Tallying

Countries around the world I've visited.

visited 5 states (2.22%)
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States I've visited in the U S of A.

visited 36 states (72%)
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States I've stood at the highest point of.

visited 6 states (12%)
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Passing time - and the winter

We could use something like this in any one of the numerous vacant warehouse/industrial spaces littering the Syracuse landscape. Not usually one to lay down a wager, I'd bet riders would come from pretty good distances to ride it if the place was done well. And it'd be a healthy way to spend the winter as well.

A picture's worth a thousand words...

Thanksgiving Wrap Up

Wow, what a whirlwind the past few days have been. Despite (or because of) everything going on, I was able to get out for a ride this afternoon. Looking through my mileage log, I noticed I am mountain biking further into the season than I've ever done before.

Wednesday evening, Maggie came in from Rochester to spend the night and meet up with Mom and Dad for the trip to Utica for Thanksgiving. She and I brewed with Chris. Thursday morning, we cleaned up from the brewing (which is always a mess) and played some Wii while waiting for Mom and Dad to arrive. They picked us up and we headed to Utica to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Riordans, which was a feasting fest. I typically only overeat once a year and it is always on Thanksgiving. My favorite dish this year was the candied yams. I think I am becoming a fan, but then again, anything you smoother in sugar and more sugar is probably going to turn out pretty delicious.

Friday morning Dad and I began the process of replacing a garage door. Note: if the printed instruction manual and the DVD instructions are not in synch, this could lead to having to redo a few steps... Maggie and Mom graciously helped out by cleaning things around the house, something that falls below biking on my priority list.

The demolition destined door.

First we dismantled the old, rotting door, which wasn't too much of a challenge. Next we framed in the opening for the new door (it is one foot shorter). Once this was completed we started assembling the new door. The printed instructions never instructed us to install the fourth panel and we moved on to installing the tracking... this required us to redo a few steps the next day. Friday, we were able to get the track installed and thought we only had a few hours of work to wrap things up.

Day one progress - the two step ladders were very handy for vertically challenged folk such as ourselves.

Saturday dawned cooler and we started to reevaluate our progress from the day before. We thought the track looked good and installed the fourth panel by taking apart the roller assembly. Once it was in, we removed the nails securing the panels and raised the door half-way to check for alignment. All seemed well but when we put it up all the way, the tracks were being forced out - way out. We realized we failed to make sure they were square to the door, which required us to redo the track hangers. The instructions told us to make sure the diagonals across the two hangers were equal but we failed to realize this didn't necessarily mean they were square. Once they were squared, the door worked fine and we installed the springs. I set about preparing to pour some concrete to repair the asphalt/concrete that was broken at the entrance. I promptly smashed my hand with the hammer and will likely have a pretty amazing bruise for quite a while. We ran short on concrete so Dad continued mixing while I went to get more - 240 pounds in the boot of Bonnie makes her ride a little harsher... In all it took 460 pounds of mix to fill in the hole I made to get to mostly solid subgrade.

Concrete poured, door aligned (for the most part - it is off 3/4" on one side) and working, sunlight gone and cold weather firmly settled in, we called it a day. Dad wanted to install some siding but we will wait for another time.

The evolution of the drill - chest drill on the right with a ~12" long 1/2 bit

Today I got up and installed the handles and picked up from the project. I used a chest drill my grandfather had in his workshop to drill the 1/2" hole required. Now I am truly thankful for the invention of the electric drill. This device took all my weight and what minimal arm strength I have to operate... I also needed to reinstall the sensor on my automatic door opener as it was being tripped by the bracing on the back of the door every time it closed. I guess it was a weekend for garage doors.

So with all of the projects (mostly) addressed, it was time to take advantage of the very unseasonably warm weather and get out for a ride. Like last weekend, I went to Green Lakes where I knew I wouldn't get shot. I got in about an hours worth of riding before the sun set and took away the 54 degree temps. Without cloud cover, once the sun goes down it gets chilly fast. I felt decent on the bike, more so than last weekend, and made fewer stops to take pictures, something I typically do to capture the moment and my breath. It was a bit muddier this week and my tires, again, were too inflated, leading to some "holy cow, I am glad I cleared that" moments. I managed to keep the rubber side down for the entire ride.

If this weather continues, I may be able to pass my second lowest season total.

One of many deer who call Green Lakes home - and creates the need to debate what should be done about them.

Tear it up!

Spring...

Fall

That's what a runner said to me as I met him on the only piece of single track I know of in Green Lakes State Park. Obviously, he didn't know me because I can't recall ever tearing up any trails I've ridden on... but I always enjoy myself. The weather didn't unfold as predicted - the sun came out just in time to go away - but by 1pm the temps were tickling the low 50s so I decided to get out for a ride.

At first, I thought of going for a long-ish mtb ride somewhere like Shindagin or Bear Swamp. But then I remembered shotgun season is open so, in the interest of self-preservation, I considered my safest options - a road ride or mtb'ing somewhere hunting is prohibited. Limited options are present for the latter and, despite toying with the idea of completing a ride around Otisco Lake, I opted for Green Lakes. It is close, closed to hunters, and offers some time on the dirt.

On my way to the park, I saw some flocks of birds doing the "dance" they do occasionally. I wished I'd been able to get closer but the few glimpses I was able to catch while driving were amazing. This video is more intense than what I saw but it was still really impressive.

Once on the trails, I saw more bikers than I've ever seen in one ride at the park. Many were on cyclocross bikes. The trails were a bit damp and the psi in my tires way to high, making some corners interesting. I rode the loop twice and, by the end, was well spent as I've not had many days on the bike this season. I did, however, pass my previous low for miles in a year... sad that that was a significant goal attained.

Why do it when you can over do it?

This past Sunday (unintentionally) I set out to see how long one can function on a fig cookie, pumpkin bread, and a few ounces of soda... but more on that later.

Before

After - the fine work of JB Collision

Friday morning, after picking up a repaired Bonnie, I set off for Virginia to attend the wedding of two friends I made while at VT for grad school. I got into Alexandria just in time to enjoy a Cajun Chipotle Panini from Nickels and Schefflers on King Street. I used to eat one of these a week when I was at VT and began fantasizing about this sandwich at 8am when I got on the road... I think the owners thought I was a little off but humored me when I told them my story. I spent some time reconnecting with a couple of my former professors before taking the Metro into DC to meet up with a friend for dinner at the Black Squirrel. I miss having my car be an option and not a necessity...

On the way, I briefly got to see the new bike shelter at Union Station (sorry, no pictures) which seemed to be being put to good use. En route to the restaurant, the bus we were riding cut the corner too close and clipped an SUV. The driver of the SUV must not have been too concerned because, after looking at the damage and giving the bus driver a few choice words, she drove off. We spent a good deal of time catching up on the events of the past two years and consumed a few more good beers so I got on the road to Westmoreland State Park later than anticipated...

The next day dawned cool and rainy, not what I'd hoped to hear as I had planned to get some riding in before the ceremony. Instead, I helped prepare decorations for the afternoon's festivities - let's just say it is a good thing I don't do that for a living because I'd probably starve... The rain cleared off and temps rose slightly for the outdoor ceremony. Ben's mother's family is from Ecuador and Rita's family is from Bolivia so it was a bi-lingual wedding. While I recognize a few words of Spanish here and there, much of what was said was not understood by me. What was understood, though, was the emotion. I'd never experienced being in a situation where I didn't speak the language but could feel the words through the emotion expressed. It was an amazing experience and there was a lot of love in that room. From my personal history, I've been very wedding averse but this one inspired me to reexamine my own life and renewed hope.

After park regulations forced a shutdown of the reception, we moved a copious amount of alcohol to the after party. By 2am we'd only kicked the pony keg of Blue Moon... there was still a keg of Yuengling to go. I decided to bow out at this point due to the 8 hour drive ahead of me the next day. The hardier kept going until 4:30.

I met up with folks briefly in the morning before heading out to meet up with some more friends in Alexandria. I first stopped by the George Washington Birthplace National Monument. I would have liked to stay longer but was able to walk around some of the property but I am glad to see what I did. I made it to Alexandria and met up with my friends and their family for a while. There was a lot of catching up to do and not enough time to do it all so I hope we get together again in a few weeks during Thanksgiving.

Now back to the limitations of a sleep deprived and poorly nourished body... It was mid 70s and sunny, conditions I am unlikely to see again for countless months. So despite the impact it would leave on my drive back to Syracuse and physical capacities of my body, I decided to ride at Schaeffer Farms. I really enjoyed riding here while at VT so it was great to have this opportunity again. As for my physical state, I really think that I should explore this scenario more often - I felt great! The major limiting factor was my stamina due to lack of riding this season, not my current state. I actually felt like I could ride for much longer than the one hour I did my best to keep it to. I didn't want to get on the road too late for what I thought was a 4.5 hour drive (it turned out to be six...). But it was worth the tired Monday for the way a great weekend was culminated. Why do it when you can over do it, right? I suppose someday I will attain better time management and balancing skills but for now, I'll just keep plugging away. Sitting in a car for six hours after biking is not the best plan, nor is eating the way I did, but I survived and had a great time. The ride put me within 5 miles of being able to surpass my all-time season low total. A weak goal, but one I hope to accomplish before the snow comes back for good this year.

How connected are we really?

It seems I have traded the brain numbing television for the virtual life of a thread stalker.

It's 9:30pm and just realized I've spent nearly all of the past 12 hours in front of a computer. And I do this at least five days a week. During working hours, I am required to be on this thing, typing away to be productive - at least in a way that is socially acceptable in our culture. Afterward, I come home and spend the majority of the evening surfing the web, scouring the myriad of social networking sites for what I've missed in the lives of friends and acquaintances. Is this necessary? Wouldn't I be more connected to them if I unplugged myself and picked up the phone or wrote a letter? Are we diluting ourselves to 0s and 1s in an effort to remain connected all the while losing greater touch with our immediate reality? I can't get back the time I've spent this evening finding out that someone I know baked cookies...

Is it really necessary to share with my friends that I made beer on Saturday? Should I have used that time to go riding instead of working and brewing, most of which the time was spent being sucked into the interweb?

Judging by this post, the answer is a resounding yes.

Summer in November

Since Saturday, we've been enjoying unseasonably warm weather. Almost as warm as our past summer... While I wasn't able to get out for any recreational riding, which is a major bummer, I did some commuting today. It reaffirmed my belief that getting around town on a bike can be as quick as, or quicker than, getting around by car. I left the same location as two co-workers who were in a car and made it back to work, locked up my bike, and was at my desk before they got back. This scenario improved my health, relieved some stress, reduced my impact on the planet, and gave me more time in the office.

Evidence of a former life

My undergrad is in landscape architecture and for a while I helped to redesign streetscapes in PA. A friend of mine found this one on Google Street View in Spring City, PA. If you turn 180 degrees from the starting position, you can see what it looked like before. I always find it amazing to see things I worked on built. It is powerful, the stroke of a pen - draw carefully.

My Halloween Trick

No riding even though the weather was pretty decent for part of the weekend. Instead, Bonnie gets a trip to the repair shop after someone in a hurry backed into her. Thankfully, she came by later to say she was sorry and square up on the insurance information.

Out of key

I am playing in an orchestra but I don't know the composition.

I think I do, I want to believe I do; sometimes I can almost hear it before it begins to play.

These fleeting moments fade rapidly away into the din of the day.

I look for the conductor but the bright lights blind me.

I am forced to play my own ensemble.

Those who surround me seem to play in melodic harmony with each other, effortlessly following those who lead.

Why can't I? What's keeping me so out of tune, out of synch?

I try to anticipate the next notes.

Sometimes I am spot on but these moments are frustratingly very few and far between.

Usually my effort is premature or way too late.

Try as I might, I can't feel this music.

I want to.

I need to.

It eludes me.

This saddens me.

I keep trying but with each passing note, my hope drifts away.

The harder I play, I think, the more likely I am to find my place, my rhythm, my piece.

I know this is foolish.

When will I learn? I wonder daily.

Probably when it is too late, long after the music stops.

In the end, I am alone in the concert hall.

Dust settles in the room

Each particle caught in the currents of air created by the wake of depture

Lit by the stage lights, reflecting up the bright lights that shine down.

There is no crowd to please,

No conductor to follow,

No fellow musicians.

No, it is as it was when this all started.

one, alone.

It is not how I want it to be but, it seems, how it needs to be.

Slaterville 100

Yesterday I attempted a metric century, which is 62.5 miles. This wouldn't have been an issue if it had been an all-pavement and road bike endeavor. Well, maybe that's not entirely true. I am still fighting a lingering cough from the cold a few weeks back and I am way down on my mileage this year. Whatever the excuses, I finished half of the Slaterville 100, which was a mix of pavement and seasonal use (gravel/dirt) roads. It was organized by Cayuga Ski and Cycle and was a very challenging course. A group of riders on everything from cyclocross bikes to fixies met at the Brooktondale Market for a 10am roll-out. There were cue sheets with a good map and elevation profile distributed. Right out of the parking lot there was a steep climb and I began to question my ability to complete the ride in total. My initial plan was to ride the first half and evaluate my condition to continue or call it a day.

The group quickly divided into a front and rear pack with a few folks in between - including myself. After the first climb I realized I wasn't in the condition to keep up with the front group and would probably be riding by myself for the day. That was ok as it is how I am most used to riding. A cold wind (it was in the upper 40s) cut through my clothing so I appreciated the climbs to keep warm and didn't stop for many pictures although the fall scenery in the southern tier was brilliant. We wound our way through an area around Route 79 surrounding Slaterville. While the ride was advertised as 90% dirt roads, this wasn't necessarily the case, which at points was frustrating but still ok. The ride was very well marked (only missed one turn and was able to easily reconnect with the route).

About 20 miles into the ride we encountered Beam Hill. Let's talk a bit about Beam Hill. This is no ordinary hill. No, Beam Hill is a grueling, punishing, hold you down and kick you again, hill. I enjoy climbing. I prefer climbing to going downhill. I know, this is probably a sadistic, masochistic condition. I enjoy the challenge, the taste of blood in the mouth as you push the body a little past the physical edge, the split second decisions needed to pick the right line, the sense of accomplishment that comes when you hit the top and spin out a little to let the burn subside in the quads. Well, let's just say Beam Hill might have rewarded some with that but not me. I knew this was going to be a grandpappy of climbs before we hit it because earlier this summer I tried to drive my brother's car up it and, well, had to back down it because it was too steep and rocky. On a bike, I was ok on the climb through the paved section - I was going slow but making progress. Kind of a "slow and steady wins the race" situation. The paved section gradually kicks up, increasing in steepness until the road changes to gravel. At this point, I knew things were going to be ugly. I dismounted and started pushing. I thought of all the riders in Race Across the Sky that did this. Here I was in my own Leadville doing the same. Well, that climb just kept going. There was a false summit where I remounted only to be kicked off again. I stopped about halfway up this second section to refill my water bottle when I was passed by three people RIDING up this beast. I was humbled and amazed. Cheers to you, brave souls. I stopped to take advantage of the generous food drops by the folks from Cayuga Ski and Cycle - a gu shot never tasted so good. It is amazing, however, how quickly you descend the 700' of climbing you hoofed up.

The ride continued to undulate, climbing back up through Hammond Hill. I hear this is a place to ride but the trails we were on were a muddy mess. Some had no clear passage around so through it was. It was at this point that my feet got soaked. By now, my quads were spent from the climbing - I was using my granny gear on just about every uphill and I am typically a middle ring rider so I knew I was beginning to fade. I also was finding my nutrition - dark chocolate Snickers, Gatorade and Pepsi - to be insufficient for keeping me powered up. After descending out of Hammond Hill - a bit squirrelly on gravel and leaf covered roads with mtb tires at 40psi - I took a hard look at the situation. Still 35 miles of riding to go, at least the same amount, if not more, of climbing, and a cut off 5 for decent light. Time to pull the plug on this adventure. I rode along 79 back to the car. I counted a dozen cars still in the parking lot so I think I was one of the first to do just half of the course. I am saving the route and cue sheet - I will revisit this course, more prepared and with the intention of completing the whole deal.

It was fun, tiring and worth every moment.

Evil Temptress

Stumbled on this tonight. After a crazy week at work, I might just be crazy enough to try it. Sunday's supposed to be sunny but the word on the street is this is full of steep climbs. I skipped out on last weekend's cyclocross race and this isn't a race so the only thing I'll be working against is sunlight...

Just came across this article. Probably should employ some of the "letting people know" measures since I do 99% of my riding solo...

Through the seasons

Spring 2009

Summer 2009

Fall 2009

Today was another great fall day. After a busy week at work, and another one on the horizon, I decided to for a lackadaisical, short ride. I took the opportunity to revisit a spot where I've taken a photo in the previous two seasons. Although the sun shone brightly, the brisk air and slight breeze took my breath away until I acclimated. Starting at Onondaga Lake Park, I rode north to 370 and then about halfway to B'ville. Certainly wasn't out to set any speed records but just to enjoy the day. Another smell of fall, burning leaves, faintly hung in the air. A half dozen or so friendly cyclists passed in the other direction.

I passed by the site of the Syracuse Cyclocross Grand Prix I briefly thought about entering but didn't for a number of reasons. For some reason, I missed out on the cyclocross races in Rochester but I will some day try my luck at cyclocross racing, even if it is on a mountain bike.

Fall Ridin'

Fall is one of my favorite seasons to ride in - crisp air, beautiful colors, the crunch and rush of leaves under your tires, the way late afternoon sun makes everything glow. Yesterday after some work around their house, Kevin and I took to the trails at Ontario County Park. The crew from GROC has been doing a great job cutting new single track so it was great to experience their handiwork again.

I've been under the weather lately. Couple that with very little riding time at all this season so I was in no shape to rip things up. Kevin says this allows him to keep up with me more but I think he underestimates his potential. Now that his bike has a new BB7 rear brake, he should be ready to take it to the next level.

We started out on some of the easier trails that comprised the Hard Core 24 course. I was very glad for the trees because up on Gannett Hill, the air was a touch beyond crisp - more like biting. I actually longed for uphills to keep the fire burning - extended downhills brought on a chill. We explored some moderately difficult trails (according to their posted rating) and then finished things up on the most difficult trails. Wound up getting turned around at one point - need a map next time - but made our way back to the car in time for a cool sunset and purchase of grape pie from a roadside stand. This was my first grape pie experience - it tastes like a mix of grape jelly and grape juice.

It was great to have someone to ride with again.

Race Across the Sky

Check this out - a documentary about the 2009 Leadville 100. Can't wait to see it on Oct. 22. It is a one day only event so find a viewing near you.

Looking Back

A few years ago I was in Paris for the start of the Paris-Nice race and got to see the prologue. I stumbled upon the Discovery team bus and a crowd around Lance as he warmed up. It was a cool day not all that unlike today.

So soon?

After a prolonged absence from from single track, I got out for what might be one of the last mountain bike rides of the season on Friday. I took things slow as I was recuperating from a late night that ended too early and involved one too many tasty libations from Empire Brewery. This slower pace allowed me to enjoy more of the scenery than I typically do - I noticed a few "new" stone foundations and a very cool mushroom colony feasting on a stump. By the end of the ride I had ridden out of the haze and managed a spirited climb and descent so all was not lost. I am hoping for a few more days on dirt but with rain forecast for the remainder of the week, things will have to dry out or freeze for it to be ethical to do so.

Another thing to add to the list

Possibly the first ambitious creation I will fabricate once I learn to weld...

Bike and Art

A cool looking bike and art exhibition.

Follow up and fall out

An appropriate follow up to my post of the article from Slate on the need for more bicycle parking can be found here. In DC, they are building a bike storage and service facility outside Union Station. An interesting design that sort of mimics the canopies being placed over the Metro stop entrances.

In other areas of interest, I went for my first bike "ride" in a long time yesterday. I was supposed to get a lift downtown for a meeting but received a call saying it wasn't going to work out. It has been incredibly beautiful and I was pinched for time so I jumped on my road bike. Man, did my body react - knees started hurting, back started spasming. Oh, what a few weeks off and a change in physical exercise routine will do. I am looking forward to a weekend of canoeing and then some mileage next week with my brother to ease back into things. There's talk of circumnavigating Seneca Lake, somewhere in the ball park of 75 miles round trip I believe.

Fragments

This weekend I intended to grind my way through the Suicide 6 at Harriet Hollister. Due to a number of reasons (excuses?) I did not - and so ends another summer season of mountain bike racing with only one event and no forays into some of the endurance challenges. Ah, well, maybe next year.

Things have been a bit hectic, part of what contributed to my foregoing the race today. I haven't had a chance (or made the time) to get out for a ride, resulting in too many incomplete thoughts and partially formed hypotheses banging around in my melon. It seems that without a brain bucket to keep them in, I lose focus on these, which prevents me from moving on to more productive places. This weekend I will be spending some time canoeing in Algonquin Provincial Park with friends. Maybe this will present the opportunity for some lucidity to my current cadre of thoughts amidst the call of loons and reflections of northern lights.

Slate - bike centric?

I am starting to become a fan of Slate. A friend of mine sent me this article recently, which follows on the heals of my post about an article in Slate on bike parking.

Bike Parking

Living in a place where my only option to lock up is most often a sign post, this article is something officials in all US cities should read.

Here from there from here

Today I ascended into a place I have looked at since I was a kid and still do every day.

Where many members of my family were married.

Where my mom was baptized.

Where my mom played the organ at age fourteen.

Where my grandmother served her time in purgatory cleaning the sanctuary.

Where my grandparents' lives were celebrated.

Where pigeons go to die a slow death amongst others like them who could get in but not out.

Where others have gone before us and left there mark - who is Harry Stacey?

Where pulling of ropes and material sound has been replaced by the push of a button and pulse of electricity.

I witnessed the transformation of these towers from blue to a copper patina and now, I hope, they are witnessing the transformation of the neighborhood they have looked over since 1845, when building meant building forever.

Fight Club and other random bits

A friend of mine recently recommended I allot a portion of my freetime to watch Fight Club - ok, it really was over a month ago but who's counting. This is a movie I've seen bits and pieces of over the years but never really thought it was something I could get into but I thought I'd give it a try. Let me just say I should really have watched this movie much sooner. I am pretty fried right now from two 90 degree, 95 percent humidity days in the sun to get into my observations about this movie but I'll set the stage with these lines/concepts:

"losing all hope was freedom"

"single serving friend"

If I don't follow up, let me know because I really should.

In a separate vein, since ten years have passed since I spent a summer living on the Isle of Portland in England, I've been reading through the journal I kept while I was there. Something that amazes me about this look back is how much I've grown in many ways and how much I've not, or even digressed. Sort of encouraging but also scary. Makes me want to start doing all of the things I say I need to do to change things but haven't made the effort to do so because it requires me to step outside the lines I've drawn. Maybe it is time for an eraser? Or at least a bigger canvas...

And because I am completely delirious at this point, I am posting this random picture I took this weekend of two silos made of different materials, concrete and clay...

Art and bikes - or - Bikes and art

A friend of mine sent this to me a while ago and I've been meaning to post it. I think this is a cool project, mixing art and bikes.

Back

Been away for a while due to an electrical problem at my house that fried my modem. Seems electronic devices designed for 110 don't play well with 220... go figure.

Anyway, I am reloaded into the interweb now and thought I'd share a few things. First, this video seems to be making the rounds. I find it entertaining.

Also, this week I went on an impromptu bike ride with some of my friends from work. It was 5:15 and someone said "Hey, let's go for a ride today." 'nough said. We started out a committed group of four but dwindled to three. We each had different rides (road, hybrid, fixie) and decided on the Tour de Northside. Rode the streets to a number of different parks, none of which I'd ever visited. We started first at Schiller, then meandered over to Lincoln and finished at Sunny Crest. Now most of the parks are built on high points in the city, probably because they were to difficult to build residential housing on, but maybe there is some other reasoning. Schiller has a great view of downtown and the university. (I didn't bring my camera which is unfortunate but next time.) Lincoln looks more easterly. Sunny Crest is a south easterly view (likely the reasoning behind the name). There is a golf course in the park, bringing the number of golf courses in Syracuse's parks system (that I know about) to two. While I support recreation, this seems a bit high in time of fiscal constraints for the city. But I digress - if there were two mountain bike parks, I wouldn't be making the same observation...

It was a great relaxing ride. I got to try the fixie, which was fun, and mayhaps planted the seed for this winter's bike project...

Check, Check, 1-2-3

Circumnavigate Cayuga Lake, the longest of the Finger Lakes, on a bike - check.

Complete first century ride - check.

See Mom happy as a kid on her new bike - check.

Decompress after a long week at work - check.

Discover Snickers makes a dark chocolate version of their beloved candy bar, which saved me in the last 20 miles - check.

Forget to wear sunscreen and receive a burn - check.

Avoid a flat - check.

Out sprint a charging dog 60 miles in - check.

Wave to every other cyclist I saw - check.

Have a great time - check.

Today I completed two major life goals - to ride my bike around Cayuga Lake and to complete a century ride. It was a pretty long and strenuous week at work so when I woke up this morning and saw the forecast for a perfect day to bike, I thought "What the heck, let's give this thing a go." I googled a route and this MapMyRide website came up. My route differed only slightly, with a detour to say hi to Mom and Dad and a number of stops to stuff food in my face (which I didn't bring enough of...). The highlights of the day included stopping by to see Mom and Dad - Mom was acting like a little kid on her new bike; outsprinting a charging unleashed dog at around mile sixty - I think he was old and out of shape, kind of like the rider he was chasing down; and avoiding the dreaded bonk at mile 80 by purchasing a Dark Chocolate Snickers bar even though it cost me the same as what two regular Snickers had earlier in the day - highway robbery comes to mind.

I chose to start in Ithaca because I thought it would get most of the big climbs out of the way early in the ride. This was true for the most part but 34B drops into Lansing and then climbs f-0-r-e-v-e-r out until the right onto Sheldon Road. That climb about did me in... I made a big effort to try to drink frequently (every 10 to 15 minutes) and eat something every 45 minutes or so. Toward the end, the drinking fell off but the food intake picked up. I consumed two Snickers, a Power Bar, a Gu gel, two and a half water bottles of Gatorade and 3/4 a liter of Pepsi. I am finding caffeine to be a real boost to my ability for finishing the longer rides I've done this year. This is probably some form of cheating but I'm going to go with it for now.

It was a very picturesque ride although my camera batteries died so I didn't bring it with me. Next time. 

All told, it was 6 hours and 40 minutes of riding for just over 102 miles, averaging 15.3 miles an hour. I was averaging up in the 17mph range but fell off with the climbing at the end.  This puts me over 500 miles for the season, well off last year's pace but I've been pretty busy during the week and there isn't a trail out my front door like there was in Rochester...

Mom's New Bike

The folks at Geneva Bicycle Center set Mom up with one of these today. She tried out three bikes and this one was the best fit. They took the time to help set her up by adjusting handlebars and other components to get it right for her - another example of why this shop remains at the top of my list. All shops should do this but many don't when someone comes in who is outside the cycle-centric world. This is a real put-off in my opinion and does nothing to foster an appreciation for cycling. Kudos to you, GBC, and your exceptional staff.

2009 Highland Forest Classic recap AKA Mudfest 2009

I knew it wasn't going to be good when I awoke early on Sunday to the sound of rain and thunder claps. Highland is wet even in the driest of summers. Ah, well, it is about the experience, right? And when I was a kid, the more mud the better.

I got a later start than I hoped but made it to Highland in record time. Picked up my race number and pint glass with ten minutes to spare, I was told. Ten minutes turned into twenty and drizzle turned into downpour. I slurped down a double expresso Gu (bad idea in some respects, good in others) and lined up with the other Sport 30-39 races when it was our turn. The race started up hill and, well, they don't call it mountain biking for nothing. Since I wasn't out to win this thing, I hung with the pack as long as I felt comfortable and then settled into my rhythm. I passed a few riders on the first climb, one or two passing me back on the downhill. This went on until we all found our paces and settled into the muddy groove. The course is in and out of single and double track so there are plenty of places to pass. 

With the rain and mud, I thought my riding glasses would be clutch. Wrong. The grinding uphills caused them to fog and the desire to keep things upright meant I went too slowly on the downhills for them to defog. One quarter of the way through the first lap, I decided it was better to risk mud in the eye to see for most of the time than to not be able to see through foggy, mud-flecked, and rain-speckled glasses. I am grateful for my (nearly) perfect eyesight because some riders who need glasses to see did not have this option.

Can we talk about the mud for a second? Last year, I raced the Raccoon Rally, which was also  a mud fest. But the mud there was different. It was mainly slick and greasy, allowing you to go (sometimes dangerously) fast. Not so with Highland. Here, the mud was in places slick and fast but for the most part it was like riding through quagmire. My tires stuck to the mud like a fly to the fly-paper in a greasy spoon diner. This would be fine except that the greasy spots were on the downhills and the fly paper spots on the flats and uphills. Go figure, right? Fortunately, I managed to keep things rubber side down the entire race (thanks to the pre-ride last week) with only a few miscues into the bushes. 

The first lap things weren't too chewed up yet so I came through in just over 45 minutes, not too bad and would have placed me first or second in the beginner class. At the start of the second lap, I decided to skip the second caffeine laced Gu shot and grind it out on the jitters from the first. Also, the trail was being pulverized into mud mousse so I decided to see what luck I would have with the glasses. I felt a little more confident on the downhills so they stayed a bit clearer and saved my eyes from shots of muck. I passed a few riders who had mechanical issues (mud wreaks havoc on a drivetrain) and felt pretty decent. I kept an eye on the clock on my computer and noticed my time was slowing down, mainly due to the trail conditions. Ah, well, I was still having fun. I rolled through the second and final lap to a small, drenched but much less muddy crowd of spectators to finish in 1 hour and 37 minutes. A few minutes later, the leader of the Expert class finished - three laps in the time it took me to do two... I guess that's why they call it the expert class. I was thinking about entering that just so I could do three laps but am glad I didn't. 

Overall, I am satisfied with the time. It is very close to what it took me to do two laps during the pre-ride last week which I feel means that had the conditions been better, I would have ridden a much faster time. Next year maybe.

So all in all, a muddy, fun event. I am glad I pre-registered because I (a) got a sweet new pint glass out of the deal and (b) didn't have to worry about being late. I wish I had some pictures because my bike and I were a mess. So much so that when I went to return my race number for the deposit, the folks taking them laughed at me. In my post race haze, I looked around at first to see what they were laughing at only to realize it was me. "You are the muddiest we've seen yet." It seems other racers were using the hose to clean themselves and their bikes. I chose only the bike. 

I noticed the Farmall race series is starting this week in Rochester. Bummer I am going to miss this, it is a fun one. I'll just have to find something else around here although there seem to be pretty slim pick'ns, just like the wares at the local bike shops. Do I really have to go to three shops to find cleats and shoes? Well, yes, yes I do. Ah, well, that is the price I have to accept to keep myself in good working order. 

Maybe I'll try a six hour race next, just to keep things interesting.

Something lighter

I came across this song in a KEXP podcast yesterday when I was running. The video could be more velo-centric but at least I was able to find the song. Enjoy it for what it is...

Cross training - a good idea?

There's been a lot going on lately as evidenced by the past few posts. Reflecting a little more on my reaction to down time, I realized today that I deal with the anxiety of idle time that leads to an over active mind by being active. It helps to channel some of the idle energy into something productive while the rest is used to assemble my thoughts in a constructive way. To that end, I decided to go for a run today. Attempting some cross training 5 days before the first mountain bike race of the season is probably not the wisest of moves but I never claimed to always follow logic... I spent 50 minutes running the trails at Green Lakes and felt fairly well, even good at points. By the end, I was hobbling a bit as my knees were screaming at me to stop but I chugged my way up hills and loped my way down them without pausing for a breather. Even passed a mountain biker who was struggling through a particularly root-filled section of trail. 

I am not sure how far I ran but in 50 minutes, I estimate it was about 5-6 miles. Not bad for the first run of the season. We'll see in a few days if this was such a good idea.

Fleeting Moment

I never saw you coming even though I was looking for you. Others did, even warned me, but I couldn't get out of the way. Or didn't want to. Like an tornado, you touched down on the plain of my life in an instant, ripping through me fast and furious. I took the risk and stood there, enjoying the lightning fast moments, the whirling, the spinning, the rush of being alive and yet so close to my definition of death. In this event horizon moment, I stood waiting, deciding, thinking, trying to determine if the risk was too great. Fall in and who knows what happens? Do I spin up with the others you've collected, whipped around and still enjoying the ride, perhaps oblivious to whatever else is happening? It is not your fault. Or do I resist the pull, like the lone brick chimney of a homestead house left standing after everything else has been rushed away? 

In the end, through no fault of your own, I do a little of both. I stretched myself between two worlds - the one I am comfortable in and the one I want to (or think I want to) be in. It was a rush, a fleeting moment of euphoria I typically only experience after a long ride. I allowed myself, with your help, to feel things I've not felt in over half a decade. So it still is possible, even when all seems lost, I muse. Funny, I thought that was long gone, buried under the rubble of past storms. Rubble I tried to sort through but have long since given up the effort. Maybe that's why this time I was more hesitant - looking back at those past messes makes one wonder if it is worth it. In the end, I think it is, even if some of the bricks in the chimney, including the ones at the base, are moved a little off-kilter. I will rebuild this time, pick up the pieces from the brief and exhilarating encounter, and wait for the next time. 

The next time. The next time when you, or one like you, draws near and sucks me in. It is unlikely I will learn to take cover in the storm cellar but I will probably be more careful about the F-level of the storm to which I choose to submit. This is a decision I will need to make respectfully without you because I don't think you can help it. When I look into those sky blue eyes, the depths of the ocean reflect so clearly one can't help but believe in your innocence. The depth of this blue existed in the tenuous calm before and now after, the latter something with which my previous experiences left me unfamiliar. Is this the acceptance I have struggled with in the past? Is it growth? Am I learning to swim? I don't believe it is indifference because I would like to hope apathy is yet nonexistent in my soul. 

In the end, I will bide my time and maybe the future forecast will be just as innocent, just as breathtaking, but less catastrophic. 

Elusive Balance

My google alert for Slow Cities delivered this article to my inbox today. It couldn't be more timely. These past few months I've felt/been more busy than I can ever remember. In some ways, I crave it - it provides, in a weird way, a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I frequently have looked at other people's lives and thought "Wow, they do a lot and really make the most of their time - but how?" I have wondered why I can't seem to eek as much out of my days as they can and sometimes feel I should be doing more. Yeah, I've been really busy before but there always is an end in sight - end of the semester, project at work will wrap up and there isn't another one due for a while, etc. It isn't that I am not enjoying what is currently happening (for the most part) but it does make me think of some of the things that I do enjoy but are being lost in the shuffle, or worse. Are these costs really worth it? Or should am I to find a better way of creating the ever elusive balance of gray where the black and white crash together?

There are also points I find myself with nothing to do and, as the article highlights, this causes me great anxiety. "What, free time and nothing to do? Uh-oh, that means I am going to start thinking about things!" I usually escape (or is it avoid) this anxiety by going for a ride but there are moments when this is not possible - and my idle mind explores unsavory depths. It is a difficult balancing act to find the right amount of "up" time, be this professional or personal in nature, and "down" time where one can take stock of where things are at and where they want to be going. This is especially challenging when one (a) doesn't know how to do this well and (b) doesn't have a clear vision of where this crazy ride of life is headed. 

Strap on a helmet and get a full-suspension bike with a good granny gear because things are coming hard and fast with lots of rocks, roots, grinding climbs, and screaming downhill chutes. Try to keep it rubber side down but if you do take that risk and end up off trail or worse, pick things up, put the chain back on, clip in, and learn from that little journey over the edge cause your bound to find something similar down the trail in the future. 

Clearing the mind, soul and body - Recon-style

Yesterday I planned on pre-riding the course for the upcoming Highland Forest Classic only to be foiled by a flat tire on the car. This deflated, so to speak, my motivation for riding even though it was a beautiful day. Chris generously came into the city and hauled me around to fix the tire. But everything happens for a reason, right? 

In this case, I needed the ride today to defrag my brain. Lots of stuff's been going on and I needed the solo bike time. Funny thing is that just when I begin to lose my faith in things, people, generally speaking, surprise me. For instance, even though I was feeling particularly anti-social today, just about everyone I saw in the parking lot stopped by the car to ask me a question or just said hello and enjoy your ride. One was a fellow MINI owner who informed me he could get his road bike with the rear wheel on in the back of the Clubman.

Once on the trail, I cranked Big Whiskey and rode hard. It felt really good even though the trails were a mess and I spent a good deal of time guessing where the race route went. Eventually I figured out to follow the red surveyors tape and things went smoother. I bombed through sections that typically on a first ride I would have taken much slower. It was kind of a nothing to lose ride, which usually result in fast times and cleaning sections that I typically would walk. The race should be interesting as there are some seriously muddy sections that will likely not be any drier next Sunday. I rode two laps, just like the race will be, and finished the 13.5 miles in just over an hour and a half.

Once back at the car, the civility continued as someone in charge of the race stopped me to ask what I thought of the course. I didn't tell him I thought some of the sections were going to be erosion nightmares but I did say that overall it was a good course with a decent mix of flow and technical trail. I spent the rest of the day cleaning the bike and taking an inventory of things I need to do to get ready, including buying new cleats for my shoes. I was unclipping in sections where I really didn't want to be doing so.

I am looking forward to my first race of the 2009 season. I am feeling confident and pretty fit (relatively speaking), especially since this morning's ride was with no breakfast and a slight hangover. Maybe it was the liquid carbs that kept me going strong today.

Seeing is believing

Not something I thought I would ever see but am ecstatic it happened - Mom on a bike!

Economic Development, MTB Style

As I have the Tour de France on in the background (which was started as an economic development tool) it seems appropriate that I provide a rough estimate of what was spent on the Kingdom Trails trip by my brother and I. Between the campsite, day passes, food and gas, we spent just over $215. 

Great Trails & Company but questionable food...

I find it hard to believe that this time last week I was a little over half way to Brighton State Park in Vermont for a few days of riding at Kingdom Trails with my brother. Where does the time go? 

The time in Vermont was spun away on 50 miles of riding. We rode many of the trails from the first time we were there in 2005 on the first day, including one of our favorites Moose Alley. It was more wet than I thought it would be but not so bad that it was a greasy mess. I managed to do all of my falling of the trip in the first 20 minutes so I was glad to get that out of the way with little damage. 

I felt a bit weary from my post-midnight arrival after 6+ hours of driving. This took a toll on my riding energy level but some food, caffeine, and encouragement of having someone to ride with kept me pushing through the energy lull. We rode quite a bit the first day, especially for my brother who hadn't mountain biked more than 3 miles this season. We explored the western portion of the trail system around Darling Hill before lunch and then worked our way over to Burke Mountain. Here we climbed about halfway up the mountain. I thought it would be fun to try and ride up to the top via the toll road the next day but we decided our time would be better spent riding the single track KT is known for. It would have been a great deal of climbing, starting out at around 850' and topping at about 3,200'. Next time maybe. 

We both were fantasizing about pizza all day so we ordered one for dinner and took it back to the campsite. This was a sharp contrast to the two year old oatmeal we ate for breakfast... We fended off the voracious mosquitos by eating in the car. 

Day two began damp after a night of rain, making us question whether the riding would be acceptable. Turns out the 90% chance of rain was for the early morning hours because by the time we hit the trails, the sun was out and it was warming up quite well. The parking lot was pretty busy and we were a part of a long string of riders heading out for the day when we left. However, with 100 miles of trail, riders get spread out pretty easily. We saw only a handful of riders when we were out on the trails. 

We rode on the trails east of Darling Hill - the trails on Burke Mountain were closed after a night of heavy rain. We found some double black diamonds to try and master as well as some really fun trails with great flow. One trail was prepared to be closed for a wedding later in the day but we were able to ride before the ceremony. Vermont's "gold" extraction was evident in the forest with the tubing running through sugar maple stands and to a sugar shack. 

After a break for lunch - which included some muenster cheese we bought in the morning but discovered was 6 months beyond its sell by date - we continued riding along the area around the east branch of the Passumpsic River. We took a trip down a trail they had just cut when we rode there in '05. It was really broken in now, perhaps too much and in need of a re-route - it was pretty well eroded and covered with very slick clay, all adjacent to a very steep drop. We rode the River Wood trail twice due to its fun factor. 

After a stop for some fuel (ice cream) we set out for the Darling Hill area after deciding a ride to the top of Burke Mountain would not be an efficient use of our time. The staff at the KTA headquarters said we could ride to the top but "why would you want to?" We rode out to Tap & Die and Tody's Tour, two trails we probably would have ridden a lot more were we not both at the end of our energy levels for the day. Excellent flow and brilliant use of terrain. 

Dinner (chili) was eaten in the car again. Being completely exhausted after two days of riding, we both were asleep early but up early and packed to be on the road at a decent time. Although only a few of the trails at KT are what I would consider noteworthy, the collection of trails and endless loops one can create makes the trip to the Northeast Kingdom worthwhile. 

I think my form might be suitable enough to try out the Highland Forest Classic next weekend.