Santa Came

2011 Highlight

February 10th year trip to Winter Park and the sweet like accommodations in Granby. Thanks Stacy and Prep. One awesome place you guys have. Prep took us on a snowmobile trip to the continental divide. Snow was so deep the snowmobiles had to stay on the groom trails. We took some tight technical single wide trails back to the base. Had me on my toes trying not to wreck the mobile with Clay on the back, something Prep was more use to. Pretty sure there will be a white Christmas. Thanks for the great time. You guys went all out for us.

cycling tip

Have hobbies and obsessions, entertaining recreations. Fill the spaces with new experiences. work hard. Obsess from depress. For me a routine is not the thing.

Christmas Band

Cyling tip

Wear a helmet especially when full of American Adjunct. Flesh heals but brains might not. It won't save you from every or somethings, but can save you from looking as gruesome as me. I casually ride a lot without a helmet. I do not trail ride or group ride without. I realize how quickly things can go wrong. If this happen on the road it could be permanent. I will not ride along with cars or on trails without one from now on.

Fu~t ball

I wish soccer had a blue line It would give many more scoring chances. American football is definetly my preference to watch and I grew up to love. Long live the USA

Going or Going big

Talk about walking on the tight rope(safety net neglected)

Cool course

The belgians have this cross thing figured out.

Watch more video of European Cyclocross 2011/ 2012 on cyclingdirt.org

New phone.

Phone blog can't figure out how to upload pictures.

cycling tip

Your ears are your eyes in the back of your head. I like to have my ears clear, I know I can cross a road without even needing to look, although there are a couple of lesser sounding vehcicles out there the sounds of silence is a peaceful thing.

cycling tip

I got hit! you have to react fast. going up is better than down. propped a straight arm off a hood on my way home as I was gettn hit Tbone. I screeamed as I lifted up and was trajected away, lots of people saw. I was coming along cars on the right, she was turning left from the opposite direction, she came in between two cars that did not leave an opening for the left turn. Neither of us ever saw each other. We hit at a pretty slow speed but I went up and down on the front of her hood. She had a pretty low car. My second split second thought was to save the bike, so I lifted up in a sidewards motion, like you might off a jump. the wheels are old, not worth much, but without m I would be walking up a long road an having a big hole to have to fill by buying more. Neither did I want to wait on a curb in lycra. Hit the pavement about five feet in front of her, she stopped and was scared and asked if I was okay, I was already up and checking the bike's status. I did not think I had hurt much. I rode on and lots of people kindly asked if I was alright. Headn home erkd by any driver that revvd past. Pain started setting in when I was couple miles away. Did not even realize until today that the left wrist was sprained, I knew coming home the tip of my ring finger was displaced. The skid on the hip and ankle were pretty lite, but road rash stings. Champion system bids showed no tear which was good, would have sucked to have the left end open. Lady at the light said it was my lucky day, I told her it was my unlucky day

Coal Cracker big loop was hard.

But it wasn't quite like this. Credit to the MC link to the right.

Adversity. Or entertainment? You choose. from lacemine29 on Vimeo.

So much water I had to drink water from my keg

We live on a well system and have no generator so when the power is out so are we of water. I filled my homebrew keg with water along with two carboys. I also had the propane hooked to the coleman stove. Glad we did get power back. my beer was starting to get warm.

cycling tip

underwear and jeans are not nearly as comfortable as commando and shorts.

Coal Country

Sweet Pa back country, reminiscent of the Antracite Uplands(i.e. Jim Thorpe). Lot of miles of raw back country. Should be a heck of an endurance event with 2X20 mile loops. Experts will do one 20 miler of some physical trail with some hair raising downs.

Coal Cracker

nutty

just hope nobody else crashes out.

Phila delphi

I think the love for his brother held him back. But what is up with voekler!!!

Climbing fest

Wow Starting tomorrow there is a sheet ton of climbing for the tour riders. I am not sure how an average guy in the peleton can survive the time cuts.

men and women

raising two thoughts
finding agreement
difference equal strength
respect equal balance
communication is key
peace fullness is fine
but so is chaos.
time and tides consistent
evolution is revolution
revolution is rather a circle,
we only see a slice.

my mind

injustice, maddened
intolerance, saddened
immorral, baddened

cycling tip

be a cyclist rather than an individualist. You can never master all the varieties of riding from ballet to free ride respect talents, fitness, and i will say it "balls".

the dude

Flashback photos

cycling tip

cheater never truly win and a winner never cheats.

cycling tip

Don't focus on the pain. Thinking about it won't make it better. Tight stomach, crampy legs, tired hands, stiff neck. it is all part of the game of getting into shape. If you are at your potential well the next step in racing is learning to suffer in a smart kind of way. Obviously if your legs decide (mostly happens on Mtb) not to go and lock up there is nothing you can do but slow down, but often times it is a matter of just putting the suffering aside and turning circles.

TSE

Visit cyclingdirt.org for more videos

doggy dog

Some pa shrooms

cycling tip

the grand giros can teach you more than cycling. how about geography or culture. seems most of us know none.

This is cycling

cycling

Some people may think we are just fags in lycra, but shees this is
for real. It is a dangerous passionate sport, that take people that welcome intensity and pain to love. Others can't understand. Truely sadden Giro d Italia. Deaths in sports are hard to see, rip Wouter Weylandt.

Cycling tip

Sometimes solving a simple creak is as easy as undoing a quick release wheel and chnaging the way the wheel sits in a drop out.

Cleaning the seatpost and seat tube collar has helped, just get your torch right when resetting. It is a good this to check that the post is not binding with frame every so often too. Apply a little grease to insure it doesn't bind.

Also reseting the headset. The top cap screw is used to snug up the races and bearings, this can only be done when the stem bolts are loose. Loosen, clean, snug it up (with top cap bolt), then tighten the stem to stiring tube. Threaded headset are a little different but just as easy to pop out clean, grease and tighten.

More Bad PA Fracking news

Will we make them eat the cost of testing? Just what kind of chemicals are used in this process? Spill

This bothers me

After hearing about deep cuts in PA state budgets...resulting in public schools taking big hits...resulting in teacher layoffs...resulting in poorer education...resulting in lower test...resulting in less federal dollars...resulting in poorer future, we are letting International Energy Quadbillion dollar companies come in and extract natural gas tax free. This is bad at many levels. What are the cost to analyze the damages to our water ways aquifers. What about the stretches of natural beauty, now dotted with excavators . I am sure there are many more detailed articles on the topic, and also much more opinionated blog posts, but I see taxation as a source of revenue the state could use. I did not even mention what the "policy makers get paid" I can say with great confindents that their jobs are cake compared to that of a teacher worker in the "lesser" districts of this great state, getting paid a fraction of what supervisors make. Wrong at many level. So if we are allowing this super conglomaerates to take our resources and mark up the price to sell it back at an astronomical rate I would say stop them but at least tax them Natural Gas

Pro Racing/and masters

Nothing like watching the big ring hammer fest that is Paris-Roubaix. Good to see an unexpected winner. Also glad Fabian out-witted the big Norwegian, he should have followed my advice and pulled thru. Easy to say from here, instead of hammering 30 miles per hour over brutally bumpy cobbels and dust filled air.

Although I missed all the live action on sunday, opting for some afternoon poor man golf . I did watch the earlier rounds and think that the event is one of the Greatest sporting events in the world, glad to see a falter in woods and tough to see the younf leader unravel with all eyes on him. What a frustrating game.

Cyling Tip\ Driving Tip

Pull thru before you sit in. Especially if you are in the passing lane. Cycling you have to read, driving 2 lanes in one direction passing should be on the left. either way go all the way thru don;t pull up short. Nothing worse than having somebody sittting on your flank and not come thru. Is it not common sense.

Hello

A simple thing will make my day,
smile and look my way.
For these thing matter most,
greater than spirits and holy ghost.

FC - Race

Saturday May 7th

Different course in the works, same Start/Finish. Question direct to Mark: ontherocksfc@gmail.com

Turn off the volume, but a nice taste of what the green days of May look like.



Also running the underground Ruin Nation team and solo 4:20 race on wednesday 4/20 feel free to inquire, but must meet the ECDb strict criteria to enter.

The Cape Epic

If we had coverage of this race I would be watching it. Good thing there are good online updated details. This race is really the "Tour" of Mtb. Exciting to follow two local USA/PA ladies. Wish them well. Cape .

Race

I like this race, but everytime I sat to watch the replay I fell asleep. Normally I am wired until about midnight something weird is working me. Maybe it is the am walks with the dog.

cycling tip

Dress lite. If you are cold you are not riding hard. Couldn't believe the amount of clothe I see others wearing on 50 and sunny. YOu really shouldn' need more than a mid weight jersey, maybe arm warmers and shorts. I had no problem staying warm with just jersey and bibs. use that big ring.

cycling tip

Getting lost is not always bad. The best way to expand the horizons is to go where you have not been.

18 inches

Six in the middle with white line and rumble strip on each side.

Bad azz

Beer shots

and shots of beer.

Doggy tip

There are good reasons why a skunk doesn't need to run. Lucky Violet's got a passive instinct maybe it's her youth, but it saved her. She probably licked the thing instead of bite, they were only about 3 feet apart. I have had a dog skunked before. It would have been a real pain. My car would not have been the same. Porcupine also have great defenses as my childhood dog found that out also.

cycling tip

Did you Know, Bikes Can Phly. Amazing but they do. As the Beasties Boys would say -"Let it flow let yourself go"

pawoods/catty woods mix from woods on Vimeo.

cycling tip

Know you strength and weaknesses. Everyone has them. Sometime losing a battle doesn't mean you will lose the match. That is if there is a "war" not a good term, I think match is better. Options are everything in life. Pros and Cons to every choice. Two sides to a coin as they say. Frame, tires, cloth. tools, food everything weighs differently on outcome. So I guess the best piece of advice is what outcome is best for me.

cycling tip

Stay High, into turns and say hi to others even if it is not a question.

Gallery

Here is a photo Gallery of the trip. We had a great time.

Colorado Gallery

Great divide

Sled tour we are lucky to have family in the right spots

Heading West

Pysched up! Hopefully post some pics while out there.

Simple Pleasure

Right or wrong,
Black or white,
Good or bad,
is it inate nature or somebody's elses opinion?

Is it pleasureful to give,
to help,
to share,
to be nice,
or is easier to chuckle our ego from a distance?

What is wrong?
affect things with intent ,
or nconsiuoness of your surrounding.

Is being helpful too hard today?
Too many issues, too many people, can't help themselves,
or just maybe don't need/want help.
Too easy to live within our shell,
or is it despair?

Oppurtunity opens and closes with time
oppurtunities slip right on by


The simple pleasure
give,
help ,
share,
be thankful
humble,
happy,
wild,
fun....life is short.

This is the road I wanted

Melting snow and salt and traffic are not fun to ride in, but if you are lucky and pick the right route this is worth getting there.

Home Cooking

Yeah pork roast done my style. Wow is this saauuce good. Just wish I remember what I put in?