had cleared a bit and we even woke up to sunny skies on Sunday. Cold, but sunny. I took the dogs out to the mailbox in the morning to get the paper and on the way back stopped to check the river ice. It has started to form but it just seems too early.

Rene made the coffee and I started some oatmeal with honey. Race day breakfast of champions. Before I could leave, I had to help her with dinner; turkey and stuffing. We are going to my folks house this week for Thanksgiving and my mom tends to be pretty stingy with the leftovers. So, we decided to have our own pre-Thanksgiving bird the weekend before. The kids were home for a change (my son was hunting with my Dad this weekend, but they were planning to be back in time) so why not?

After the clean-up, it was time to hit the road. The temperature on the drive over was still chilly; about 30-32. I came a little more prepared this time and had varying layers for cold vs. slightly warmer. It was already busy by the time I got to the park and after signing in, I found ex-XTERRA Matt waiting by his truck. We suited up and headed out to warm up and scope the course just as the ‘C’ race was finishing up. We found patches of ice in the grass, especially in areas the sun hadn’t reached yet. I made a mental note to watch for that during the race (plot point here). The course had some wide open pedaling sections that would require an effort to keep up with the pack, but the main challenge would be the Hill. It consisted of a side-by-side long downhill with a tricky single-track turn into the woods and a tough steep uphill coming back. The climb was long and started right after a 90-degree turn out of the woods; a tricky spot that took down more than a few riders. The Hill was preceded by a goofy uphill rise that took away all your forward momentum and for me, any incentive that I could ride up the climb.

While we were lining up waiting for the start, a woman mentioned “no Chiquita’s again?” She was referring to the fact that the 40+ Master’s group had no women starters. Looking around, I realized she was right and it actually surprised me a bit. A few women race in the ‘B’ and ‘C’ groups and in the ‘A’s there was only one. Disappointing turnout but hopefully, that trend will change.

The race was fast at the start and once again, I didn’t push as hard as I should. But I was not dead last either coming out of the first climb and around to the barriers. Just before them, I hit a little bump. Nothing much but the kind that bounces you up and back down on the seat. And that is when my saddle came loose. Damn it! I grabbed the bike and ran through the barriers but then had to stop and smack the saddle to get it back into position. Jumping back on I was cursing my stupidity; I had changed the saddle earlier in the week and didn’t check to make sure it was completely tight! Next up was the big downhill which was steep and bumpy. There were a couple icy patches at the bottom before heading into a short single-track climb and then back out to the road. I hit the bump at the bottom of the hill and the saddle came up on me again! I stayed with it like that until the road section, where I had to stop again and pushed it back in place. Realizing now I was screwed if this kept happening, I had to keep my ass up through all the bumpy stuff for 5-1/2 more laps!

Coming around on the first lap I tried pedaling out of the single-track on to the Hill but lost traction and jumped off instead. I shouldered the bike (thanks to Sydney here for her insight on bottle cages!) and ran the hill instead, actually passing a couple riders along the way. Deciding that was the way to go, I stuck with that for the whole race. Better safe than sorry.

The next 3 laps were a blur and then on lap 4, I made a mental error. Remember me mentioning the ice patches? In fact, while Matt and I were warming up, he said “That’s dicey. Someone is going to bite it there!” Well, that someone was me. Trying to maintain my speed coming into the turn, I took the faster inside corner rather than slow down and tippy-toe around the grass on the gravel. Once my front tire hit the grass it was over and I went down so fast, there was no way to catch myself. I ended up in the mud and crunching my hip, but luckily did not damage anything or lose my chain in the process. I got up and jumped back on, but once again, a couple riders got by. As I was coming back up to speed a woman rider passed me and asked if I was okay. I responded with “everything but my ego!” She laughed and sped away.

Next up was the barrier section and when I came by with mud all down one side and caked into my shoes, I heard someone in the crowd say “oh, he bought it!”. Great. I pressed on and avoided another near miss, catching the bike before falling at the bottom of the downhill.

I felt better this race than last and was able to hold off Danielle until the 5th lap. Must have been the cross bike slowing her down this time! I came by the start to see her chatting with the finishers but I still had one more pass. Around the course with no falls this time, I ran up the hill past the crazy Cross fans one last time and pedaled to the finish. When I got there, I could not get my card out of the rear pocket due to my gloves. Thankfully, one of the organizers helped me out. I was actually worried someone would beat me by placing their tag while I was fumbling around!

Bonnie and Barry came by to watch the race and it was nice to catch up them afterwards. While we were chatting, my buddy Matt rolled up with his chain in his hand. Despite his fast start and showy barrier moves (see above), a bad chain ended his day before the finish. I wondered why I didn't see him go by during the race!

I cleaned up and headed over to the hill to watch the ‘A’ event. It was a see-saw battle and a fun race to watch. Here are some shots from the Hill.

One more in the bag and despite the fall, I had a blast. I really liked this course, even with the steep run up. The organizer mentioned there is only one race left in the series; December 14th in Holland. A bit of a drive and near the lakeshore. I might want to look into studded CX tires for that event! Winter is definitely on its way, but I am having fun with this new cycling adventure. Only wish I had started earlier!

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Here is another great cyclo-cross video I found. Pretty darn funny to watch and yet a great battle for the lead! Enjoy.

The Magical Healing Powers of Soup

2008-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

I have been fighting a cold for the past two days and finally feel like I turned the corner today. And I owe it all to Rene’s homemade pasta-veggie soup. Not sure about all the ingredients (despite the obvious) but it was the miracle elixir last night. Must have been the little pinch of love!

I woke up Tuesday morning and felt absolutely terrible. At first, I thought it was the typical second day pain that comes after I race. But this time it wasn’t just in the legs. It was everywhere and my stomach wasn’t happy either. I was barely able to drag myself to work and spent most of the day semi-comatose with a complete lack of energy. When I got home my plan was to just go straight to bed, but Rene, who is working from home this week (thank you higher power of your choice!), was stirring some broth on the stove and told me to get out a bowl. The soup + a little French bread + some green tea seemed to immediately recharge me and I decided to try to “walk this thing off”.

I had washed the bike down Sunday night after the race, but it needed some TLC cleaning. So, with my new-found resurgence of energy, I got down to taking care of that, including lowering the bar a tad and changing out the saddle. I was pretty whipped out after that, so it made sense to lay low the rest of the night and veg in front of the idiot box. I barely made it to 9:30, watching a couple TIVO’d Office and 30 Rock episodes before I feel asleep.

But, that rest and the soup have seemed to do the trick and the “ship” is returning to full power (relatively speaking!). I need one more night of taking it easy; maybe a little time on the Nordic track after work. But then I need to get back on the bike. Still planning to race this Sunday at Manhattan Park. My goal this week is to officially not finish DFL, so any saddle time would be helpful. Regardless, I am excited to race again!

And just to wet your appetite for the mud and fun this weekend, here is a great cyclocross video. Nice to know that even the pro’s can bite it big time! Enjoy.

Lay Down your Cross

2008-11-17T06:03:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well. This is another fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into Old Man. And a mess it was.

Given the rain and lack of saddle time this week, I was hoping this weekends weather would “lighten” up a bit. But no. With only one day of riding, I decided to jump into this thing called “cyclo-cross” and see what all the fuss is about.

Friday, I picked up my new bike at Speed Merchants and immediately took it home to set up. Stole the Eggbeater pedals from Rene’s bike to avoid having to break in the Shimano’s that came with the bike and put on my well broken in SLR saddle. I was hoping to fool folks into thinking I had done this before. Wrong. Blue spotted my “cosmic ray deflector” on the back wheel right off, so I’m sure the other “kids” would too! By the time I had everything adjusted and leveled, it was dark. I did an initial test ride in the neighborhood and right off the bat, I was surprised how quickly the Shimano shifting seemed comfortable. Being a life long Campy guy, I was a little worried. No problems. One fear down. Immediately I liked the bike and was having fun making runs up the neighbors hill along the road, then back to the house for a bomber run around our fire pit. I felt like a kid at X-mas. And technically, I am. This is my b-day, Christmas and maybe even, Anniversary gift all in one. Exactly what I wanted, so it’s all good!

Saturday found us out and about early, running errands, stopping by my sister-in-laws house to pick up our daughters senior picture and finally, attending the “big game”. Our local high school football team was undefeated this season, ranked first in state and playing the #2 team, Muskegon in the second to last playoff game. We bundled up and headed out to Grand Haven to sit in the cold with 7,000 screaming fans, only to see them trounced by a much stronger and faster team. Wasn’t really close, but they played strong to the end. My daughter was really bummed as she had her heart set on cheering at Ford Field on Thanksgiving weekend. Oh, well. On to competitive cheering season now!

So, very little time was left in the day (light) to ride after we got back (had to hit the grocery store for beer! Founder’s Dirty Bastard; mmmmmm!), I ran upstairs, threw on some duds and headed out to the park to get a little practice in before Sunday. Felt pretty good. The bike was working perfectly and I was ready to rock! Or so I thought.

Sunday morning (after dinner and two beers at the neighbors Saturday night), I woke up to find two disturbing things. One, Rene was not feeling well at all and two, it was snowing outside. She was suffering one of her rare migraines again and needed some help. My original plan was to head to Richmond Park for the first ‘C’ race (4 lap citizen group) and then do the ‘B’ Masters 40+ afterwards. So now a change of plans. I made some tea, got out the ice packs, crushed up some ice and spooned out a cup of chex cereal for her. Sounds funny, but all of these have a place in helping her recovery from these damn migraines but it just takes time. She finally gave me the thumbs up about 10:30 so I headed out. All the way to the venue, it was blowing snow and even some accumulation on the ground. My reaction to that was “trial by fire” baby! No easing into this, I guess.

When I arrived, it had changed over to rainy snow and that almost seemed worse. The venue had been moved to Richmond from Riverside Park due to the wet conditions we had had all week. This location was picked for its sandier soil and for the most part, it was a good decision. But with the rain, the course slopped up anyway and by the time I finished, areas had to be re-routed for the ‘A’ group to avoid further damage. I ran into Danielle at the sign in and we chatted a bit. She told me this was her first time on the bike in 7 days. And she had to ride the Titus Racer-X in the race due to a lack of a seatpost for her DDX cross bike. My first thought was, I have a shot to beat her now! Just kidding. I was actually thinking that maybe she wouldn’t pass me quite as quickly having to push all that bike around the course!

I watched the ‘C’’s and my ex-XTERRA teammate Matt on his single speed 29er finish up. He did well but had no brake pads left in the back so he decided to switch over to his 29er 1x9 for the ‘B’ race. We took off and did a lap of the course to warm up. The whole time he is pulling wheelies and still riding away from me (he is also an ex-BMX racer)! The course was different from the previous event two weeks before and I was glad to see that they avoided the drainage canal that required flying skills or a dismount depending on your talent on the bike.

Matt and I came back to the line and they were setting up for the start. He was riding the main ‘B’ event (along with Danielle), but I was relegated to the back of the pack with the other ‘B’ Masters who would start about 2 minutes afterwards. I looked around at the competition and knew this was going to be like Pando; a bunch of old, but fast guys. My goal was to not finish last. Not lofty, but realistic. At the start, I stayed with the group and even passed a couple folks who slipped up on the staircase. But they came back to get around me again at the first set of barriers. I almost tripped over them but managed to stay upright and just set my sights on riding a steady pace. The course was fun but dicey with some very slippery grassy corners and a muddy run up. I managed to stay on the bike and did not crash despite tapping wheels with a rider who was trying to cut inside of me on a sandy corner. The race conditions were a mix of snow, then sun, then windy cold, then snow and finally, sun again. I went from freezing my ass off to thinking I wore too many clothes. Strange day in the saddle.The ‘B’ race was 6 laps and by the 4th, I was caught by Danielle and then just after, my buddy Matt. I think he eventually got around Danielle but I wasn't there to witness it. Felt good to have held them off that long regardless! On that lap I got around one Masters guy who missed the slippery road to grass transition and then later on the 5th lap, passed one more rider down the dirt road backstretch. I was officially, 3rd from the back now and kept pedaling as hard as I could on the final lap to keep that spot. One more time over the barriers (like a gazelle of course!) and up the slippery run up (now void of cowbells and hup, hups!) and then back to the line. I felt good at the end, but maybe too good, which meant I hadn’t pushed hard enough right from the start. A continuing problem, but I was glad to not have died in the home stretch despite my lack of training.

Catching up with Matt after the race, he told me I was technically the DFL for the Master’s race; the two guys I passed had dropped out. Didn’t help my ego much, but that was quickly bolstered when I found out I had actually won a prize thanks to my last place finish! Initially it sounded like a six-pack of “Founder’s” would be mine but when I got to the table I was instead handed a big bottle of Hammer Gel and told “Congratulations, you’re Dead F_cking Last!” Hey, a prize is a prize and after checking at home later, I realized the bottle of goo retailed for more than my entry fee. So technically, I got paid to race! Very screwy logic, but it works for me!

A little redeemed and cleaned up, I decided to stick around to watch the pro-fessionals show me how it's done. It was a great race with a pack of 6 dicing it out on every lap. Man, those guys are damn fast! And Nate Versluis was out there pulling the pack most of the race riding a single speed DDX! Found out later, he had ridden to the course and had to ride back home with after the race! The “old man” (he’s in his 40’s) is a machine. By the time the ‘A’’s were finished, the wind had really whipped up and it was snowing again. I help Danielle and Scott take down the Kenda “Big Top” tent before heading home. Great to see both of them again but I hope next week she doesn't pass me until at least the last lap!

That’s right. Next race is Manhattan park, next Sunday! As Blue said, “you will be hooked” and I am. Knobby tires and all! This is the most fun I have had racing in a long time. I still enjoy MTB and will continue to do that, but this is just in a different league. Even finishing dead last I had a great time and can’t wait to get out there again. I want to say to anyone thinking of jumping in, just do it. The cold and the mud just makes it even more exciting! Thanks to all who encouraged me to get out there; just wish I had tried it sooner!

P.S. I called Rene after the race and she was feeling much better, so it relieved some of my guilt. Hopefully, she can come out next weekend and ring the cowbell for me! Or curse and spit beer on me like a real cross fan!!

Hope you had a great weekend!

Darkness on the Edge of Town

2008-11-13T10:48:00.001-08:00

The lack of light has been a deterrent to riding along with the cold and rain we have been experiencing all week. It is mostly psychological. The brain (or lack thereof) is fooled into thinking it’s too late in the day to ride and so I don’t. And without lights to guide the way, I have found myself in the basement on the Nordic track 2 out of 3 nights so far.

But I did venture out, however briefly, on Tuesday night for a SS romp around the park (maybe an hour and a half). It was chilly. Surprisingly, the disc golf dudes were out there too, playing in the cold. So, I skipped the course trail and rode around the park 3 or 4 times (with excursions on side roads and athletic fields), until it got dark. At that point I was required, by law to leave. And so I did.

So just to spite them for “throwing me out”, I broke the speed limit crossing the covered bridge on my way back! BOO YAH rule-makers! Had to be going 18-20 mph all the way across. They can have the 5-spot if they can catch me!

Weather is crappy again today and I have to drive my son to his class tonight, so no go for another day. Guess I’ll just clean the mud off my Inbred, “grease” the chain and hope for more sunshine tomorrow!

If things are not any prettier where you are, maybe this little film will make you smile while you wait. Enjoy!

Empire from Empire on Vimeo.

Cold Days from the Birdhouse

2008-11-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

Not digging the change of season. Not in the least. Yesterday sucked. Saturday; slightly less suckage. I just cannot transition from shorts and short sleeves (and 70 degrees!) on Thursday to “freezing my ass off” on Saturday. Call me old, but don’t call me late for supper.

We were hit with the first wave of winter this weekend and today there was snow and ice on the lawn and the roads. I know what your thinking; “here it comes, his 5 months of whining just like last year”. Maybe. But maybe not. My plan so far is to try to enjoy it more. I am looking at new XC skis and thinking that the Solomon "Snowscape 8's" look like the way to go. I actually love to XC ski and if an investment in better equipment gets me out there more, then it’s well worth dipping into the kid’s college funds. They can take out loans. And eat macaroni and cheese from a pan over the sink just like I had to for 4+ years. Toughen up puppies!

I did try to venture out and do a little one-oldman Iceman on Saturday. Jumped on the single-speed and rode over to the park and the disc-course trails. It was a bit muddy. Probably should have stuck to the roads, but it was cold and slow seemed like the way to go. Then again, I am always slow, so I guess I could have gone on a road ride after all! Regardless, the bike is now a mess. Even my new Surly 34T chainring. A little harder to crank than the 32T but should give me a little more range for gravel grinds this winter. And who knows; maybe even a CX race!

We did some major house cleaning this weekend; the basement was almost a superfund site! More off-loading of items to Goodwill. Rene and my daughter we’re “cooking crazy” on Sunday and made us another tasty veggie soup for dinner along with an excellent banana bread (recycled bananas from the freezer!). I have to admit, I love fall/winter comfort food! And it loves me, hence the need for new XC skis. See how that works?

Last night we watched an interesting and eye-opening investigative report on 60 minutes regarding e-waste dumping on third world countries (electronic products; computers, monitors, cell phones, etc). Despite punishments and fines to companies who knowingly dump the collected products from recycling centers, it is proliferating at an alarming rate. And the owner from Executive Recycling in Colorado who they profiled in the piece was such a slime ball. Insisting that he had no knowledge of containers packed with monitors which were being taken from his warehouse, loaded on a ship and delivered to Hong Kong! Even after the container was returned by the Chinese government for violating import laws regarding e-waste, he still denied that they had anything to do with it. We recently organized a similar recycling event at the office for old electronics. I talked with the person who organized the process and he had visited the facility to verify that their practices were by the book and above board. If you have an opportunity to participate in one of these recycling drives in the future, ask questions or demand verification of their policies and procedures. A small excerpt here from the episode.

Off my soap box now, I will leave you with some music for a Monday. This is one of my favorite Springsteen songs “Jungleland”. It comes from the classic “Born to Run” album, a record which is definitely in my top 5 without hesitation. A little long but well worth the view (especially if you have not had the opportunity to see a performance).

That reminds me; I should start working on a best of 2008 music list for this year. After all, I have plenty of time on my hands!

Last Dance, Last Chance for Love

2008-11-07T04:57:00.000-08:00

Hustled my rear out to Luton Park last night, to enjoy my new found fun place at least one more time. What was left of the sunny, warm weather made it a great night to be in the woods (short sleeves again). If I had a set of lights, I might have not gone home!

The trail managers have done a great job cleaning up a few low, wet areas with some temporary wood chips. Come spring it may need a re-route or some fill, but in general the vast majority of the trail is in great shape. I spoke with Steve at Ada Bike earlier this week and he said they have a couple more trails (loops I assume) to add to the mix. Put me on your work crew list!

Speaking of Ada Bike, thanks to Lee for fixing the clanking noise supposedly coming from my Sinister crankset (it had been acting up during my weekend ride). The problem was the derailleur hangers, not the crank. They had come loose and were creating a knock on every revolution of the pedals. But in the process of diagnosing the issue, he pulled the crankset/bottom bracket out and found a sand box in the BB shell! It turns out the frame has a bolt hole on the back side of this tube for what we assumed might be a bottom pull derailleur pulley and without something filling the hole, it let the tire spin sand into the shell! Damn glad we discovered the issue before it damaged the BB. But the funniest thing is, Ada actually has a standard item on their shop worksheets called "creaking noise investigation"!

I took the Sinister with me this time to see if Danielle's claim that suspension made the rock piles fun. NOPE. I still hate them. It softens the blow, but you still have to watch them carefully. The 29er actually rolls over the rocks better, but the 26er shock eases the hit.

Someone left a good luck marker on the trail that I found heading back to the car. A turkey feather under a rock is supposed to bring positive vibes so I left it right where I found it. We need all of the good karma we can get these days!

After the ride, I was talking with a guy working on his bike at the trailhead. He asked if I was racing at the Iceman this weekend. When I commented that I did not get in due to the lottery, he mentioned that they would be dropping it for 2009. I can only assume it must have been due to the large pile of hate mail to the organizers, but regardless, they have decided to abandon the lottery format. They will be going back to mass registration on-line with a start time of 7 p.m. on February 27th. First come, first served, just like the good ol' days. So, who knows; I might be able to get back in this thing next year! For everyone who is up there racing tomorrow, good luck and keep warm!

Have a great Friday and a safe weekend!

Prime Mover

2008-11-05T04:56:00.000-08:00

Basic elemental
instinct to survive
Stirs the higher passions
Thrill to be alive
Alternating currents
in a tidewater surge
Rational resistance
to an unwise urge
Anything can happen...

From the point of conception
To the moment of truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey
is not to arrive
Anything can happen...

Basic temperamental
filters on our eyes
Alter our perceptions
Lenses polarize
Alternating currents
force a show of hands
Rational responses
force a change of plans
Anything can happen...

From a point on the compass
To magnetic north
The point of the needle
moving back and forth
From the point of entry
Until the candle is burned
The point of departure
is not to return
Anything can happen...

I set the wheels in motion
Turn up all the machines
Activate the programs
And run behind the scene
I set the clouds in motion
Turn up light and sound
Activate the window
And watch the world go 'round

From the point of conception
To the moment of truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of a journey
Is not to arrive

Anything can happen...

A New Day Yesterday

2008-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is a no travel week for Rene. So with a little more time on our hands, a number of ignored or procrastinated projects were resurrected and finally given some attention. We replaced the exterior light fixtures which had not worked for some time (due to a poor design that let water fill the housings and rot the insides out) with new, efficient compact fluorescent (good to have an electrician in the family!). I was able to get the majority of deck and yard furniture tucked away in the basement and additional unnecessary items trucked out to the local Goodwill center. Leaves were raked, plants were split and relocated. Even the dogs were given much overdue, long walks. And thanks to some favorable weather on Saturday, I had time to get outside and complete a 25 mile mountain bike trail/road/bridge/two-track circuit of town (in between running my son to the lake to fish). The route included a walk across the abandoned, but still very stable Flat River railroad bridge near town. This structure has sat useless for as many years as we have lived here, maybe many more. It provides a great opportunity for a future bike path, especially if it can be combined with the rail line that follows Grand River Road. Unfortunately, it is still in service.

We also found ourselves discussing the future this weekend. Our intentions are still focused on a move to Minneapolis as early as next spring (for Rene), but given the current economic fluctuations, we will never be sure of that until just before it happens. In the meantime, we have decided to commit to a plan of downsizing our life and even reducing our footprint in preparation of a move. We cannot take everything with us, but more importantly, we don’t want to. It has required a bit of soul searching but we have come to the conclusion that there is too much clutter and excess baggage in our daily lives. Many things that we have accumulated over the years now feel excessive and unnecessary.

So, as a result, we started a list. A house-cleaning list if you will. To pare back our lifestyle and our impact. Some of the items have already been instituted. We started composing garbage, looking for ways to reduce energy use in the house and limiting unnecessary driving. Things that all of us need to do and can do with a little planning. We have not been “out to dinner” in over 2 months and though I love places like the Green Well and Bloom, I also recognize the impact even one night out can have on our wallet. So, we have been preparing dinners at home on the weekends; even having the neighbors over rather than go out. It hasn’t seemed like a sacrifice and in fact, it has been fun. We started looking for recipes and cooking which we used to love to do together. I appreciate establishments like Bloom and hope that they can carry on a successful business, but it will have to happen with a little less of our money. We still plan to go there from time to time and enjoy a deserved evening out, but it will now be for special occasions rather than a typical Friday night. Small steps.

A little larger footprint reduction comes in the form of a red Mustang Cobra. Yes, we have put the hot rod up for sale. As of yesterday, the vehicle is in the capable hands of a local dealership where we have purchased cars in the past. Having been a car nut since early childhood, this vehicle represented the dream I carried for all those years; to own a fast, fun, cool sports car. It took a long time to get there, but almost 2 years ago, we both broke down and made the purchase. And it has been a fun ride. But we both have come to realize that it no longer represents the direction we wish to travel. It is unnecessary. And inconsistent with a choice to limit our impact. Fossil fuel use aside, it is a burden we no longer wish to carry. The value received no longer equals the value invested. Yes, I loved driving it. I enjoyed the power and handling of an amazing, well designed vehicle. And as one last acknowledgement of that on the way to the dealership, I ran it up to 110 for about 3 miles (on a country road with no cross streets!), spun the back end around one last corner and left a little patch of rubber in the Meijer parking lot for old times sake! Hey, if you knew you would never drive it again, what would you do?

It feels like some weight is slowly lifting. In a time when much is uncertain, we need to take a moment to review where we are and where we want to be. I know there are still things we need to do and there may be some missteps along the way, but having a plan now and a direction to guide us. And we are excited to see where it leads. Hopefully, a place where there are sweet trails, opportunity to commute and maybe even a small patch of land for a garden. Sounds pretty nice to me!

Just a Half a Mile from the Railroad Tracks

2008-10-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

“You can get anything you want, at Alice’s Restaurant (except an Alice)”. That song was running through my head all afternoon yesterday. If you are too young to recognize it, google on-line the title “Alice’s Restaurant” for a song file or the lyrics. The artist is Arlo Guthrie, in case you were wondering.

I finally managed to get out and ride last night after 8 days off the bike. Danielle had mentioned in a recent blog about her ride at Luton Park, which is a new local trail being built and managed by one of the guys at Ada Bike. I have not ridden the trail but had talked with Steve about it several times when I was in the shop. So, with yesterday’s nice weather, it was time to get out there and see what the fuss was all about. I checked the trail section on-line at the MMBA site and discovered that parking is not allowed at the trail head. They suggested you use the lot at a grocery store up the road to avoid issues with the neighbors and possibly, the authorities. The store is listed in the trail info as being “about a mile down the road from the trailhead” and for some reason reading that made me think of the Alice song. See how my brain works? Is that scary or what?

Anyway, I chose to park at the Healthplex across the street instead, which is an old project of mine from way back in 2000. I had not been there since it had opened so I stopped in quick and took a look around. After my little walk down memory lane, I headed out to the road and up to the trail. The trail head is very innocuous from the road; as Danielle pointed out, it is nothing more than a gap in the fence. A very deceptive prologue, as is the beginning stretch of open field on the green loop. I must admit that for about 30 seconds it didn’t appear to be much of a “mountain bike” trail. But once you hit the trees, the thrill ride begins. I know what we consider to be a fun and exciting trail is much different than those who live out West. Out there, elevation and steep terrain dominate. But here, it is tight twisty single track with quick ups and downs, narrow tree passages and limited climbing. And I love a trail that can mix it up and includes a little bit of each of those features. This trail has that in spades.

This course is comprised of virtually all single track, though some of it follows a double track for short stretches. There are 4 loops, but each is tied to the next, so you can ride them individually or continuously from one to the next. The layout is great in my opinion, giving you the option to ride green then blue then red back to green or green then yellow to blue back to green and on and on. The newest section, which Danielle pointed out needs some consistent riding to break in, has the toughest climbs, which with the single speed was a challenge last night. Not so much because their long, but more that you cannot maintain your momentum during the section to help you climb with one gear. I need to try it with my other bike and see if my opinion changes.

The trail is comprised of twisty back and forth sections which often require you to make a more than 180 degree turn, with open field pedaling sections and short but fast downhill bomber sections and bridges. I think I counted 4 bridge crossings, but there may have been more. The bridges are elevated from the adjacent trail and I’m sure that when the ground is dry and fast, you can get air over them! But last night, it was wet and sloppy at each crossing, so you had to pick your way around the muck. Regardless, the trail follows the stream in certain places, and that combined with the colorful leaves everything, made for a beautiful ride.

All in all, I loved this trail and will be back here many times in the future (including any work details that come up; there is a lot of potential). My only beef and it is very small, is the constant routing of the trail to force you to ride over rock piles. Sounds like no biggy, but some of these small stashes of rocks (obviously piled there by the farmers in the area during field clearings) are damn dangerous. You have to pick your lines carefully and maintain your momentum, but not too fast. I am all for a little diversity and the chance to work on your handling skills, but some of these areas catch you by surprise and can end your day if you make a mistake. I am not trying to “dumb down” the trail, which has been the beef of others in the past when folks would complain about difficult sections; just asking them to consider this type of routings in the future. I know that if I had been riding a full suspension bike, I might not be whining as much. But my single speed with a rigid fork was a little sketchy. It is a minor complaint about a great trail, so take it with a grain of salt. However, I am planning to mention to Steve that they print up some promo t-shirts at the shop that say “Luton Park Rocks!” Maybe add a graphic of a rock on the sleeve to reinforce it. I know I would gladly buy 3 or 4!

I stayed out there for 2-1/2 hours (my original plan was to ride it twice and then hit Robinette’s; didn’t happen), completing about 4 circuits of all the loops. I hated to leave, but the sun was setting and Rene was on her way home from the airport. I was glad to see a number of other riders there of all skill levels. I predict this will be the new hot trail in GR as more get out there to experience it and share with their fellow cyclists. If you live in the area, take the time and get out there; I think you will dig it!

Not much else to blab about. Get out and vote on Tuesday. Have a scary Halloween and a great weekend!

Suddenly, Everything has Changed

2008-10-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

Earlier this morning, I put my “absentee” ballot in the mail. Though I will not be absent (minded, maybe) next Tuesday Rene will be in Minneapolis, so we have opted to vote early (and often; just kidding). After many years of frustration, it is a huge relief to finally do so.

And next week, I will take my youngest son to the polling station for his first time. We have constantly reinforced to our children over the years that voting is the one undeniable chance you have for your “voice” to be heard. Despite how faint and insignificant that expression may appear to be at that time. Standing there in a long line, often in the cold morning or evening air, voting can seem like a huge hassle. And an act that does not appear at that specific moment, to be worth the time and frustration. But it is important and it can have a profound affect on your future and the futures of others, some of whom you may never meet. So, this is just a reminder. Make it a point next Tuesday to see the bigger picture, take the opportunity to express yourself and vote.

Nuff said. I have not ridden my bike in almost a week and despite dog walks, leaf raking and time on the treadmill, I am feeling fat and lazy. It happens this time every year, as soon as that first blast of cold air hits and the sun starts sinking too early in the evening. Basically, I lose my ambition. It is almost as if a switch has been thrown and the brain turns into the bartender at closing time: “Okay, that’s it, party’s over. You all have to go home, now!” And despite my enthusiasm for riding and an exercise, I seem to have this darker, more sinister alter-ego that whispers in my ear “You really don’t want to go out there, do you? It’s a huge hassle, am I right? The extra clothes, the wind, the lack of daylight hours; what is the point?” And my weak, easily-persuaded side gives in without a second thought. After all, I have music to listen to, I can catch up on books I have been meaning to read and there are plenty of movies to watch. And best of all, I can finally take care of those in-home projects that I have been ignoring all summer!

On second thought, maybe getting out to ride isn’t that difficult. I might have been too hasty to write it off so soon. A couple extra layers, a few additional minutes to get ready, a blinking taillight; seems a small price to pay to ignore those home improvement responsibilities for a little while longer! I feel better now. And tomorrow’s forecast is looking warmer (relatively) and maybe sunny too. Hope to see you out there!

You Ride Like a Girl

2008-10-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the parking lot at the Ski Hill trail last night, waiting for my buddy Matt to finish riding. We both were there to riding our single-speeds, but I never saw him out on the trail. He showed up about 20 minutes behind me at the start and we spent the entire evening on opposite sides of the hill. And it was damn cold by the time I finished up.

While I waited, a woman rode in behind another guy who had just finished his last lap. When they came into earshot range, I realized she was berating him for his sloppy handling and use of the small chainring on climbs (I do that on a couple hills). And repeatedly calling him a “little girl” or saying “you ride like a girl”. I have to admit, the irony was funny and disturbing at the same time. Most women riders I know can kick my ass out on the trail or the road, all day long. And the days of the weaker, fairer sex moniker applying to female athletes is fading quickly in sports. Yet, here was a woman mountain biker ragging on this guy with the one stereotypical male response that isn’t acceptable or legitimate to use anymore. If she had busted out laughing or smacked his ass to say, just kidding, I would not be writing this right now. But this went on for 5 minutes, with her commenting on gear selection in specific areas, braking vs. letting it run and on and on. And she never smiled. Or laughed. Or offered any positive encouragement. I have to say, I was surprised and disappointed.

One of the things that I have been told over and over again, first as an athlete and later as a coach, is to temper your criticism with objective support; point out the bad but reinforce the good. And for the most part, this issue of belittling another person’s performance has been exclusive to men and male sports. I have been friends (and even dated) a number of women athletes over the years and all have been fair and supportive competitive people. Always cheering, laughing and yelling encouragement to their fellow teammates; often, even for the opposition. I have never seen a fight break out during a women’s basketball or softball game over a bad call or a personal foul. That can’t be said about any sport I have ever been involved with. It has been “de rigor” over the years and I have to admit having taken part in a “few” pushing-shoving matches myself.

So, to watch this unfold made me think. Is this type of behavior an inevitable aspect of sports and competitive endeavors in general? If so, as women continue to participate in greater numbers and at higher and higher levels of sports, will they adopt the personalities and attitudes that have been for so long, male exclusive? I personally have to say, I hope not. Though I am not as competitive as most folks, either on a bike or on the field, I understand the emotion that comes with pushing one self and others to do their best. But when that extends beyond support and ventures into demeaning commentary (as opposed to talking “smack” at cyclocross races for instance), I just cannot condone the behavior.

And I still like to believe, even if it is a bit naïve, in the bumper sticker I saw the other day; “Women don’t start Wars”. Maybe given some time and the opportunity to be in power, they will. It will be a sad day when that happens. Hopefully, that is one male exclusive trait that stays that way. Or better yet, maybe it is time for us to change that too. No time better than the present.

They are Night Zombies!! They are Neighbors!! They have come back from the Dead!! Ahhh!

2008-10-20T04:59:00.000-07:00

Pretty much says it all about our Saturday Night. But take a look at the pictures and judge for yourself. I do need to warn you though, its scary stuff.

Well, I guess that wasn’t too bad.

So, that was Saturday night. Sunday was a little less evil and included a sweet “secret” trail ride (pictures posted later), some house cleaning, a little pasta and a nice walk with the dogs. All in all, a pretty good weekend.

P.S. Congrats goes out to my ex-XTERRA teammate Matt who won the Peak2Peak single-speed race on Saturday. Must have been all that high-altitude training on the Flume Trail the week before that gave him the edge back here in the flatlands. Wish I could have been there to watch him ride off into the distance, but maybe next year!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Life in Technicolor

2008-10-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I was able to get out for another SS ride. The rainy weather had cleared and the sun was shining, but the temps were in the upper 40's. So, I opted to stay off the road and ride trails only. The park "disc golf" course was empty of Dudes and I took advantage of that to get in a few circuits of the trail (it is only 2 miles long). The hills are brutal on the SS, but the trail is still fast and fun to ride. The park service needs to find a way to incorporate a legitimate mountain bike trail in with the course. There is quite a bit of land available in this section of the park. Not sure what is stopping them. I inquired awhile back with the organizer of the Kisscross cyclocross series why he isn't using the park for one of their race venues. He told me that the City does not look too kindly on bikes in the park. Not sure if it is liability issues or damage to property that holds them back, but they have said no so far. That is a bummer because it would be a great location for a CX race. And its right next door; bonus!

Regardless, I had a great time out there and took quite a few pictures along the way. Including one of me just after wrecking my shin on the Eggbeaters! Damn that hurt. And I now have a large scar to add to the many that have come before.

Yesterday was also the grand opening of another of my projects, the local Mini Cooper dealership. This was under construction during the summer while I was juggling the Diocese office building downtown and the college project in New Mexico. It is final out of my hair and despite difficulties we encountered working with the BMW-folks, the finished product turned out well. If you like black. Black panels, black ceilings, black walls; even black floors. I have never done a building this “dark” before, but that is their marketing signature. Must be working for them, I guess.

The warm breezes and sunshine of fall are over. Nothing but grey skies and cool temp from here on out. But, for one brief shining moment this week, the sun and the heat were still with us. And I was basking in its warm embrace. Monday afternoon's ride was all about short sleeves, sunshine and colorful leaves. The local farms are finishing their final clean up of soybeans and corn. I had to pull over and park in the ditch to allow one of the combine-monsters to pass by. It was a beautiful day to be out on the road and I did everything I could to stretch it out until the sunset.

Back home, I walked down to the dock with the dogs and found my son and his girlfriend out in the canoe, fishing and enjoying the sunshine too.

But Wednesday brought rain and gloom back to Fall. And my son wanted to go fish. He was sure they would be biting, so I had to ferry him and his boat to the lake after work. He toughed it out for a couple hours, but finally relented to the cold and damp. But before he did, he was able to pull two large (38” +) muskies up to the boat. So, I guess it was worth it then! The fish go back in the water to grow and fight another day after he photos them with his phone. You have to have something to show the guys at work!

Rene is home tonight after a week in San Diego. It has been a long week with her away. Tomorrow night is my buddy from works annual Halloween party and we have no costumes yet. Saturday will be spent trying to come up with something!

One last item (below) that a fellow employee just sent me. We have an on-going feud over who’s really in charge of our projects and it looks like the engineers have thrown down the gauntlet. Paybacks are . . .; well, you know.