On the road - without a bike

Upper Mesa Falls - Idaho

As if I weren't getting enough miles this season, I decided to not take a bike with the fam on a little outing for a couple of days.  I just dislike "dragging" bikes anywhere, considering I can get all the best riding in right from my house.  It was a thought however, as I scoped out a 30 mile dirt ride that would have been a great endurance pitch.  It just didn't feel right.  Besides, spending time with the kiddos is much better.

The upcoming week looks to be hard for miles as well.  A lot of demands and commitments as usual.  One of these has the potential to provide a substantial contribution to Huntsman, but there are a lot of things that can happen.  Back when I used to travel a lot, seems I'd end up in Brazil, or Michigan about this time of year, putting a huge hole in my training (or what I call training).  Still, I found that break just before the push a good rest for the old bod - and I do mean old.  The next month will turn into a pretty strict and concentrated effort to knock-off all the edges and get some endurance down.  Diet is very key, as I still need to drop a ton of mass to get to my ideal riding weight,  On short rides (75 miles and less), you can cheat the system with a little extra mass, but 200+ miles.......... The other morning I rode to Snowbasin early.  For about the first four miles, I just felt slow.  I finally stopped and checked my bike and noticed the back brake was slightly touching.  Do that for a couple hours and you'll be tired.  That's what it's like dragging an extra five pounds over 200 miles.  Huh, if it were only five pounds.  It's as equally as important as strength and endurance.  In fact, there is simply no faster way to increase your power to weight ratio than to simple drop fat.

The "porpoise" effort is not doing well.  I'm depending on a couple things this week to turn the tide.  Starting so late has been the biggest problem.  Most corporate prospects have already committed their budgets for the year.  I still have a couple possibilities, but what happens Tuesday is our best chance of getting out of the rut.  Aside from the donation thing, there is a lot riding on Tuesday.

Keep your fingers crossed and swing back later this week.  Lets have a little hope.............

"These aren't dues I've been paying" click here

Ride HARD!

Lonely Rides

East Canyon Dam from mile post 1.

Last year Trappers Loop was under construction for the entire season. The only time I saw East Canyon was when I dragged the bike to Mountain Green and rode Big Mountain.  East Canyon from home is about 100 miles round trip with that pesky climb stuck right in the middle.  Okay, not really the middle, but it still gets in the way.  The climb out of Ogden Valley is still taking too long, but not stressing.  Knowing I have several hours ahead, plus the return climb, I've learned not to "blow-up" early on.  Being mid-week, I still did run across a couple other riders - and boy were they fast.  No way I was going to hook on to that,  Of course, they were doing the quick sprint up to the dam and back, where as I was on an all day, rolling picnic.  Still, I need to get used to "hooking onto" other riders.  That is key to a good LOTOJA showing - if I can even get there.

Riding alone gets old pretty fast. Getting caught in the wind, while alone is a real problem.  For whatever reason, there has been a ton of wind this year - if you can measure wind as a mass.  Still, the miles drag on forever, especially when suffering.  You hear every little creek and tick of the bike, the annoying sound of my tongue dragging in the dirt, and of course the flood of random things that go through my mind.  Still, this is where I can sort out some pretty technical issues, without having my calculator and reference books.  I'd really rather have someone to talk to, or simply ride with.  It is hard to get motivated when going it alone.  Add to this, the changes in Huntsman and the all associated crap, and it has become a lonely effort.

Heat coming on is making it hard to get safe and quality rides on a regular basis.  Pretty typical, but it means I have to do short end substitutes; hill intervals and sprint intervals.  The mountain bike is also good, but the trails can get busy enough prohibiting good, hard continuous rides.  I need to start logging regular long rides every week, with the regular treks to Woodruff right soon.  Those days are long - I mean really long.  That's what it takes..........

The holiday this week means no long ride on Wednesday.  I'll have to play it by ear and make the most of things.

Walk a thin line - Click here

Ride HARD!

Helluva hole.....................

Outline of a plan IDEA

I do stuff often without thinking it through to the logical conclusion.  That said, Home Town Heroes is in a hole from the get go.  Our corporate underwriter from the very beginning decided at the last minute to .............. back out.  So, we're starting the season in the hole and about four months behind schedule.  So like the fool that I am, I came up with this "seemingly" great idea to do a sponsor jersey, that would allow us to offset a large part of what was lost.  Well............timing is not the best and it is a solid headwind right from the gate.

My friends at Hyperthreads have helped me put together a kit, with a tech-tee that will serve s the means to pickup sponsors.  There has been a little interest, but so far, pretty cold.  I'll have more information as to inquiries and how to get the stuff in a few days, but below is the general layout.

Somehow, I believe we'll make it work.  Time is short.

Riding again

Slowly getting the distance back on the road.  When I can't get a full ride down, I do a series of hill intervals, or sprint intervals right nearby. I've made some mods to the mountain bike, that will allow me to burn some steeper terrain with more confidence on the downhill.  I've got what I need, just not all the time I'm used to having.  Guess we'll find out what this sorry old dog is really made of before its all over.

Last night was a great ride; I mean the very ride I needed, up to Causey reservoir.  As usual, the last 7 miles home really seemed to go on forever, but I love South Fork.  I used to love fishing that with my dad when I was a kid.  Of course, that was when there was available stream access.  Still, just going up that canyon makes me feel like I'm almost twelve years old again.  The pic below is at the end of the oiled road, above the dam, looking toward the scout camps.

Call me sentimental.  Sometimes I still feel like I could be a hero............

Click here for a Wild West Hero - Thanks Jeff.........

Ride HARD!