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. 

Kingdom Trails, Cliff Notes Version

Two days, 100+ miles of single track (we rode 50 of 'em), a great riding partner, sunny skies (for the most part), Northeast Kingdom of the Green Mountain state -- ahh, Kingdom Trails.

More detailed recap to come later.

Can mountain biking be a source of economic development?

Probably not if you are marketing solely to those frugal/shoestring types like me... 

Since I am going to be doing some destination riding for these next few weeks, I thought I'd keep a loose tab on what I spend.

For the Prompton Dam trip:

• Bagels - $2.59
• Pizza, drink, tip - $5.90
• Tent site - $18
• Gas - $24.13
• Sub(way) - $5.29

Total: $51.19

Prompton Dam, first time

Ok, as promised, a more reader friendly recap from this past weekend's riding. I really do like that I can take notes on the iPod because I spend a lot of time thinking when I'm riding so it allows me to capture these thoughts - or at least the ones I want to share. 

All total, I spent just shy of 6 hours riding about 31 challenging, rocky miles. It was a great time but it was a real wake up call to be riding in PA again. At first there were lots of fits and starts, plenty of dabbing, and not always keeping rubber side down (not a good thing when the sides of the trail are covered with poison ivy). After a while, I remembered the need for lots of body english and that the correct amount of speed/momentum works in your favor. 

Day one was short lived as I got a very late start and late afternoon t-storms rolled in. I stopped in Honesdale to check out the town and grab some supplies. I stopped at a Super Duper, a grocery store that I thought went out of business in the late 80s. I was glad to see this one alive and well. I spotted a sign for Ponderosa Pines Campground and decided this would probably be my best bet for affordable accommodations. It was affordable but the site was small and very wet. I found a spot somewhat suitable for the tent and set it up before heading back to Prompton Dam for a quick ride. It was overcast but I didn't think there was much danger of a storm as it wasn't too warm or humid. I headed out across the dam and up Hemlock Trail. About halfway through the Bone Ridge Trail, I heard thunder in the distance. Time to head back - fortunately it was mostly downhill. I got back to the car just as it really started to come down. 

Returned to the campground to be greeted by dueling radios and loud folks. Fortunately a second and third set of storms came through to drown out the racket - am I getting old and intolerant already? I went to bed early, waking up to sunlight and crystal clear skies. After taking down the tent and repacking the car, I rolled out for what promised to be a great day of riding. 

For Day 2, I headed north along the west side of Prompton Lake along the West Shore Trail. At the end, I came upon a model airplane landing are where there was a guy flying a model helicopter. Interesting but I hoped he knew what he was doing and didn't crash it into me.

Next I headed along the east side of the lake and up into the Cliff, Sidewinder, Blueberry, and Pine Creek trails. There I met Scott, a rider from the Scranton/Moscow area who offered to lead me through the maze of trails when he noticed me studying the map. No one has ever done this before (we solo mtb'ers tend to be just that - solo) but I thought it would be in my favor - ride more, look at paper less. I rode in tow for a while before we parted ways. I tried out the aptly Cliff Trail - one erroneous move could have been disastrous and, yes, there were points where I was a bit weak in the knees. Powered through though and kept it rubber side down in all the important sections of the trail. 

Next I explored along the East Shore, Sugar Shack, and Eagle Pass trails. These were pretty straight forward, not too much rock but lots of poison ivy and briars. There I crossed paths with "Lefty", a rider from the Saratoga Springs area who was visiting family near Prompton Dam. He said I should check out the Stables behind Skidmore College - supposed to be a good trail network. I started to fade shortly thereafter but ravaged a blueberry bush the birds had somehow missed. This got me back to the car where, for some odd reason, my appetite had disappeared. I was hungry but putting food in my mouth was not a pleasant experience. Weird but I managed to eat enough to feel ready to ride again. 

I headed back out across the dam to completed the trails I hadn't done earlier and ride around the lake in the opposite direction. I rode the Bone Ridge Trail again and schooled it for the most part - it was my second time through so I should hope so. The High Ledge Trail was fun and had some good flow. After a while, the angle of the sun indicated it was getting on in the day and I should be getting back to the car. I made it to the north end of the lake and headed back down the west side along the Orchard Trail. I really bought it on while trying to cross a fairly straight forward rock crossing. I guess I was starting to really fade as I crashed a couple of more times in places where the lines were pretty easy. Good thing I was almost done for the day. I did spot a family of raccoons coming out of the trees for a night of foraging. 

I made it back to the car and packed up for the trip back. After a slight detour through Carbondale due to US 6 being closed, I was on my way. I was intrigued by the series of wind turbines along the Moosic Mountain ridge - PA is an energy rich state. First wood, then coal, oil, natural gas, and now wind. Seeing the waste coal mounds in Carbondale with turbines in the background was an interesting juxtaposition for me. BTW, Scott informed me there is great riding at Moosic so next time I head down that way, I'll have to check it out. As it was, this time I wanted to check out the riding at Merli Sarnowski but it was a bit ambitious for this trip.

This weekend, I'm off to Kingdom Trails with the bro, something I am really looking forward to - I hope these past two weekends will have built up my stamina enough to keep up with him for a little while. 

Rough draft of Ipod post from PA

I discovered I can take notes on my Ipod Touch and used it on Saturday and Sunday to record my thoughts/observations while biking in PA. I promise a more refined version with pictures in the next few days.

So do bike tires have enough rubber to properly protect you in case of a lightening strike? This is a question to which I don't want to find out the answer through being the test subject. I guess I should have checked the weather more closely before setting out on my maiden voyage at Prompton Dam. Within 25 minutes of leaving the car, there was prominent thunder in the distance and I was struggling with the roots and rocks of PA trails. I forgot how much of a challlenge these conditions can be - it took the release of a few psi from each tire and a readjustment to my body position on the bike for me to get a bit more confident on the trails. Fortunately it was mostly downhill to the car and I made it back just before the first major downpour hit. The Bone Ridge trail could be a great ride although one small misjudgment could send you over the endge of a 10'+ drop to a nice soft landing onto the rocks below. I am wondering how my campsite us failing through the rain as it was already pretty wet before the storm even hit...

Today I got a much later start then I hoped to but I was able to fix the brakes on my bike and get my passport application filed. Upon arriving in the Prompton Dam area, I drove to Honesdale to check out the borough. It seems to have a nice intact downtown that looks to get a fair amount of tourist action from the likes of NYC an NJ. I shopped at a Super Duper, something I probably haven't done since it left Seneca Falls when I was a kid.

The tent seems to be ok. Good thing that I brought a book to pass the time while the trails dry out and the sun races around to catch us again. The trails got pretty difficult to see when the storm blew in. Some of my campground neighbors are playing loud music so I've decided to take refuge from bad pop music in the car and found an AM station carrying tonight's Red Sox/Royals game. Smoltz is pitching and I tuned in just as Ortiz hit his 12th homer of the season.

Thunderstorm number two for the day is almost enough to drown out the ruckus from the neighbors. It is sad to say this but I just saw my first firefly of the year even though they've probably been out for months now...

Sun's out and noisy neighbors are blaring music and yelling at their kids -- time to roll out and see how wet the trails are.

Lefty stables skidmore college
Scott Scranton moscow

Not very hungry but stopped for lunch at 2:45. Putting food in my mouth kind of triggers a gag reflex -- not sure why but to stave off a bonk and be able to ride some more, eating is sort of a foundational thing to do.

Prelunch totals: 13.79 miles, 24 max, 2.38.09 time, 5.2 average.

Racoons lots of spills

3x11 - sort of

Starting on my 33rd year,  things are looking pretty decent. I even got to ride my bike. This weekend hope to explore Prompton Dam and another PA biking locale. Need to change out the pads on my disc brakes first - stopping is somewhat important.

Here's to a great new year and the will to resist temptations.

The First Ride

Anticipation grows as I approach the entrance. After a few missed turns and a miscue on the directions, I am finally at Chenango Valley State Park. It is my first time visiting and I am banking on the stories I've heard about it being dry even in the wettest of times. 

Riding in a new place is kind of like a first date (for me at least) - lots of anticipation, knots in my gut, and much trepidation. I am hesitant to really put the hammer down on trails I don't know so I take it easy for the day. I decide early on to get to know the trails before showing my hand. If one word would describe today's time spent riding it would be lackadaisical. I spent almost seven hours at the park and my computer showed three hours and 40 minutes of ride time. This was good in some ways because I feel I have a good grasp on the trails but it also means that I really didn't ride as hard as I could have. But being that the park is an hour and a half away, I'll probably be back, especially when things get soggy here in the 'cuse. 

The trails were very PA-esque, with lots of rocks and some roots mixed in. Overall, there wasn't too much climbing and many of the trails can be mixed together for some interesting loops. I found the Rocky Ridge trail to be pretty interesting - up, down, right, left, roots, rocks - all the makings of some good challenges. The Gully Trail was the only place I decided to walk down due to the steep slope and rocky terrain. Probably could have made it but better safe than sorry when riding solo. I took a nice lunch break at the beach, enjoying the cheese sandwich from Mom and a Pepsi from the concession stand. 

I think my brake pads are getting thin so it is time for an overhaul. I spent Saturday morning cleaning my mountain bike from last weekend's swamp ride - that's probably what helped the pads wear out sooner although I am going on the third season with them...

Trying a new image viewing setup because of the volume of pictures I took.

All in all, a good weekend of riding - 70 plus miles total, 7 hours, no flats. I am going to need a few more of these to prepare for my trip to Kingdom Trails with my brother in a few weeks. 

TdF, TdOC

Tomorrow the Tour de France begins with a prologue in Monaco. In an effort to continue my route finding for an eventual bid to ride from Syracuse to Rochester, I thought I'd do a little stage riding of my own. Even if it will be only one stage...

I eventually did the above loop. I started out thinking I would only go as far as the 173 and 31 intersection but I felt pretty decent so I just kept going. I rode out to Cross Lake, where my grandmother's family had a camp when she was a child. I remember her telling stories of how she and her brothers would go hunting frogs and how one time she got stung on her legs really badly when she stepped on a log where bees were nesting. Her father put mud on her legs to help alleviate the pain from the stinging. I don't know where the camp was located but since I'd never been to Cross Lake, and I saw a sign for the Cross Lake Marina, I thought I'd see what I could see. Turns out, the road I was on doesn't really get too close to the lake so I didn't really see much of it... I stopped and asked directions from an elderly woman who ran what I think was a bait shop. When I asked her how to get to Cross Lake she responded "You're on it!" She was kind and gave me directions to both the marina and how to get to Baldwinsville. 

Cross Lake from Cross Lake Marina

What, no Pepsi? Ok, I guess I'll have to jeopardize my chances of being able to have children...

Upon arriving at the marina, I was glad to see a vending machine full of soda. Gatorade is getting kind of old so I wanted a quick pick-me-up and a change of flavors. I was really looking forward to Coke but the machine was Pepsi. No worries, that'll do... or should I say dew. They were out of Pepsi, I wasn't going to try the diet, so I had my first Dew since probably college. It certainly put the punch back in my pedal stroke but I think it'll be a while before I drink one again. 

Rothko, Onondaga County Series

I continued my Tour de Onondaga and Cayuga counties, heading east to Baldwinsville (no close encounters with crazy drivers this time) and then southeast to Liverpool and Onondaga Lake Park (Google Maps won't let me show that so it looks like I rode 370 the whole way). The parkway is still not a very pleasant place to ride, nor is the "bike trail" that I posted about before. 

All in all, it was a great ride - 50 miles in 3.5 hours. Not breakneck speed but a solid day. One of the more interesting things I saw was a older gentleman mowing his lawn on a riding tractor with his dog slowly plodding along behind him. We both waved. I ended the day by making a salad with some of the red and green leaf lettuce from the community garden, pears, peppers, and craisins to bring to the 3rd of July celebration at Otisco Lake. I had aspirations of riding out there too but decided against it due to the complications of trying to carry the food. Had a conversation with an ex-girlfriend - it sounds like she is doing well. At first it was a bit awkward but I knew this could happen going in to it.

Tomorrow I plan to try out Chenago Valley State Park. With all the rain we've been having, I hear it is one of the few places close by that is rideable no matter what.