Back at it...

Well, I got on the bike over the weekend.  Saturday saw a gingerly paced ride in PC up the Armstrong Trail.    I was attempting a couple of things...one, to ride and see how my neck felt and two, to ride the new Pinecone Trail to see where it goes.

I accomplished the first with more than satisfactory results.  My neck, albeit tender, felt ok....and things felt ok after the ride too...but I'm getting ahead of myself.  I started out later in the day than normal and prior to a planned night out (which didn't materialize after Friday nights debacle).  With rain assured but not known when, I started the ride outta the parking lot toward the trail head not really knowing how things were gonna turn out.

I took the climb easy and enjoyed however long I was gonna be riding...coulda been 5 minutes if my neck started flaring up.  I ended up passing each bail out with a feeling like, "I might actually make it".  I did make it to the top of the climb where Armstrong intersects the Mid Mountain...and that's when the rain started in earnest.  I continued on with the idea that I'd be riding down in the trees and wouldn't get too wet but the storm was a bit more strong than I anticipated and, before long, I was riding in a river of water down the centerline of the singletrack all the way down Spiro.  Your Mom isn't even as dirty as I was after the ride.  Pinecone will have to wait.

I limped back to the car (for the first time, I didn't bring beer for apres ride) and swaddled into a blanket for the drive home.  I was actually cold.

Sunday brought better, cooler weather with some sprinkles but in and out of the rain drops, I managed to thoroughly clean my bike and ready it for another possible trail ride.  I got some things out of the way and, with a later dinner planned, got kitted up and out the door for a ride on the Shoreline.  Up Dry Creek and down City Creek was the plan and the plan worked out.  Cooler temps, great trail conditions and pretty much no one on the dirt.  You know the trail is in good shape when you start the ride with a shiny, clean bike and end of the ride pretty much the same.....and easy hour and it felt pretty good too.  It's nice to be back on the bike.

That's it for Monday's installment.

Ciao

Wow..since March, really?

Been  a while faithful readers....I know that you've all been hanging on for some news...any news about what the fuck is up with me.

Nothing.

Riding has been on the back burner whilst I recover from a rather painful nerve pinch in my neck region.  No riding = not so happy Mike.  The good news is that it's been hot as fuck so riding isn't so attractive an option anyway.  I've been hitting the pool instead, mostly with my girls...swim lessons and all.  I've completely forgotten how fun sitting around/in the pool can be when it's 101 deg out.

Still no activity on the dating front.  A beat up 52 year old, twice divorced, with 2 little ones isn't so much a winning ticket I guess.  It is Utah after all and all that's around are really fit, cute 27 years olds that want absolutely nothing to do with a guy like me anywayz or Mormons.  Go figure.  Mormons...they say shit like "acrosst".  Yeah..."acrosst".

I have, though, been watching some pretty cool/fun movies as of late.  Prometheus, Savages, Moonrise Kingdom, Submarine and Lymetown.  Thank you Netflix for some of those.

Ahhhhhh....that's about it.

Ciao.

Long time

I hated to blog over my last post....we all miss Jeff so much.

I'm on a new found kick for my mountain bike over last years road bike embrace.  Dunno why...maybe riding an MTB is just more fun and filled with less "tools".

I've been in a mechanic slot now for about 4 months with some pretty cool people not from around here and pretty psyched about riding the local trails so I've made a decision to ride more single track and less road.  Lately, I've been getting my ass handed to me (more than normal) but it's good, hard riding and that's what I need to keep my mind right.  I'm also back on a single speed.

One of the guys I work with...he and I have a pretty similar viewpoint on a few things cycling so it's always good to throw a leg over our bikes, ride, get thrashed pretty hard and end up drinking a few and telling stories.  A couple of the things we've been talking about lately is the downward spiral, IMHO, of cycling in general and PRO racing in particular.  With all the earpieces, SRM's and the Lance Armstrong phenomena of  putting all your eggs in one basket called the "Tour"...it just seems like bike racing become pretty boring as of late..like the last 10 years of late.

We're both pretty sick of the surgical dispatching, almost to the kilometer, of any and all breakaways by teams that are instructed to go to the front and chase down the escapees.  All this to set up yet another bunch sprint where the guy whose supposed to win wins.  I just think it's bad for the sport, the riders and the spectators.

On another note, I've been pretty happy about my new digs and my ongoing relationship with my daughters.  I couldn't have one without the other so I just need to keep my nose to the grindstone to afford my place.  I've pretty much figured out that, besides work, I have room for one other thing than seeing my girls...that right now is riding my MTB.

OK..that's it for now.

Jeff Bates

I went to see my buddy Jeff yesterday.  In a word, hard.  He's really weak from the daily radiation treatment and it's knocking him for a loop.  The treatment for the cancer, bio chemo every 3 weeks for 4 hours a pop....is killing him, literally.  He's frail and is in bed a lot.  I fucking hate seeing him this way and I told him as much.  I got all welled up...he just took it like a man.

I'm gonna spend some time with him Saturday....gonna take that all in and bank it for sure.


I don't know what to say about it anymore....I don't want to trivialize it but the best analogy I can think of is the video below.  At about 3:20 in is where it's at for Bates...

Dragline (cancer): "Stay down, you're beat.."
Luke (Bates): "You're gonna have to kill me..."

I can't put it any better than that....  Fuck yeah...get some Bates.

If you pray...throw one out there to the ether for him.

45 miles, 3 hours, roto-milled road,1 flat = tired legs.

It started rather like any other ride I've been on....asking for permission.  Once I got the go-ahead, I decided to try a little "adventure".  I decided to ride toward Heber City and then hit the East side of the Jordenelle....I'd been out there years ago and it's a pretty ride.

The route was Park City to Heber up River Road and on to Francis then Kamas then back to PC over 248.

I looked on google maps to see if there was a better way to Heber than riding US-40.  I thought I found a secondary road that would do the trick....

Ooops....  So, reminding myself that all good rides sometimes include roads like this one and assuring myself that this is the road I saw on the "map"...I headed out.  The road climbed for a bit and wasn't all that bad.  I'd ridden worse roads (rim deep sugar sand on fixed gears) back in the day with my buddy Brian.  I traipsed up this little path for a bit and came across something a bit more smooth and decided to give that a try.

Stupid is as stupid does.

This path didn't go very far but it was a might better than the gravel.  Needless to say, the gravel petered out after a while and turned into dirt.  Yep, you guessed it....I followed that for a bit until common sense over whelmed me and I turned back only to find a gap in the deer fence paralleling the highway and bushwhacked down to US-40.  I musta looked a sight to all driving on the highway but whatever.

Once on the highway I was in the company of tractor trailers, diesel trucks towing boats and everything in between....needless to say, not fun but direct.

After about 5+ miles of this, I got to the turn off on River Road.  It's a beauty of the climb...nice and steady at about 5%.

Once over the top of that, the road undulates a bit and then ends with a great descent into the valley that leads to Francis.

It's not North Carolina, but it'll do....  10 miles of this to Francis.

The rest of the ride goes like this.....I hit Francis and went up a punchy little climb...short but sweet.  Over the top and down to Joe's Country store for a powerade and banana bread.  That's where tail wind started.  Only 2 miles of it but I'll take it.  Next stop Kamas and 12 miles to PC and home....sounds easy right.

Once on Hwy 248, I encountered roto milled highway up and over 2 climbs....that's where the legs went south.  I did "ok" over the first....until I saw Levi Leipheimer TT'ing the other way....flying....he did have a tail wind...but that didn't seem to matter to my ego.  But he is a PRO after all so I said "fuck it" and kept riding....as slow as humanly possible without coming off the bike.  I then descended toward the next hill and flatted.

After fixing the flat with a patched tube, the smallest mini pump known to man or beast and an CO2, I limped up and over the last hill and rode it in...  All in all....a good ride....actually a great ride because I got to ride.

An open letter to my friend

I have a friend who's pretty sick.  It sucks watching him go in and out of this pain cave made for him by cancer.  He's use to the pain cave....he's a baller for sure.  But this is a horse of a different color....not self induced.

We all know he's sick but not really how sick.  We really don't wanna talk about that....too scary...too close.    He's such a great guy and, I for one, am torn on whether it's better to see him get crushed by the treatment for another year...month....week....or for him to sit back and try to take it all in one last time.  I've seen what the treatment can do...on him...on my mother.  It's ugly.  It's necessary for hope.  It's necessary so he can try to last a bit longer...maybe this time will work.  If he goes through it just one more time, I'll see my friend kick this demon.

He's not one to give up.

It's hard for me to get my brain around the possibility that I may not see him in the near future.  This demon is insidious...unrelenting....evil.  I want him around for a long time.  I want all the Pro's to put down what they're doing for everyone else and work on his case...only his.  Fix him for me.  Fix him for his friends.  Fix him for his wife and son.  Fix him so he can ride again....live his life...raise his son...love his wife.  I know it's not possible but I'd really like it to be so.

I'm not really sure where this is going...I just needed to get it down on "paper", as it were...  I guess I just want my friend to know that he's not letting us all down by not crushing this demon.  We love him regardless and want him to know that any of us would take a part, if not all, of his pain so he could be well again.  I don't want to see him suffer....not this way at least.  I want my friend to know that I will be there to help him or his family in any way.  He needs to know that he and his family are loved by an enormous group of people.  He needs to know not to be afraid....that everything will be ok.

Be well, my friend.  Keep your chin up.  You are hard as nails.

Jeff Bates

The fundraiser benefiting Jeff and his family was held last night.

Wow, what a turn out.  Wow, what a great bunch of people. Wow, what great music.  Wow....

You can read/see all about it here: Tons of fun...

I am lucky enough to know Jeff.

Ciao

Business is business and bike racin's bullshit

Hell of the North, Utah style, was held last Saturday.  I hold a particular fondness for this race.  Dunno why.  It's a flat, 5 mile square out by the airport.  1.5 miles is hard pack gravel.

I raced it in '08, as a lark, on an old Bianchi set up as a single speed.  51x15.  I spent a couple of weeks prior to the race sitting on the rollers to try to get some miles in my legs.  I just wanted to go out and ride the Masters 45+ and sit in to finish.  It's usually cold since it's in April, might be rain or snow too but that year, it was just cold.  I actually was surprised at how well I did...considering.  I stayed 4 of 7 laps and got gapped in the head/cross wind section...finished alone....dead fucking last.  Half of the starters DNF'd so I considered it a good day.

This year was a bit different.  From the onset of Fall, I wanted to get back on the road after a decade of MTB riding/racing.  So in November I started putting in some miles outside on the fixed gear.  I'm a stay-at-home dad raising two small children so getting out to ride is always a challenge but I was able to get out a couple of days a week when the weather cooperated.  The weather didn't cooperate much so my riding was either non existent or sporadic at best.  December came and so did really fucking cold weather...single digit cold....for a month.  Riding outside didn't really happen.  March rolled around and with the race to be held on April 2nd, I was needing some outside time.  Again, cold/wet/snow plagued my "training" regimen.

I'm not a gym rat...can't fucking stand doing any kind of exercise indoors.  So, suffice it to say, that I put on what clothes I had and rode in the wet/cold.  I used to do this fairly full time when I was in college but that was then and this is now...I don't have to ride in the shit anymore.  But I'm OCD if I'm anything so out I went.

The Bianchi was fitted up with gears, 7 spd cluster and downtube shifters.  It's a nice ride but very out of date.  23 lbs worth of out of date but it's the only road bike I have.  As the race grew closer, my anxiety about how I would do grew too.  I thought I was feeling pretty good even though my riding wasn't steady.  I'd gotten outside...and when I rode, I tried to ride hard hoping that my legs would remember the feeling of how to push the big gears.

The week of the race it snowed again and I wasn't psyched about maybe not having any outside days.  But then I heard we were in for a big warm up...might be close to 70 deg on Saturday.  I was stoked.  I had gotten out a couple of days that week and it was 60's and sunny...had a couple of nice rides.  There's something to be said for riding in the sun with arm warmers and heat rub on the legs.  It felt like Spring was on the way.

I woke up race day to clouds and wind.  A cold front was expected to arrive later that day and it was gonna get colder by the hour.  I wasn't happy but the race had gone on in previous years despite the weather conditions so I was committed one way or another.  Babysitter got to the house on time and I was off.  I drove to the course, got my number and set out on the task of number pinning, warm up and heading to the start/finish.

I was warm-ish so I didn't don knee warmers but decided instead to try out some heat rub on the legs.  I got to the start/finish area with about 5 minutes to spare so no pre course ride was doable...I was to regret that move.  There was about 20 45+ Masters lined up.  I knew one guy.  The official gave us our instructions and we were off, just like that I was racing again.  The start/finish straight was all head/crosswind, the section after turn one was a gradually increasing headwind.  Next section, cross/tail wind and then on the gravel...BIG tail wind.  I decided to start with the front this year instead of dead last...my plan was to stay up front through the whole race, be aggressive and try to do something other than get dropped.  Mike Tyson once said, "..everybody has a plan 'till they get punched in the face..".  That's what happened to me...we hit that tail wind section on the gravel and it quickly ramped up to 30mph+.  I was holding my own until I hit the first of several big holes that almost dislodged me from the Bianchi.  Before I got gapped, I was actually in the weeds on the left hand side loose gravel....I'm happy I know how to ride or I would have hit the deck.

Before long, I was off.  My heart rate was maximum and I was on the 13 just trying to hold my own and not get too dropped.  Maybe I could bridge...  That was not to be.  Fuck....  Now I had to ride, by myself, for the next six and a half laps.  Getting dropped isn't new to me....I've been dropped more times than I'd like to admit but I felt particularly bad about this instance...I thought I was fitter.  Anyway, I accepted my fate and since I'd payed my money, pinned on a number, got kitted up and on my bike...I figured I'd ride the whole distance...for training.  Ya never train as hard as you race...

I picked up a couple of guys along the way but, even with my enthusiastic encouragement, they had packed it in.  I couldn't believe it..."c'mon", I'd say, "let's just ride it in together"....nope, nada, zilch.  So...lap after lap, I'd eat the head wind and try to drill in the tail wind section...racers race.

I ended up finishing 11th, the 6th Master Cat 3....DFL outta 19 guys, 18 starters.  Out of the finishers, one guy is a Cat 2, six others of us are Cat 3's and one Cat 4.  On one hand I'm pretty disappointed.  But on the other hand, I'm happy that I gutted it out and just got to race again.  I'm planning a couple more "festivals of pain" in the near future....mainly 'cause they're 5 mins from my house and about 45 mins. long.  I'll keep ya posted.

They're all for sale....

Well folks, here goes.

I'm selling my beloved Bianchi for the right price.  I acquired this bike from my buddy Tony Pereira when he was moving to Portland a number of years back.  It was outfitted with a Shimano fixed setup.....he got a King HS and I got the bike.  Gave him all the parts back and put all my old Campy SR stuff on it.  I'm unsure of the model and year but I'm guessing it's mid-80's vintage.  C-C seat tube is 51 cm, C-C tob tube is 52.5cm.

She's lived a couple of lives prior to what you see in the photos but she's all road now.

There's a lot of Campagnolo...albeit old Campy...on the bike.  Brake set, shifter levers, front and rear der are Campy SR.  Cranks (170's) are from a Chorus 10 spd group.  Wheels are hand built, Mavic Open Pro 32H's with Superbe Pro hubs.  TTT stem (120 mm), Salsa bars (42 cm), Tektro levers  Chainrings on the bike are 51/39 (i got a 51 back in '91, I guess was riding compact before compact existed).  I have a 53 and 42....so there are a couple of combinations.  Freewheel is 13-25, 7 spd.

I'm selling her because I wanna fund the purchase (read: throw more money in the toilet) of a new road bike.  Not that much more modern, but I'd like to leap into the 90's.  It's on Ebay right now at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190519730179&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

If I get a decent offer, I'd consider ending the auction early.  So, think it over and let me know.  I have more photos if anyone is interested.  Email me at jusridnround@gmail.com with any questions.

Ciao, Mike

been ridin' some

so...i'm on this kinda mid-life (is 50+ mid-life?) racing comeback kick....  i'm gonna try to do some races this year with the RACERHEADS, my old bunch of pals.  got some new kit, got some new members inducted (Tiffany and Steve)..psyched about that.

i'm fooling myself back into training...like it's really gonna pan out.  did some great miles today.  longest in a while.  super nice day....50 and sunny.  knee warmers, one LS and one SS jersey kinda day.  rode on the big meat some....climbed ok.  just worked out.  had a few hours of free time to kill...so i kill 'em.  felt good..like old times.  maybe do the training crit (some people call it a crit, i call it a curcuit race) this weekend.  weather might be shitty but if i get a chance, i'll do donuts for a half hour.....what the fuck.  "C" flight...drill it with the nabobs.  i'm an old cat 3 with cat 5 legs right now.  hope i don't get shelled.  but as tiff says..."i know how to be efficient"...that means i'm an old wheel sucker...."can't drop me".

we'll see.  at least i'm excited about something for once.  i just need to get someone to help me with the girls and i'm all set.

blah, blah, blah...

Big fan of this right now...

Stupid is as stupid does....

Ok, ok...been a long run since I've said anything on the blog.  Lots of things going on..

The 16th witnessed my 51st birthday.  The plans were to take a trip of sorts outta town to wherever.  Fruita was the obvious choice as Sun Valley woulda been too cold.  For my birthday, my mother-in-law volunteered to watch the girls and I was off on Friday for a 4 hour drive to CO with plans to camp for a couple 3 days.


I got to Fruita in good shape, sortof, with beers on ice and a little oil for the chain as it were.  I kitted up and pulled the SS off the roof and immediately rode Chutes and Ladders. I'd forgotten how fun riding in Fruita was....I also forgot how you can ride pretty much all the trails in the Bookcliffs area in one day.

I had planned to camp there and ride as much as I could in both the Bookcliffs and the Kokopelli areas.  My birthday was on Saturday and I wanted to do a long ride to celebrate...something like the Edge out and back or another ride like Marys loop, etc.  So....after riding C&L's and then Joe's Ridge (with beers in between), I promptly loaded up the bike with designs of finding a camp spot.

No sooner than I started out, I heard the tell tale "thump-thump" of something being run over by my tires....yep, you guessed it...fuck.me.  I just ran over my front wheel pretty much killing the skewer, bending the rim and rotor and rendering the wheel unridable.

After finishing my beer, I decided the best course of action was to tuck my tail and go home vowing not to mention this episode to anyone...oooops.  "Anyways"...I ended up coming home and riding awesome single track in Park City under beautiful sunny skies, moderate temps and noone on the trails.

Ok then.....

I do like riding bikes...

Got to ride this morning.  "They" said rain.....nope.  Trail was dry and really fast.  Well...as fast as I can go recently.  I running new rubber (Bontrager XDX's) on the gear'd Pereira.  I had a ton of fun even though it was just an hour and I drove to the trailhead.  WTF.  Time is time and I ain't got alot of it these days.

My birthday is coming up....51.  Headed to Fruita, god willing and the creek don't rise.  Thinkin' about spending a good 4 days down there ridin' and havin' fun.  I'll let y'all know what comes of it.

All work and no play

Been working on the house...".polishing a turd" as it's known to a few.  We have a bathroom and now the promise of another room downstairs.  I've exposed myself to a shit ton of silica dust these days so I'm just wondering what is in the works for my lungs, etc.  Guess you gotta die of something...

Anyway...the good news is...is that my daughter, Caroline, has a new 12" bike and is crushing it!  She's all about riding it (for now, at least) and I'm psyched.  Hopefully, we'll get to ride together soon.  We've been hittin' the pool too.  She trotted up to the top of the big slide at Murray Park all by herself about 10 times yesterday...she's gettin' too big.

That's about it.  Pretty boring, I know...but that's what my life has been like lately.

Ciao

On the bike again

Spiro Trail + out of shape me + SS = me.stopping.alot.

Good ride...71 deg at the start, 83 at the end.  Saw a couple of people along the way...no one on the climb, group of 5 drillin' it on the 8000 ft trail, no one on John's.  All in all...not a bad way to spend 2 hrs...except it hurt real bad.

Till next time....

Old Friends

I just spent some QT with some really old friends who live in Asheville....  We used to race bikes together and when we get around each other all the old stories start flying.

Like the time a few of 'em where sitting around the Thonotosassa store after a hugh mile day eatin' and drinkin' when one of 'em chucks a banana peel into an adjacent lot overgrown with grass and weeds.  The old woman living in the house comes out, picks up the peel and chucks it back at Billy sayin', "...this place might look like a dump, but it ain't!".....just cracked everyone up.

Anyway....it was a great visit and made me miss them and the old days even more.

RIP Guru

Tour of the Basque Country

Live feed here:

http://www.eitb.com/deportes/en-directo/

Back to Work

Helping out at a small LBS...psyched to get my hands dirty again.  Been a long time since I've wrenched...a bit nervous that it'll all work out ok.

Wish me luck.

Later...

oh yeah....this is tomorrow.

"Selling out is the new keepin' it real"

Saw that little gem on another blog and thought it worth posting....

Had an interesting run-in with a fellow cyclist the other day...  went out for a spin 'cause the timing was right.  nice day, sunny and warm-ish (wool and knees).  Rode up to Wasatch via backroads and ran into a guy headed the same way.

Now I'm not one to judge but he was kitted out in REIs's finest + a sunglass rearview.  It was about 55 deg and he had on booties.  Some people get cold so I wasn't sayin' a thing.  As I eased past him, I made a pleasant comment about us being able to ride on a weekday at 1-ish...the guy gave me a wide berth and look like I shit on his cookie so I kinda went up the road.  I missed a turn and backtracked a block only to see my friend again...this time I said, "...shoulda followed you 'cause you look like you knew the way"...same look as last time and he replied.."...yeah and you should learn how to ride a bike".

Those of you who know me know that I'm no pro but I've ridden a couple of times....and yeah, I could still learn a couple of things about riding but I'm not gonna learn them from that fuckstick.  My buddy Brian said, "..that's what you get for bein' nice, shoulda told the guy to get the fuck outta the way...".  Words to live by.

Later...