Wondering - Wandering

Really, what's the difference...........

Busy at work with shutdown projects, but still getting on the mountain bike.  Riding the crap out of that same section of Shore Line Trail, but it fits the schedule.  It looks like the Avon Divide road may be clear enough to ride.  Not technical at all, but it can really burn the legs - if you hit it hard.  We'll see what things look like in the next couple of days.

I've been thinking a lot of character.  You know, the things we do when nobody else is watching, or more importantly, when it really counts.  There are those that put up a good show, waving arms and all, but who really puts up when it counts? If you have to stop to think about something, rather than react, that is not your true character.- right?  I mean............are you truly invested, or are you just putting on an act? Hmmmmm.............

There are things I've earned over the course of my life that have served me well.  Other things - just a good lesson.  I learned to whistle loud without my fingers when I was like six years old.  Talk about a useful skill! And then there was that time about in the first grade or so, I came home to ask my parents what you see when you look down a mole-hole.  I had know Idea what the punch line really meant, but my folks sure did.  I'm fairly certain my dad turn to my mom at that moment and said; "No piano lessons or braces for him.  He won't need them in prison".  Well, here I am, no piano lessons and didn't have braces.  Never made it to prison, but I sure made a mess of a lot of things along the way.

So what does that have to do with anything?  Character, the thing people are rally made of, regardless of what they may think of themselves.  I think we're to that point where it may actually matter.

Pay attention!

Click here - '71

Ride HARD!

Piecing things together

The "Cantaloupe" Antelope Island way out there under those clouds.

"Frankenstein" 

Oh.....about a hundred years ago - give or take, I used to read a particular trade magazine pretty much every month. It was back in the college days when I was broke most of the time, and could generally read it at the University library for free - then, my favorite word. There was this article about Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer, making the classic track "Frankenstein". They explained how it was originally supposed to be "Drum Solo", but kind of evolved. After some period of time, they had accumulated a massive collection of master tape, of which none were connected. The album they were building was "They only come out at night" an absolute classic, and one of my all time favorites. At some point they figured they had to get the master tapes all together for this "thing" they had been creating all along. Literally hand splicing tape from piles on the floor, they compiled their monster. Add to it the lumbering tempo and you have the enduring classic that has always fascinated me - personally.

It appears this year is developing much like the classic - more than in previous years. The weather sucks, the riding has been sparse, funding is uncertain.............I mean everything is just a mess. The only thing that is constant from previous years is the pile that has to somehow come together to make it work. Everyone has the will to put up a good fight, but not everyone, in fact few, are willing to prepare for that fight. That's where we're at this year. All the ancillary crap is simply making it hard to have the will to prepare. Things wont change unless I make them change, and I'm not really sure how to do it.

The above elevation profile shows the section of trail I've been riding. Just under 700' climbing, but still pretty technical - in several areas. It's good interval training, with some short burns, but nothing for endurance. It's barely 40 minutes from start to finish. It beats indoor spinning for sure. I need to get some road time, but until the roads dry out............

A lesson in adapting.....Click here and pay attention!

Ride HARD!

Back in business......

Leaving the dropper down after a quick descent.

"Just because I don't like it, doesn't mean I don't love it...

It's never easy, or so it seems.  I did manage to get on the Shore Line Trail this past week.  Weather works for me on this trail, as it scares the "fair weather" rider away.  Yesterday was primo!  Only a few riders and conditions were excellent - and cold.  Getting on to the trail takes some motivation, but once I'm up there - I love it.  It's the same with riding Monte in the summer.  Getting started is hard, but riding over Monte Cristo takes me to a place in my mind that I simply can't explain.  It'll be likely first part of June before they have SR39 open for the summer.  For now, I'll take the dirt rides to fill-in until then.

I'm hoping for a little break this week on general funding for HHH.  If it falls through, we - and do mean WE, will have a different charter.  Rub the lucky rabbits foot - or whatever you do for such things.  

Meanwhile, the donation page is "Hot and Ready"!

461 always reminds me of Monte Cristo, September 1978.  What I'd give..................

click here - Florida Mainline

Ride HARD!