Buy me some time

Often times I wish I could pause all the external things that go on in life an just enjoy the day. Go for a ride, take a trip. The weekly group ride, is fun, but it is hardly refreshing. My soul likes changing tides and the regularity in life makes me feel like a drone in the society we call normal. I hardly have a desire to fit in with the norm. Don't really care too much about material things. As long as I have freedom and a roof over my head and loving people to share time, I am satisfied. I don't fit in with the dog eat dog clawing to get ahead type. Where does all that take you in the long run. Maybe a nice bit of wealth to share with future generation, if you are lucky. Not to say that I don't like to work. I actually love working. I think working towards putting on an event was more rewarding than any work I have done lately. But work can easily become mundane and the routine of raising children tiring.

With the up and coming school year for my kids, I find myself scrambling for some time. I need to fix our exterior of the house and shed and lots of house hold details, but I want to go climb a mountain or explore some new trails. What is exciting in life is was make a person happy. But also ahcievements thru hard work. I guess keep keeping the head up and looking for new oppurtunity to grow, thru work or play each and every day.

cycling tip #12

Bring a light. The above photo mistakenly taken as I was fingering for buttons to turn my phone off and on to see where the solid ground was. If you plan to ride in the woods near dusk, it never hurts to have a light. You never know what may happen to slow you down, but having a lite will make getting back much easier. Like all the cycling tips, this comes at my expense. Met Matt B up at french to check out the trail conditions for the race last night. We were talking and realized that niether of us had a gps or a odometer, or a watch . "Oh well we can get a good estimate" . I was talking discussing the all the organizing and stuff that has been tying my up, literally, when a fellow rider Tom Burrows came over. I was trying to outline the course explaining that the location was changed due to the other area being reserved. We mentioned we were without gps. He let us know that He publicizes M.A.S.S. race courses online, so after a breif encouraging to map the new course we were off. To get to the Group Camp #2 you have to follow along Hopewell lake. I choose a trail that was swamped, my bad. So we got to the camp and started the loop. I think both Matt and Tom were suprized by the start of the new course. It is an area very rarely frequented by mtb riders', never the less it is rock'n. So up the first big climb and down the shaker, we bumped into, Mark from Path. I was happy to see these guys doing work, which they do often and always, so although they may not be race fanatics they do help greatly with local state parks. More riding and rocks we realize that the woods are getting dark quickly. At the 8-9 mile mark all light was gone. I was hoping that no one tripped and even more likely complain about the bad situation. We were near the end and I suggested that we might as well tough it out and walk the course , so that Tom could make the map public. needless to say, it was slow going. I was leading taking a step off trails only to have to back up and try again, still not one complaint, some good humor, but no bitching about what was a very hard going. We finally made our way back to the cars past 9:30pm. 2.5 hours, Tom reported it was about 11 miles.

FC

it is like having to plan two races in one year. Man, I had completely took that off my mind, time to re-focus. Working through some details with the park, since our previously planned group area is reserved by another party. If we can use area #2 I am pretty excited because, we will have some better oppurtunity to use more trails. Either way the taks are strating to circulate in my mind. This is defineatly not a one man show.

cycling tip #12

Butter your butt. Use Chamois Cream. I never thought I would be so into cycling, that I would use such an annoitment, but later, between the sweat, and constant in and out of the saddle, my butt has be getting chafed. I lack the proper 20 dollar high end cream, so I think a little bady diaper rash creme might work, I will let you know, but it is hard to be comfortable on a bike, or improve the situation on a bike, so like many things in health, prevention is the best prescription.

How to ride?

To ride for health or to ride for fun or to ride with purpose.

Work Blogger

I guess that is what I am. Most the post come during a few minutes of downtime. When I ride to work ideas flow like a mtn. stream. When I drive, not so much, more discontent than philosophy. So I am back on the bike, the last month and a half have been overloaded with stuff outside of riding and now I hope to ride into some sort of shape starting today. Will let you know when I drop below 200lbs. Normally I can get down to 190lbs pretty easily, really have lacked the moto. to even try this year. Pretty much just like being out at a sub-par speed. Enjoy the sights and sounds and smells so to speak. But I love racing and my favorite thing about July is watching guys compete in a world spectacle only truly understood by those that try to imitate. There are plenty of more fireworks to come. Tuesday is a downhill finish that, will cause time gaps. wednesday is a helleious day in the mtn. Thursday is a time trial, which will create time differences and Saturday is mt Ventoux. So lots to come in the final week. I will speak about my thoughts from Saturday. Astana should have let the gap grown to 12 minutes without a worry. Hincapie, as we all know and love for his demmeanor, would never be able to carry himself in the big mtn. Okay, so the slight shift by Cav, well in my book it was a blocking move. The team was obviously mixed between points and overall. But he should maybe have been docked a spot not 20. To take a jersye from a man who is the best sprinter, is not , good sports. Lastly, there one man who could out climb w/ contador as was seen in the 2007 TDF. I am hopful, these guys like normal humans have some faults, because it makes for more drama.

Veggies

Garden took off the past couple of weeks, with the few showers and great weather we have been having, Tomatoes and Peppa's should be plenty full in a couple of weeks. did not grow the garlic, but the zuc and cumb are in.

Northwest Passage

The First 250 pages of this book, had me glued. There have been many quotes words that I have wanted to copied to this blog. Fiction tend to stretch the truth some, but the truth is never shadowed in this book. Men like Robert Roger's examplify mental and physical strength of characters that the foundation of civilization were based upon. Today there is little need for such endurance, which is maybe what leads us to search out adventure of our own.

HTC

Wow, you could see the pain in their eyes as they carryied the group to the line, Popo up there working too. Quite interesting move for astana,especially to share the work. Still I am not sure LA can climb like he needs to to win. reading and tour watching go together pretty good. Wouldn't mind being at a beach on the Med. right now. Had a great time the last week hangin out with in-laws and Bro-law. Did lots and relaxed lots, but back to work is a drag. Happy b-day C-man love you. .

Reading

It has been a long time since I enjoyed reading, but recently I have started a classic american fiction titled the "Northwest Passage", by Kenneth Roberts.