Final Post of 2017

HOPE

 A link to start off with - while you read. Click here and then return to the main page to read - Every body hurts.

Couldn't sleep - again.  There's a lot on my mind, so I thought this would be a good time to clear things up.

This past weekend was a complete wrap-up for the past year - in  a sense.  Cancer has played a significant roll and it started early in the year.  Turns out, about the same time my wife's mother was taking her final breaths in this life, a family very close to us was hit with a diagnosis that would prove to be equally devastating.  Saturday morning, I sat with literally many hundred others, paying a final tribute to a little soul and her family - that brought an entire valley together to promote hope.  Hope that a precious five year old would have a fighting chance to beat a diagnosis that was terminal.  It wasn't to be.  As I sat there, trying not to tremble with the emotion that filled my body, her father spoke to the congregation and explained; "Nobody is strong enough to do this before it happens.  You become strong as you go along and learn to fight it."  From my wife's mother, to a friend, to finally this.................  I've been searching within.

Last year I decided well before the season, to ride for Huntsman again.  In fact, well before this whole series of events started I reluctantly decided to do so.  My heart wasn't really in it from the get go.  Around the first of July, I was "mailing it in", all the time thinking this was a mistake.  Rides were not easy and I wasn't sure I could do it.  At that point it was all about "having to keep a commitment".  As I rode, I started to write again.  It was kind a reminder of why I started to do this in the beginning.  Then.............that day in August.  I recently went back and read the post for August 17.  With a few months perspective, I began to see what things were really all about - kind of.  I knew what was coming and it almost became clear - in the peripheral anyway.

Sometimes we don't know the reason, but we've got to be prepared.  The purpose may not be there, nor the desire to fight, but we've got to be prepared to pick up and take action when it comes.  "It", being that thing that may seem too big to over come - so overwhelming that there may not be any hope.  That is where it takes a hero - to restore hope.  And from hope, a little faith will follow.

We do hard things because we can - because we choose to do them.  There are those of us who have no choice and cannot.  Your own strength is of no value if you choose not to defend those that cannot defend themselves.  It is the strength of the individual that must come first, before there can be the collective muster of all.  It is that amalgamation of individual strength that will make a difference.  Simply relying on others can't do it.  At some point, we all have to face hard things and do them - because............there is no choice for somebody else.

After this weekend, I have no doubt; the purpose (the Porpoise) will continue.  I have no idea what the future has in store, but I know I have about nine months to prepare for another LOTOJA - and during that time I intend to make a difference.  My effort alone can't do it and I will need all the support I can get.  That said, I need to give it my all before I expect anyone else of giving.

Suck it up!  It's time to prepare - prepare for a fight!  Follow the link below & "tune-in" around April.

Follow this link for "Hope"

"The Porpoise" 2017

Winding Down

Going Back.......................

So................The season is getting late.  Since the last post, I've done a ton of riding on the mountain bike.  A week in Park City at the end of October provided some new trails, with the kids.  Some adventure rides for sure.  The local trails have been getting muddier with every storm.  Snow comes and melts, but then somebody thinks its smart to take horses up the greasy trails - bad combination. 

The above picture is from a little ride I had Thanksgiving afternoon.  This around a lake where I spent considerable time - 40 years ago.  The single-track was pretty greasy, but like the idiot I am, I had to keep driving.  Needless to say, I found out I'm strong enough to bend a ring on my bike.  All the same, it was a really nice get-away.  The place sure has changed in just the past five years.  It's hard to imagine what it was like 40 years ago.

40 years ago; a theme that seemed to resonate from way back early last winter.  Man, 1977 seems like last week, but it was literally a lifetime ago.  The summer before I started 9th grade.  That fall I dis-located my little finger on my left hand one week into the football season.  I couldn't play until the City championship game.  I couldn't use that finger to play guitar for nearly 20 years.  I had a great year hunting and bagged my first Swan.  I taught myself to play the tuba (Eb- base) at the request of my band teacher.  I found my first true love - skiing.  My first exposure to truth - Led Zeppelin IV.  I could go on, but it doesn't matter anymore.  Still, '77 was a pivotal year for me and it all seemed to resonate this past season.  Funny, as much as I thought I had found, I was equally lost.

There is something fundamental about riding my bikes - any of them.  For that time, everything kind of disappears out of my mind.  Because I ride alone almost all the time, my mind can clear and just enjoy the moment.  It's hard to explain, but as much as it may hurt, it still takes me to a place away from my troubles.  Looking back 40 years ago, that was just it; those troubles seem so insignificant and far away.  Life was good, regardless of the challenges.  On my bike............I can be 14 years old again.  I just have to work harder in the off-season.

If '77 was a good year, '78 was a banner.  It's hard to believe that all happened so along ago - to me.

The last post for the season will go later this week.  Time fly's..................

Ride Hard!  In my life.........Enjoy this one

Across the sky..............

Ben Lomond Peak

 This was a ride I've been wanting to do for a long time.  The first time I hiked this trail was something like 43 years ago.  Our scout leader took a group of us 11 year-old scouts, by foot, from Mantua, to the top of North Ogden Divide.  This time, I did it in reverse order - with my bike.  As much as I'd like to say "on my bike" I need to be honest; there was a fair amount of pushing.  As much as I've had my mountain bike in some pretty hairy places, it is still an older, 26" wheel, full suspension, aluminum (heavy) bike.  That said, the 26" wheels don't fair as well over the rocky terrain.  So call it a ride with extended periods of "hike-a-bike".

The first hour, or so, is spent getting off the south facing exposure.  In the summer months, this can be hot.  This time the cold winds were right out of the south.  Dropping over to the east side, it becomes a bit more scenic, with more challenges.  Tree roots and long sweeping, constant climbs, versus the loose shale and rocks on the south exposure.  A while later and you crest over to the west side, look straight down at North Ogden.  From here it kind of skirts along a narrow trail, that at times, gets a little sketchy.  A little more than half way to the peak, you are more on top, but still pushing along the front edge - that is until you get to Bailey Springs, where all three trails from the south and east meet.  The peak is only a couple miles of trail ahead, but it gets steep and rocky.  Before long, it's all pushing, trying to find a good trail through the rocks.  The last half mile is pretty much all rock and steep.  The trail passes just below the peak, by less than 100 feet.  Nobody in their right mind takes a bike to the peak - that is in their right mind.

 At the top, you can see forever in all directions.  This day was breezy and cold.  I stopped long enough to have a few fruit snacks, a drink and snap a billion pictures.  One other person on top, with having seen only two others all the way up.  Pretty quiet even for a weekday, also pretty cold.  Funny thing; no sign of any wild life - at all.  Usually there are mountain goats just off the top, but not even a distant look.  Eerily quiet.

After getting the "money shot" I carefully got the bike down onto the trail and on the way north.  Still pretty rocky and dangerous, I had to push past a lot of rocks.  Eventually able to get on the bike, it was a pretty quick hop over to the Black Mountain, where I ran into a couple other hikers coming over from Inspiration Point.  The picture below is from the north side of Ben Lomond, at the west side of the Black Mountain, looking toward Ben Lomond with Mt. Ogden in the distance.

The vistas are spectacular from here - anytime.  But this day was particularly gorgeous.   The colors were already fading, but still full.  At this point it was time to get home - or at least to Mantua, about 16 miles away,

Around Willard Peak, the trail is narrow and rocky enough, that I didn't have the confidence to ride it.  Being tired and a little beat-up, didn't make it any better.  Not too long and I was back on the bike, but I decided to cut-off and drop directly into Willard Basin.  Maybe another 3/4 mile and I could hop on the service road at Inspiration Point.  Cutting directly down to the basin would shave about a mile off, but at a cost.  Snow on the single track made for an icy path - more pushing.  Down into the lower area, it was "hucking" the bike over felled trees.  Eventually I got back on the service road and started pedaling up and out.  Between the exertion and the altitude, I was pretty wasted.

Finally out of Willard Basin, I was on some steep roads, with long cross grades.  Not too far down, I caught an area of ice and went down - hard!  Pretty good road rash with a bruise to my ego.  From that point on, it was hard on the breaks the rest of the way down.  The road was loose and rocky, with the bike wanting to take off - but still no confidence.  Stopping for a quick phone call at Perry reservoir for a planned pickup, it was quite a view down toward home.  The rest of the way down was just holding the bike back, never really getting comfortable.  What seemed to be forever finally got me into town.

As much as I'd like to call it a ride across the sky, I'll have to settle for just "Across the Sky".  After all, it is literally the western skyline as seen from my house - and I rode it. It was harder than I had expected and I'm pretty beat-up as a result - but it is in the books. 

Snow is coming .................

The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond

A hard ride .......................

Autumn Riding

........and it couldn't be better.

A series of storms this past week brought snow to about 7,000 feet.  Most everything has burned off by now, but has definitely set the feel of the season.  Cool and maybe brisk at times, but worth the effort to make it out.

The trails are pretty good at the moment.  Pretty soft from all the precip, but not muddy - for the most part.  I followed some horse tracks up and over this evening, but didn't really see anything but the obvious signs and destruction left behind.  They are bad enough in dry conditions, but conditions this soft, they just rip everything apart - literally.  It is amazing to see the damage, not to mention the frustration of having to dodge the frequent wedding cake sized piles of................  Still beats a good day at work.

The leaves will be going fast now, so I'll try to make the most of the time.  As the days get shorter, I have to get out earlier and earlier.  The climbs are pretty good, but the overall ride is kind of short, thus I need to make up time on the indoor spin bike.  Still worth it all though.

I think I'll get the road bike out for one more spin before the conditions get too bad.  I'll have to take an afternoon off to make it happen, so we'll see ho it goes.

Here's to a little cool riding.....enjoy this cool tidbit.

Ride Hard!

Back on a bike after more than a week

Mountain Biking

So..........after getting home from the race, I had a million things to accomplish before leaving on a stressful business trip.  The trip was scheduled to run over the weekend, with about two weeks of work in four days.  Needless to say, it lived up to the billing.  Getting back late to the hotel made it hard (not impossible) to go for a quick run in the fitness room.  I really wanted to get on my mountain bike Sunday afternoon, then Monday night, but neither happened.  After some pretty good rain today, I did manage to get out with just enough time to beat the darkness.

Again, up to the old reliable; Mules Ear, on the mountain bike (X2).  I really didn't feel the need to hit it hard, but rather sat back and enjoyed the ride.  Into the single track, it seemed to just kind of flow.  By the time I got into the lower switchbacks, it was feeling pretty easy - little if any strain.  At the upper switchbacks, I was still out of my bailout gear and moving at a pretty solid rate.  Out around the face and I was confident I would make it over the top without stalling - provided I could get over the last two rock ledges.  Before I knew it, I was over the top and around to the east overlook.  Needless to say, the balance and leg strength felt better than expected going up.  The little routines I've been doing to fill the gaps since the race seem to be holding things together pretty well.

The descent was a little too dark.  Add to that, it was pretty cold and the fingers gripping the brake levers were numb.  It's been a little too long and my balance and confidence weren't what they need to be getting down.  I need a little more time on the mountain bike before I try to ride my last big dirt ride for the season - in maybe a week or two.

Overall, it was nice to feel the bite of the Autumn air, see my breathe in the air and have the mountain to myself.  This is truly the pay-off for the entire summer of training.  I just hope the season holds out long enough to to enjoy it more.

Riding the X2 - X-Ray Specs.....................

Ride Hard!

Race Review

The Details

Start to Emigration/Strawberry

Start time was 07:06, with a slight breeze and temps in the mid 50's.  A fairly good sized group of something like 47-ish riders.  Immediately, one guy was having problems with his pedals, spending more time messing with that, than keeping a sharp eye.  Out of the rolling neutral and out on the highway, things got moving around 22-24 MPH.  Not too fast, but moving along.  Just before the Idaho border, we actually caught the 1000's group.  They were a 07:00 start, with all the women racers.  We blew by them rather quickly, as we were something like 29-30 MPH.  At the Preston turn-off, we had a clear turn back onto the highway and made it very quickly up the two steps before the descent into Riverdale.  As disorganized as this group seemed, I let the main group get out ahead of me until making the hard right-hand turn up Idaho 36.  I kept them close enough to still hook-on and make our way toward the climbs.

Strawberry to Montpelier

Staying with the main group up to about MP10, we were making good time.  I had figured I'd have trouble around MP13 where the grade went to about 6%.  Turns out, the guys up front called for a pee break - with the race marshal right on us and all (unreal).  About a third of the group slowed, but didn't stop.  I decided to "soft-pedal" and wait for the group.  By the time they got back on the road, the others were a good 1K ahead.  Next thing I know, we're having to sprint on about 4% to catch them.  At this point I knew what it would do if I went anaerobic this early.  I let them go with the idea I'd catch somebody to get me to the climb.  By the time we got to MP13, I was not climbing too well.  By MP15, I was in too easy of a gear, letting too many people past me.  Over the top of the false summit at MP17, I figured I'd better push it a little harder up the past 3 miles.  Passing the feed zone, I could see most of the people that had passed me on the climb.  I was able to beat all of the them over the summit at MP22.  The descent was fast, as I was able to hook onto a really fast group at about Liberty.  By the time we hit Ovid, we were a pretty big group and pushing hard.  Speeds often above 30 MPH on the flats, we were working pretty hard, in fact too hard.  Into the feed zone at Montpelier, I was cooked, but optimistic as my over all time was pretty close to the plan.

Montpelier to Geneva

Out of the feed zone, I was feeling the effects of having pushed it a little hard only a few minutes earlier.  The short 8 miles to the climb took a little longer than it should have, but the climb over the top was not too bad.  Heading down into Geneva, I was hitting speeds in the upper 40's until I got onto the new chip-seal.  After that it was a little sketchy.  Not the best surface for the hard 23 mm tires.  A rider only less than an hour in front of me crashed hard on this new surface and had to transported by ambulance back to Montpelier and then airlifted to another hospital.  At the curve to Salt River, I was almost right on one hour - still not too far off schedule.

Salt River to Afton

The 12 or so miles to KoM (King of the Mountain) wasn't terribly fast, in fact I was kind of dragging.  I stopped at a water stop and picked up an extra bottle about a mile from KoM as well.  Rolling up to the KoM timing strip, I just kept going, rather than stop for a breather - I'd already had plenty of that.

I just passed by the other riders that had stopped to catch a breather and I started a fairly hard and deliberate pace.  Within a few minutes, I was passing other riders that had passed me earlier in the lower areas.  As I worked up the hill further, I saw several riders walking their bikes - unreal!  Still I was having to make quick inclined sprints past occasional riders.  Every once in a while, somebody else may pass me, but I passed far more myself.  Reaching the top, I had my jersey completely unzipped, doing the full "batman".  Over the top and through the timing strip, I was good to pass the feed zone.  I did have to stop just passed the feed zone to do up my jersey for what would be a crazy fast descent (51.82 MPH).  I was able to catch a team that took me all the way into Afton.  I didn't drop below 30 MPH until we got through Smoot.  Way fast into the feed zone and I was feeling pretty confident.  An amazing climb, descent and trot into Afton!

Afton to Alpine

34 miles of side cross winds, slightly off the back, negotiating rumble strips and dealing with sketchy groups.  I really couldn't find a "fast" group, but I moved from one group into the next, at one point having to take long pulls trying to connect one group to the next.  I settled into a team from Colorado that was fast enough, but a little un-nerving in the rumble strips.  Just before the relay exchange zone, I jumped out front and headed for the final feed zone.  The average speed through this section was nearly 23 MPH.

Alpine to Hoback

At the Alpine feed zone I was a little tired - believe it or not. I stayed there a good 15 minutes but didn't really take much fuel, in fact I didn't take anything aside from a 16 oz. Throwback (all sugar). Heading up Snake River Canyon, I was getting a good tail-wind.  By the time I caught  group, I was already flying.  As this group got bigger, it became a little scarier with each new rider.  I eventually decided to let them go and I watched for the next group to come along.  Instead, I was flying past other riders, occasionally hooking on to someone for a minute or two, before moving on past them.  It soon occurred to me that I wasn't likely to find a suitable group, as these were all 12 hour riders.  I was out of luck.  It took me an hour to get to Hoback, at which point I again sailed past the feed zone, heading for home.

Hoeback to the Finish Line

About 3 miles past Hoback, I could feel the tank beginning to run dry.  I was thinking I should have stopped at the feed zone, but too late now.  I was out of water, but had some Zipfizz.  By this point I was starting to also feel a little sick, so I wouldn't drink the Zipfizz. Bad idea number one.  I had plenty of fruit snacks, three gu's and a Stinger-Waffle, but I didn't take anything.  When I got to the last hill before crossing the highway, I was gassed.  Heading out west, I ducked under my handlebars to get a little break, but not much.  Heading north toward the bike path seemed to go on forever.  At the bike path there was another water stop, this time with cans of Coke. I hung out there for about 10 minutes and sipped a little Coke until my stomach was settled.  I then crawled off and headed for Wilson.  About 15 minute after sipping down some Coke, I was getting my legs back.  On the highway to Teton, I suddenly had enough to start pushing again.  I caught one group, then left them, and finally caught on to a couple Cyclosportive Open riders.  I stayed with them out to about five miles to go.  I Jumped over them and started to mash the pedals - HARD!.  By 5K, I was skipping over a few others, but not able to quite reel-in the larger group.  At 1K, I was looking down the finish line and could see a large group just clearing.  I was trying to stoke it, but could only muster a steady hard pace.  One guy I last saw in Snake River Canyon was crawling in just in front of me, so I hit it hard the last 100 meters and finished with ............ my tongue dragging in the dirt, but I was done.

Post Race

I wasn't completely dissatisfied with the race.  I was way slower than I should have been with moments of brilliance.  The bike was "sqwaking" for the last 165 miles.  I didn't keep my head on straight and I stay completely unfocused.  Still riding that long, by myself, with some degree of exposure is bound to have an effect.  At the awards ceremony, I got a little more information.  The winds earlier were helpful in a new course record and generally were mostly favorable.  Several bad crashes during the day, some far worse than others.  I saw two group pile-ups within the last 20 miles myself.  The big news was Huntsman raised a projected $200K for the season, with 102 total participants and roughly 85 in the race.

As much as I had my doubts before hand, I think I can do better all the way around.

Not a bad weekend after all...........................

Time for a little down time.

From where it all started........Juniors Farm

Updates will continue weekly until the snow flies and the MTB is up for the winter.

Stick around.

Race Day - Officially Done

Not Exactly as Planned

Without going into much detail (I'll save that for tomorrow), I did manage to hit a few key milestones, but my finish time was............nowhere near where I wanted it.

Time to Montpelier

I had targeted 4 hours to get to Montpelier - the first supported feed zone.  I missed it by maybe 10 minutes, if that.  It came at a price - details later.

Catch at least one Tandem by Salt River Pass

Considering that they started 66 minutes ahead of me, I though this might be difficult.  Turns out, I caught two of them at the top of Salt River Pass.

Stay out of all Neutral Feed Zones

It took a little creativity, but I did manage to stay out of the three neutral feed zones.  I did spend a little time at two watering stops, as well as spent too much time in the supported zones at Afton and Alpine Junction.  This isn't what ultimately contributed to my longer than planned finish time, but it certainly wasn't planned that way either.

The Bonk - Double

Bonk is what runners call "hitting the wall".  It is basically when you completely run out of gas - for whatever the reason.  I had two periods that I Bonked - and hard.  The first was leaving Montpelier and pretty much all the way to "king of the Mountain" at Salt River.  The second was with less than 20 miles to go.  In both cases I was able to pull through, but it was costly in the end.  Again, more details tomorrow.

Summary Assesment

I'm disapointed overall, but pleased with several of the keys.  I think I could make several improvements, but keeping in mind how conditions play a big part in the equation - hard to say.

Tomorrow, we go back to the awards ceremony and then head straight home.  Tonight I try to sleep in a motel room in beautiful Driggs, Idaho.  I have a hard time with Hotel/Motel rooms.

Take the rest of the weekend off................

Getting Ready

About the Ride

In years past I've spent considerable time detailing the different segments of the course.  It's a long course with a lot of diversity, however, I'll only be brief this go around.

Sure this thing is 200+ miles start to finish, but there is a lot more than meets the eye. The front end of this thing is a ton of climbing; 22 miles up Emigration/Strawberry, another 10 over Geneva summit, and then the infernal 16 miles over Salt River Pass.  By the time you get to King-of-the Mountain (KOM), a mere 3+ miles from the top of Salt River, you have given up on any sense of dignity.  By this time you've lost enough electrolyte to make a 10 pound salt block.  Looking straight up at the top from about 2 miles away, in rips your will to live right out!  Still, you get over it (literally and figuratively) and take the little recovery into Afton.  From there its a matter of road management and discipline.  Stay on groups, or get dumped.  Out of Alpine, the beauty of Snake River Canyon, but there is no time for sight seeing.  From here you really need to "Johny" up with the best groups you can find, as you need to get past Hoback and into the Valley.  Across the highway, you can taste the finish, but you can't cash in quite yet.  At Wilson, you put in the last 7 miles, pretty flat, with whatever you can find in the tank.  Then your see the signs 5K, 4K and so on, at 1K its time to look good.  At 500 meters, you hear the announcer.  By the time you hit 100 meters you want to give it all you have and thunder in.  And then............."slow down, this way"....."timing chip", its over.

There is so much to tell about, but it impossible.  Like everything else, it seems its over before you know it and you just have this emptiness that follows.  For me, I devour a huge thing of chocolate milk and try to process the entire summer that just finished.  

Tomorrow needs to be about more than a "fun ride".  Its about time I do something besides talk big.  

I have a lot to do today and I need to get some good rest.  For now, trust me, I'm as nervous as you could be.  Still, I do this because I can.  

Stay tuned......................

This is for the others that didn't make it...............

Ride Hard!

Details and Repairs

Checking in

This is where all the nerves start to boil.  Check-in day and now its for real.  

After getting the bike out of the shop again yesterday, I did a quick 32 mile spin, only to have the noise re-emerge.   So.....at about ten last night, I decided to pull the rear mech (derailleur) apart.  Not generally the best of ideas, but I need to make sure I won't have a failure during the ride.  Pretty risky, but was able to service the jockey-wheels and bearings.  Taking a quick 21 mile ride tonight, I'm not sure the noise has been solved, but I know the rear mech is good.  Tomorrow I'll do a complete clean and lube to catch any last thing.  From there, it is what it is.

Knowing what I'm, up against, I always get nervous.  The entire summer comes down to this and it weighs heavy.  Kind of stupid when you think about it, I mean, its a bike ride - right?  Thats the problem.  Its supposed to be a race, but somewhere a long the way it turns into a survival thing.  This is really a check of ones self and discipline.  Your mind can make, or break the entire day.  Believe it not, a stupid pedal noise can be the tipping point.  Still, there is something that is hard to describe, riding with a group of sixty guys, hearing the sound of hundreds of spokes cutting the wind, knowing that you all have the same task ahead.  That doesn't last too long, as before you know it, the first climb is under the wheels and it time to get busy.  It's...............

I don't know if it is the ride that intimidates me as much as it is the thought of finding out what I'm really made of.  In my mind I will have covered this course over and over, always with grandiose images of what I would like to happen.  What I forget is the suffering that accompanies the effort of trying to stay on a group, catch a group, or simply get over the next climb.  Its like thinking how impervious you are and then having to deal with the truth.  Truth is, I'm not a racer.  I'm not built for it.  Still, I see guys bigger than me crushing the climbs - only because they are mentally stronger.  Why do I choose to let off when it hurts?  Maybe my fight isn't what I claim it to be.  I mean, "Ride Hard" has to be more than a phrase - right?  It is all up to me, as it always is.

Weather forecasts look fairly promising.  Mid 70's most places past Geneva, with possible winds W-SW.  60% chance of showers, but duration and intensity are low.  I can only hope.

I rode down with a buddy to get checked-in today.  Funny how we compare notes on different parts of our tactics.  Nutrition, hydration, group strategy...........its unique - something you can't understand unless you've done this as many times as we have.  Kerry's a stud.  Ten years older than me, but rides like he twenty years younger.  I struggle to stay with him on flat ground and don't even try on the climbs.  I'll see a lot of guys Saturday that are good riders and pretty good friends.  Nobody really cares where you finish, but all have an unspoken respect knowing that you did.  No real bragging.............not much anyway.  Mostly just stories of everyone's experience.  You kind of have to be there to appreciated it - I guess.

The day starts early tomorrow and there is a lot to do.

Thanks to all that have carried the water for the "porpoise" this year.  You are the true heroes.

Robert Johnson wrote a little thong about selling one's soul.  No selling here............

Cross Roads - it puts me in my happy place...........

Ride Hard!

Influence and Inspiration

Things that makes us tick and tick us off.......

The summer before high school, I was playing a lot of baseball, but more ever,wanted to be a football player.  So when that season ended, I turned my baseball pants into to a couple pair of handy "cut-off" shorts.  These shorts only had one pocket - on the left hand side.  Around that time I started carrying some type of wallet, so it went into my only pocket on these shorts.  To this day, I keep my wallet in my left pocket, despite being right handed.  It wasn't until many years later I realized how this happened.  That's how it works quite often.

Helen Wheels

In my remarkably ordinary neighborhood, lived a couple remarkable people;  Merlin and Helen.

Merlin was born blind and had several brothers the same way.  Merlin taught school and would walk to and from that school, alone nearly every day.  He was an old radio guy, having taught sailors how to repair radios in the dark during WWII.  He tried to teach me Morse Code when I thought I wanted to be a HAM - when I was 12 years old and impatient.  He was really something.  And then there was Helen.  She was born in a house not far from where we would all live, sometime in the 1930's.  When she was born her little body was so deformed that doctor literally told her mother to simply "leave her alone in the back bedroom until she quite crying".  Basically leave her to die.  To her mothers remarkable credit, she did the complete opposite.  By the time I came along, Helen was in an electric wheelchair.  She had absolutely no use of her legs, arms, or hands, yet she had already lived a remarkable life - a story that is by itself remarkable.  She wouldn't let bad weather get in her way, as she would travel around the various local neighborhoods to sell greeting cards.  She would control her wheelchair via a stick in her mouth, while using the stick to "beep" a little horn, alerting people to come to their door.  I never once ever heard her, or her parents complain.  I know she had incredible trials in her life, as did Merlin, but I believe both of them to have been grateful for every breath they drew.

You never know how thing will stack up in you life.  I can tell you this, all I have to do is think about those people in my life that had it tough and I think I have it pretty good. Just remember when riding the spin bike early in the morning before work, there are a lot of people that would give their eye-teeth to be able to suffer like that.

A good morning on the spin bike.

Click here for Helen Wheels

Ride Hard!

SMOKE!

More adjustments.........

A major wildfire on the other side of the mountain has filled The Valley (notice the caps) with considerable smoke.  There is enough smoke and particulate that its burning my throat.  With all the illness going around at the moment, I'm doing my best to stay healthy as it is.  The last thing I want to do is put on some easy miles and develop a respiratory issue.  So........spin city!

My spin bike is nothing too fancy, but its a workhorse.  It's a commercial Star Track V-bike, chain drive with some modifications. Normally I use the spin bike as a nice supplement to my rides, but at times like this, it is nice to have a good setup.  Tonight I setup for some heat-training, and did a series of fixed speed, step intervals, mixed with 10/20 sprint intervals.  Not a bad workout for 90+ minutes, but it is really setup to provide maintenance.  At this point, I'm not going to add anything, but I still can cause an injury.

There is no sign of the smoke clearing out anytime soon, so I may be done in the-out-of-doors until the race Saturday morning.  I'd really like to get the bike out for an easy 32 mile loop to make sure we've got the bugs worked out, but even if still sounds funny - it's too late to worry about it.

You'll like this one - The Platters '58

Ride Hard!

The Push

Only a few days left

Like it or not, this is it.  With only a few days to go, you are where you are going to be Saturday morning.  At this point, you can do more damage than good, if not careful.  Maintenance is key, but now the final pieces have to come together.

This morning was a quick (very quick) 41 miles, with a hard deliberate pace.  Maybe a little too hard at times, but I had to get the bench mark.  The bike is still making a funny noise, so it will be back in the shop tomorrow afternoon.  With the forecast calling for warm weather, I'm doing morning and evening spins without any fan assistance.  The heat is my Achilles Heal.  I struggle in the climbs, but throw in the heat and I really struggle.  I still need a couple short rides, with some easy tempo type stuff.  Hopefully tomorrow night I can do an easy 32 mile loop out to the lake and follow it up with another easy one Wednesday.

The indoor spin bike has really been helpful this year.  This is sometimes hard when you're doing it by yourself, but I set a pretty solid routine to follow.  Hard enough that it get things moving, but not so hard that I lose form.  In fact, the one thing I most focus on when spinning is pedal stroke form.  Knees direct in line.  Trying to maintain a near circular motion, with the shoes flat at all times.  Doing an interval pace also helps me maintain a good position when having to make a seated sprint - all of a sudden.  If you practice with poor form, you ride with poor form.  No bueno.

Group assignments are final, with start times and bib numbers.  Rolling at 07:06, Mens 45+ Cat V, B - 1100 series.  That late of a start means I'll have to really be disciplined to hook on to groups and work my way up into the race.  More than half of the riders, in fact nearly 2/3 of them will be in front of me.  My goal is to catch at least on tandem before the top of Salt River.  They start at 06:00, so they'll have an hour and change on me.  Still, they can't climb, I mean even slower than me.  But boy can they descend. 

I'll break thing down in the next day or two.  You need to have a strategy and hopefully mine works.

Nothing too serious - Dr. Hook, Cover of the Rolling Stone

Ride Hard! & please donate.................................

One more for the Road

Last ride to Woodruff for the year

Nothing says LOTOJA prep like long rides with lots of climbing.  There are few, if any rides as suitable for LOTOJA training as Woodruff.  Doing this four times in the last four weeks is quite an adventure.  At roughly 120 miles each time, the miles stack up fast - and these are generally quality miles.  This late in the year it is easy to over do it.  A balancing act from here on in.

My times to key points yesterday weren't bad, just not the best.  Overall, I felt pretty good all the way over and back.  Feeding in the right places and the right times, with correct hydration paid off.  Most importantly, the conditions were pretty good.  A little rain, but generally cloud cover all the way.  I really couldn't ask for more.

Coming back over, just off Little Monte (between MPs 42 & 43), I ran across a motorcycle and rider piled up on the side of the road.  This was in a spot where I was doing more than 40 in the straightaway.  He was pretty banged up, but not nearly as bad as you'd expect for such an event.  By the time I got back on the road, it had been about 90 minutes.  Getting back on the bike, I was completely cooled-off, but not stiff at all.  Within the first couple hundred feet, I was easily back to 40+.  With the little rest, I was able to push it hard all the way into Huntsville.  As good as I was feeling I decided to stretch the ride to 130+ miles.  Somewhere along the way I picked up something and flatted - AGAIN!  In the end, I had to call for a bailout, when I had a ton of energy to burn.  All good.

Donations are coming along and I think we'll make it - I hope.  The next few days are also critical for maintenance.  From this point, a 50 - 60 mile sprint ride, maybe Saturday morning.  A 32 mile tempo ride early next week.  A 15 mile sprint pace and then packet pick-up.  A delicate balance at this point.

Start time is 7:03, Men's Cat 5, 45+ B.  A pretty late start, which means I'll have to swim upstream to catch good groups.  The big issue will be getting over the first two climbs in good shape.  If I can get on a good group going to Salt River Pass, I just have to keep it together up KoM (King of the Mountain) and I should be in a position to do............better.

Need a little confidence and no more flats.

Click here and hang on! Wamma Jamma

Stay tuned.............

Ride hard!

Less than two weeks to go..............

Morning Climbs & Quality Miles

Not all miles are equal. Flat miles and rollers can only buy so much, but the same can be said for climbing miles.  As often as I ride alone (virtually all the time), climbing is a little harder to cheat versus the other stuff.  By cheat, I mean simply fooling yourself that you are better than you really are.  Considering this morning's ride was nearly 60 miles and that 28% of that was climbing, you can bank it being a pretty good workout.

Early mornings aren't as early as they were just a few weeks ago, and they are also getting a little cooler.  Heading for Snowbasin, via Trappers Loop, I decided to use arm-warmers.  The climb up from the north side was the best time of this season, and not far off my personal record.  Still conditions have a lot to do with those things - take it for what its worth.  The loop around the Basin was also pretty fast - about what I should expect this time of year.  Down to Mountain Green and immediately back on the road to get over the mountain, that climb was also pretty good - all in some pretty hard gears.  On the way home, I ran across a guy that got a little "frisky".  After Saturday, I was in no mood and simply applied a little hurt and left him well behind.  After a good 12-15 minutes pushing it hard, I was pretty satisfied.  That kept me on a pretty good pace to the last 3 miles of grade.  I should have pushed that bit a little harder, but it still wasn't bad.  Overall, not too bad.

Still a few issues in the right shoulder, but getting better.  The key now is to stay healthy.  I need to also do a little work on the bike before I take it out again.

Still too early to fall into maintenance mode, but I also need to be careful.

Less than two weeks.

A little random Dave Mason..............

Ride Hard!

Cache Valley Century

Frustration abounds.............

The Cache Valley Century is normally a ride I kind of like.  It's a charity ride, put on by Common Grounds Outdoor, to support those with disabilities enjoying the out of doors.  A worthy cause - I believe.  The reason I like this ride is to work with groups and dial-in some important skills needed to be successful at LOTOJA.  I would guess that maybe 50% of these riders are LOTOJA folks themselves, and thus you get a pretty good refresher in "catch and hang on".  The drawback is there are a lot of "less" skilled riders that can also cause a crash.  Normally, you can get out front of the scary riders in the first 20 miles.  After that, you find a group that fits your speed and tempo and the rest is academic - normally.

This morning started pretty much as planned.  In the first 5 -6 miles, I had a good group on my back wheel that was willing to work together.  Having been out in front long enough, I rolled out to the left to let the pellaton roll by, at which point I jumped on near the back.  The "train" wasn't as well developed as I had hoped, with one guy in particular riding back and forth, left to right, coming close to wheels and pedals.  I thought he would certainly take somebody down.  As he drifted up to the front, he took his turn "pulling", with the rest of us in a single file line.  The rest of the "train" depends on the guys upfront to give hand signals of approaching hazards - like BIG potholes.  Suffice it to say, that idiot led us right through a pothole that could swallow a Buick.  Both me and the guy directly behind me nailed it full blast!  Luckily we didn't go down, but I knew it likely pinched my inner tubes.  Sure enough, out between Dayton and Weston, my rear tire went flat first.  This meant I lost my little group.  After making a quick repair, I pedaled my guts out to catch one of the several groups that flew past while I was on the side of the road.  I figured worst case would be catching a group at the Cornish feed zone.

Just past Cornish I managed to hookup with a guy that kept a pretty good pace.  We took turns out front for several miles until we caught a larger group.  Knowing my rear tire wasn't to full pressure, I figured I'd be working harder, but also figured I'd find a floor pump at the Clarkston feed zone.  For some reason, I was having a harder time staying up with the group.  Behold - another flat tire, but this time on the front.  Again, on the side of the road with my last tube.  Another quick repair and I was trying to catch a group before Clarkston.  It seemed I was having to work harder than usual to catch groups.  Getting into Clarkston, they didn't have a pump, nor did they have hardly any water, but they had a long line to get what water there was.  Okay.........onto Mendon.  Keep in mind, I didn't plan to make any stops prior to Mendon.  So much for plans.

All the way to Mendon I was pushing a headwind, and couldn't seem to get comfortable behind the one or two riders I came across.  I stayed with one group for a few miles, but even that seemed harder than usual.  At Mendon, they did have a pump!  Sure enough, my tires where somewhere around 50% of normal pressure.  No wonder I was working so hard.  I quickly got water and back on the road, with something like 30 miles to go.  Not enough to make up what I had lost in the first 70 miles, but try anyway.

I made pretty good time getting back to Benson Marina, but was strictly on my own.  They guys I caught were way too slow, so I just kept going.  About 3 miles out of Amalga a quick group came along, which made for a good opportunity.  They turned into Sugar Park (Amalga), so I thought I'd stop with them.  Only twelve miles to go, I picked up a little water and shot some pickle juice.  I didn't wait long and was back on the road.  Maybe 4 miles out of Amalga, that same group caught me again.  I stayed with them until we got on the highway headed back to Richmond (the finish).  Something about that group made me nervous, so I let them go and waited for the next group.  Unfortunately, nobody else caught me and the people I caught were simply too slow.  So I finished at my own pace - almost 30 minutes off my target.

In the end, I did have to make a sprint to beat the light at highway 91, so I know I had plenty of "gas" left.  I also stayed in my big ring all day - including the last heart-breaker on the west side of Richmond.  I still had a lot I could apply, but being kind of defeated, I kind of mailed in the last 5 miles.

Not a great day, but good enough for an assessment.  Two weeks to go and I know what needs to happen between now and then.  The bike is also having a few issues, but that can be fixed - I hope.  I on the other hand, have been beat up a little.  This week was barely 220 miles, but they were good miles.  I need to put in two hard rides next week, while trying to heal up.  Getting to the holiday weekend, I'll need to move to a maintenance mode.  And then..........the big day.

This variation of an original post in July seemed oddly appropriate today.

Click here for Joey Ramone covering Louis Armstrong - Awesome!

Ride Hard!

Back to Woodruff - An amazing day.

In past years I typically start "stacking" miles the last few weeks.  Doing several 50-60 mile rides during the week can add up pretty fast, but three hour rides only burn calories.  I need to develop some stamina and endurance.  Monday was supposed to be a 60 mile early morning ride, but some problems in my right shoulder area turned that into a couple intense sessions on the indoor spin bike.  It actually is a better burn, but doesn't contribute to miles.  Today had been planned several weeks ago as the third Woodruff ride.  Having scrapped Monday, I didn't have a choice - pain, or not.

Before heading out to Monte, I always review the hourly weather forecast for surrounding areas, as well as a thorough look at a Doppler chart.  It was looking pretty sketchy, but not enough to call it off today.  The same thing a month ago would have resulted in a different ride, but right now we can't afford the changes.  Looked like rain early on, with rain on the back side by about 2 o'clock.

On the road by 07:00, I could see wet roads off and on all the way over to South Fork Canyon.  The wind was pretty stiff going up South Fork, for at least 15 miles.  Key times at MP37 and the camp ground were both 10 minutes off pace, but expected.  Winds going down the back side all the way to Woodruff cut my time even more.  All the way in I could see it storming in  front of me, but never got hit, just saw wet roads for most of the last 15 miles into Woodruff.

Back on the road, conditions were great.  I was watching storms ahead of me, going up the back side of Monte.  Amazingly I only had a brief sprinkle, blown in from a storm at least twenty miles away.  All the way to the top I had cloud cover and maybe even a tail wind.  I stayed in my big ring to the snow gate between MPs 56 & 55 and back in it at MP49.  Not once did I have to go into the bail-out gear today.  A minor victory - anyway.  The only direct sunshine I saw on the way back was for about two miles up around the camp ground.  Funny thing was that is also when I got the only rain showers.  Not a cloud directly over my, and the rain was falling straight down from an empty hole in the sky.  As soon as the sun was swallowed by a cloud, it stopped.  They call it "Angle Tears" as it appears not to fall from clouds.  Pretty cool, both literally and figuratively. 

Early in the day I was only able to hit 38 MPH on any of the down hill due to wind.  On the way back I was constantly in the mid 40's MPH.  I didn't have any head wind until four miles from Huntsville, and that was pretty tame compared to last week.  My climb back from Woodruff was more than 50 minutes faster than last week and the overall into Huntsville faster yet.  Over all, not too bad.

I stopped at Huntsville park to get a little water and made the mistake of laying on the grass.Spending a little too much time there literally made me sick when I stood up.  I had planned to drop my bike at the shop on the way home, but I wasn't sure I could make it work.  In the end, I was able to make it after all.

The bike is needing some attention, as it was making a lot of strange noise coming home.  A little attention at the shop will make it happy again.  Me, on the other hand, have a real problem with knots on my right shoulder area.  I've got an appointment with the "shop" for a deep tissue session on Friday.  Talk about hurt, it makes my eyes water when they work the knots outs, but by the next day, it's better than new.  Hopefully both the bike and I will be ready for the Cache Valley ride, Saturday morning.

Fund raising is starting to move a little.  Big thanks to the little Bro Jackson and his wife for the donation.  Another Big Thanks to my Bros at CR Lighting and Electric.  I owe you big time!

This is how we change the world.  On that note, Please follow the link: Clapton and Baby Face - Change The World

Ride Hard Bros and Sis'!  Were doing it...................

A Tribute to a Friend

Jill

I started following the local newspaper obituaries several years ago, as I seemed to always miss deaths of friends parents.  I soon also noticed how many of my long past friends, or colleagues seemed to end up in the listings as well - depressing.  I've been loosing friends to death as far back as high school.  Some are stunning, others are........not as much.  But when you lose somebody your own age, that you've known.........all of your life, it kind of gets your attention.  But then there are the ones that just don't reconcile in your mind.

Yesterday I had finished a job in Salt Lake and had sat down at my computer in the early afternoon.  Taking a break from other tasks, I did as I so often do and took a quick look in the local online paper.  It wasn't the name, although I know it well, it was the eyes that caught my attention.  I was completely floored when I saw Jill's picture.  It couldn't be, but the name was right there.  It hurt and I mean a lot.

Now you have to understand, this isn't what you may otherwise think it to be.  Jill and I have known each other most all of our lives.  We grew up only a couple blocks from each other.  Our parents new each other.  Some of my brothers/sisters knew brothers/sisters in that family.  Given all those things, we really didn't "run in the same circles".  Although being a year apart in age, we did have a band class together some forty years ago.  Not necessarily polar opposites, we still didn't have much in common.  Still we were friends, of which I could see her in a crowd without even trying.  I think it had to be her blue eyes - I don't know.

In the past four years I've lost several friends that I've known most of my life.  They have all had an effect, but nothing like this.  You see, Jill was one of "the good ones" - and I don't mean that in anything but the most sincere context.  She always stood by her values and they were always her values, not what somebody else may have told her.  She was always a constant in the universe, in that she never wavered in her convictions.  It was kind of like knowing true north.  It never changed.  To that end, she was everyone's friend.  I can honestly say, I had never heard her speak an unkind word of anyone else.

Not long after I graduated from high school, like so many others in my life, we went our separate ways.  Sure, there were occasion that you'd run across each other, but it was generally pretty routine at most, if anything at all.  It seems like when she got married, I would have been in a far different place - in pretty much every respect.  Still, I had fairly regular interactions with her dad and later came to know her older brother quite well.  Both of them are fine men that I to this day have the upmost respect and admiration.  The last time I saw Jill was when her father passed away nearly seven years ago.  Again, pretty straight to the point, not a lot of small talk, just - hey and that sort of thing.  Her obituary said she had been fighting cancer for three years, so I would have never seen that part.  It did also say that she fought cancer with tenacity and grace.  I knew that grace and is what I will always remember of her, as I never saw her in a weakened moment.  The person I knew forty years ago is exactly the person I shall always remember.

Forty years ago we were just kids.  Why that comes to mind, I really don't know.  We had the rest of our lives ahead of us and the thought of what may become of us, any of us, was just a dream.  To me, I thought then and still do to this day believe, Jill knew exactly what her course in life would be.  I just think none of us thought about things like cancer.  Truth is, some of my other friends from forty years ago have died, and although stunning, they didn't leave an overall empty feeling like this.  Forty years ago..............who'd thought.

So what does this have to do with riding?  After having a part of me die yesterday (when reading the obituary), I really needed some time away to process..............stuff.  So this morning, I turned my phone off and went to that corner of heaven known as Woodruff.  I think I needed to suffer a little today and boy did I ever.  The wind was rough all the way back.  When all was said and done, I had the emotion worked out and was able to think.  It still doesn't make sense, but then again its not like we've kept in touch over the years.  I know very little about her life for the past few decades, but what I do know is I feel an emptiness that I wouldn't have imagined.  But then again, I didn't expect to see those blue eyes yesterday in that particular place.  Today I rode to remember.  And what I do remember breaks my heart knowing what others are certainly feeling.

This song was literally in my head all day.  Please click on this link:  Christine McVie - Song Bird

This one can stay for a while...................stupid bike anyway.

Taking a break

An easy Night on the MTB

Kind of wanted to do some sprint intervals tonight, but after a less than ideal day, it seemed like a good idea to take it easy.  Dragging out the old reliable X2 (mountain bike) and up to a familiar trail.  I was in no hurry as I just needed a little time away, and this place is pretty good for that - most nights.

North Fork has a few folks hanging around, but for the most part, it's pretty quiet.  Off the service road and into the single track, I immediately ran into a couple horses.  Fortunately it was still down in the lower areas.  As I was getting up through the south face switch backs, I could hear some voice out ahead of me.  By the time I got to the top junction, I figured I was closing in on somebody - a good time to cut back around to the overlook and bench areas.  Amazingly, I could see the waterfall still running pretty hard.

The trail back to the trail-end is starting to grow-over a tad, but still easy to power through.  A good night for a long sleeve tech-tee.

This place doesn't see much traffic.  It's convenient when you need a little peace and quiet.  Being a little later than I'd planned, it was time to head down before it got dark.

The descent off this mountain is fun, but can be a little technical - enough so to keep a good eye on obstacles and maintain balance.  About a mile off the top I ran into a neighbor family, all on horseback - good folks!.  They were still working their way up, so I'm sure they'd be coming down in the dark. By the time I caught the cut-off trail, I could hear the voices again, somewhere near the trail-head.  Just off the trail was a group of women riders just packing up from the ride down.  All together, this is the most people I've seen on this trail at one time in several years - if not ever.  I'm glad I let them get out ahead of me.  I hate being roped-in by other riders.

A pretty good break from the road, but I'll have to spin for a while, making up the difference before I go to bed.

I need miles............

Update: Spinning gave me a little perspective and change.

Click here for a little Lyle.......A Friend of the Devil

Ride Hard!

Endurance

Putting things into order..............

Another early morning (kind of) ride.  Heading out with a cold tail wind, made it a fairly fast ride over to Trappers.  The first climb was acceptable, if not pretty good.  One guy was ahead of me a good half mile when I started from the bottom.  I reeled him in within the first mile, or so.  With that pace, I kept him off my wheel enough that I didn't see him when I turned at Snowbasin road.  The climb up to the basin was not nearly as fast, but still respectable.  Coming back from the basin, heading back to MP1, I was caught and rolled by a little 110 pound rocket.  I'm sure he saw me turn in from the basin as he was coming up from the old road, with the idea to put the hurt on me.  I wasn't biting, as I still had nearly 7 miles of climbing ahead of me.  If was only climbing out at MP1, I'd given it a shot, but.....

Dropping off into Mountain Green, that wind I had behind me 90 minutes earlier was behind me again.  Going down hill was faster than normal, of course, but the immediate climb back had a pretty stiff headwind.  Still, that climb wasn't too bad - just slower than I would have been otherwise.  The overall time was still okay, mainly because there was no heat.  The descent was a little sketchy with the headwind, that occasionally turned to a cross wind.  All the way home was like climbing with the headwind.  A few places where not as bad, but by the time I got on the last four mile climb, it was directly in my nose the entire way.  Pretty tired, I was determined and finished with a little pride intact.

This ride was to meet two objectives: 1) get the south side of trappers out of my head 2) develop a little mental endurance.  Believe it or not, mental endurance can quickly kill the physical endurance.  Both objectives where met head-on today.

I'll take it.

Driving Wheel - '75 not a bad year...............

Ride Hard!

Spoke Benders

Hill Intervals......

The season is getting late and every little bit counts for something.  Something positive, or something less than positive, but it all counts.  It is easy to panic and over-cook (over train), causing damage that may cost the event itself.  And then there is work - the thing that has to be done regardless.  This often times means missing a planned ride, or getting home too late to do anything but ride the spin bike.  Whether it is work, or other commitments, there is always something with which to contend.

Trying to make the most of a late arrival home, I headed for a 1/2 mile stretch that averages just over 7%, with nearly 12% just before the end.  Simple math; one time up and back is 1 mile, but a grueling mile.  Doing this in harder gears, while managing top speeds to less then 23 MPH on the recovery means you can really work your guts out.  Of course, you can "take a powder" and milk it in a bail-out gear, but then what's the point?  After about an hour, I'll have climbed the equivalent of Trappers from Mountain Green.  By the time I'm done, it's nearly dark, but I escaped the baking sun which is a bonus.  A little follow-up time on the spin bike to run a constant fast cadence, and it's pretty good.

Fund raising appears to be in trouble.  maybe I should try something different........

Speaking of different things......Sally G

Ride Hard!

Woodruff

Right Day for the Right Ride

A Gift

Monte Cristo by itself is always tough.  Add Woodruff to the mix and now you have a real ride.  The elevation shown above is to the west end of Woodruff.  The distance to the store is 64 miles, spot-on.  According to this, the climb up is 4,259 feet.  The descent is 3,510.  Considering I have to climb from the other way, you're looking at something like 7,800 feet climbing for the day  For the  record, the ride didn't take me 6 hours and 17 minutes (one way), but more like 4 hours 18 minutes - still slower than I'd like.

Today was ideal for making this ride a success.  At 06:30, the local temperature was only 52°, with the temperature in Woodruff 44°.  The forecast was a chance of afternoon thunder showers between the top of Monte and Woodruff, but I was planning on being over the top before then.  By the time I got to the Camp Ground near MP 48, I was convinced that these conditions were too good to pass-up going all the way over.  I've made this same ride before, only to turn back at the Camp Ground (the right edge of the flat spot shown at the peak elevation) due to thunderstorms, or simply too hot.  Today was a gift, and I was going to make the most of it.

An Oasis in the Mountains

Getting to Woodruff on a bike is no easy task.  Today was nice in that traffic was pretty low most of the way.  On any day, rolling into the Woodruff Store after a hard climb (and crazy fast descent), is without a doubt like finding an oasis in the mountains.  Today I was pleased to have spent time talking to a few of the locals, about almost anything.  There are places you might roll into only to find people.........less than happy you are riding through their town.  That is certainly not the case in Woodruff, in fact quite opposite.  They are perhaps the most friendly of all the places I have chance to visit - anywhere.  Their beautiful community is not large, nor opulent, but to me it is a corner of heaven. I love it.

Along with the most pleasant surroundings and people, I regularly seem to run into people from my past.  Last year I happened into a guy I knew in college.  Today I ran across a former fellow employee.  Maybe its just me, but I always enjoy this place.  Thanks for your hospitality and great support!

A hurt you simply can't live without

This ride is always tough.  It is long and requires some mental toughness to get through - at least for me.  Today was no different.  Getting to Woodruff was a pretty good push, but I felt okay once I got over the top.  The last few miles into town seemed to go on forever - only because I wanted the break. While I was enjoying my Snickers Bar and shot of caffeine and sugar (serious road biking energy), a little storm passed through.  When I got back on the road, I noticed some pretty dark clouds looking to pass between me and Monte.  As I rode on, there was an occasional "spritz" shower that was actually kind of nice.  About ten miles out of town I could hear thunder.  By this time I was too far to go back and need to get over the top quickly, but I was still a good twelve miles from the top and a helluva climb still to go.  As the rain got a little harder, I could see up on the mountain (where I was going) a pretty good down-pour.  As I would pass each little bush, I would consider it for a shelter, but continued to drive on.  Soon, the head winds were strong enough to hold be to about 4.5 miles an hour - ridiculous!  Knowing that I had the big open hill of about 2 + miles at 7%, without anything to duck under (and being the most likely target for lightning), I made the bad choice to pull off and duck out of the driving rain for a minute.. That was not only a waste, but a big mistake.  After about ten minutes I decided I needed to just get up the road as fast as I could.  Jumping back on the bike, I didn't wipe my tires off, from the debris I had been in, on the side of the road (idiot!).  A couple miles up the road and now well into the open area, I noticed my rear tire going flat (picked up something on the stop).  Maybe ten minutes and I was back on the road.  The problem with flats like this is you never get the air pressure where you need it.  Too much and you pop the tire, not enough and you have more rolling resistance and risk "pinch" flats.  Making sure to find and remove the puncture object, I got the pressure where I though it was safe, given the advantage of running 25mm wide tires.  The grind was on, but without most of the rain, just a terrible head-wind.  At MP 49, I was back into some high easy rollers. A quick stop at the Guard Station for a picture and time to get home.

From about MP 49, it's all in the big ring, even with the wind.  From just before MP 44, it's "bomb city".  Going across the near flat (okay, 3%) at Little Monte, though MP 43, I was down behind the bars at 45 MPH.  From there, it is a series of straights and turns, driving at times at 35 MPH around curves.  Down past the snowmobile parking area, it's like warp factor-nine.  All the while you just can't seem to get down fast enough.  By the time you're at Red Cliff (Cafe), doing 20 MPH feels like your are standing still.  By now, you are paying the price for burning everything earlier. With heavier traffic than I like in South Fork Canyon, I chose to divert at MP 22 around past the Monastery and down to Huntsville.  With 116 miles and more traffic than I like, I called for a bailout at Huntsville. A satisfactory ride in the books.

I love this ride.  It is hard - way hard!, but there is something about Monte that just takes me back.  Woodruff is great and I lament every time I turn away at the top, rather than going down.  Once you start, you are committed.  I've had some less than good experiences climbing back, but when I clear the top, I'm always glad I decided to go all the way to Woodruff.  By the time I get to Huntsville, I'm completely wasted.  This ride is perfect for a LOTOJA training ride.  Lots of climbing, steep grades and significant elevation.  It hurts - a lot, but I love it all the same.

Going up this morning, it was Eric and Dwayne in my mind.  Coming over the top, going back home it was Floyd. You decide.

Eric with the great Dwayne - Slide on!

The Great Floyd Tillman - It Hurts...........

Baby..... Ride Hard!

The Dirt..............

Mountain Bike Time

An unpredictable work schedule has thrown a wrench into the great plan.  Improvisation, again, the order of the day (or week).

The old reliable X2; my mountain bike from about 18 years ago, still a great bike.  Perhaps a little dated, but some excellent components.  True, it's still a 26" (wheel), but for an all aluminum full suspension, it rides pretty good.  Lately the front shock seals have started to leak, but I don't have the time to re-build them.  They still work, just get dirty fast.  I've had that bike more places than most anybody else's bike will ever go.

Tonight I got home a little later than planned, so I waited for the sun to drop behind Willard peak, cooling things off a bit.  Right out of the garage, I zoom down to the middle gate at North Fork Park and took a good 15 minute warm-up ride to a nice single-track trail head.  Usually this late, there aren't many, if any other riders on the trail, so I can benchmark my progress and time.  Conditions were good for an assessment ride.

The trail starts pretty easy, with some minor, fairly short climbs.  Out of the first section and onto a hill to the first set of switchbacks, I default to my bailout gear, with pedals rolled-over (un-clipped). A couple of the turns are pretty sharp, along with a steep grade, the rocks can stop you dead in your tracks.  29er's (29" wheels) can make the rocks a little easier, but this is for training.  All the way up, there are short bursts of intense strain, with heart rates getting into the near 90% range.  Then you have nice little recoveries, spinning along easier grades before the next turn.  The last two switch backs have a couple key places that require a little skill to stay on the bike.  If you're tired, they'll toss you every time.  At the top of the last switchback, there's a little stretch of a constant grade before coming around the face.  There are still a few rocks that can toss you if not careful, but there are also three pretty good spots to get over before the top.  The first is a stretch of rocks on blind turn that you need to hit with some momentum.  Another blind turn and there is a bigger rock.  This takes timing and speed to get over.  Up to this point, I was on the bike all the way.  Tonight I hopped a little to the left side, with the front wheel clearing the rock, but the back wheel right in the wrong place. Trying to keep moving, I rode through the edge of the Gamble Oak, getting a pretty good beating.  The last little rise is much easier than the rock, but still pretty steep, enough that it again will stop the average person.  At the top with only the one interruption, I didn't feel too bad - other than a bunch of scratches down my left forearm.

The ride down is great, assuming you don't have a run-in with a moose.  Tonight was perfect.  Still light enough to see, chased a couple deer and an easy decent.  By the time I was back on the service road, I hadn't seen another person and only a few deer.  The ride was still short of a full hour at rate, so not a good endurance ride.  By the time I hang up the bike in the garage, it's only about an hour and 20 minutes.  It's a pretty good way to work the leg strength with the heart rate, but not much for endurance.  This means another 45 minutes on the spin bike, with some additional conditioning.  Still worth the time.

These are the kinds of rides that can quickly do damage, but the change is good.  I need more road miles and more endurance rides.

Riding with Bob...........Like a Rock.

Ride Hard!

Weather

Weather.............

It's been one of those weeks - again.  Summer storms are a bit unpredictable, but nice all the same.  It has put a slowdown on miles and kind of dampened enthusiasm.  Its hard to keep a focus with all the distraction, but weather can make it more problematic.  I've learned the hard way, riding in bad weather has a lot of consequences.  There are times it is simply unavoidable, but it's best to avoid the issue when possible.  Water and dirt in the small moving parts of the bike create problems down the road, not necessarily when you're in the storm.  The risk of getting sick is also an issue.  Both of these are not immediate and have caused serious problems in the past.

Last night I was completely spent -for who knows why.  This morning was kind of slow getting started, so I took the time to do three hours of a solid speed tempo ride.  Having only been on the road once earlier this week, I had to bridge the gap with the indoor spin bike.  The times at key places this morning were all pretty good, so I don't think I lost too much.  Still, I think I was a little under the weather and needed a little break.

Miles being only one metric, I also track the total hours for a week.  Right now I should be a solid 12 -15 hours each week at an elevated rate.  A long with diet, these are the three keys to watch for the next 5 weeks.  Increasing protein with an increase in hours (and miles) are going to be critical.  Allowing for makeup routines, I can make it work -  if I stay focused.

And then there is the fundraising:  I really haven't even started and time is getting critically close.  What to do/

Couldn't Stand the Weather - Still one of the greatest!

Ride Hard!

Good Climbing

Good climbing is a big part, if not absolutely key to a successful Lotoja ride/race.  Road riding inherently has a lot of suffering and climbing is pretty much............suffering.  Along with building overall strength and endurance, you have to develop a serious tolerance of just flat-out hurt.  Even the little skinny guys suffer, or so I'm told.

Then there is the physics of the matter.  Mass is not your friend when climbing.  Sure, it helps on the descent, but it is far from proportional to the losses in the climb.  Add to that the drag from being a "wide-body" (anyone with shoulders regardless of mass) and there is even more drag.  One year I had a pack of Cat IIIs on my wheel coming off the backside of Strawberry.  At something like 45 MPH, they sat in the draft for a few miles without hardly having to pedal - getting a nice recovery after the 22 mile climb.  As soon as we hit the first small roller, they dropped me like I was a bus (you're welcome).  A simple 10 pounds on a sudden grade of maybe 4% can require a ton of extra effort to stay with the group.  You can only do that so many times before you burn-up your glycogen stores and then the race is pretty much a matter of survival.  Dropping the weight is important, but you've got to have the experience to make it all work.

There is no substitute for hard climbing and the climbing season has only just begun.

It's a long way to the top..............(bag pipes????)

Seriously - Ride Hard!