Osborne Affair

Thought: an 11 mile uphill ride to 4,000' to obtain 11 miles of swooping single-track all back down.
The reality: 11 miles up to ~3,340' -- the last 2 miles in 3-4" of snow and getting deeper every minute. The legs finally said "enough." Stats: Time: 4:07:54 hrs. Distance: 24.33 mi. Calories 2,505

Here's the map from yesterday's ride. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/56521259
(Click on “Terrain” to get a better perspective.)

Getting Healing

Over the last couple of months I’ve being going to physical therapy for my knee. I hit it on a rock a year ago in December. The accident wasn't due to biking though. It happened while trying to remove snow off Arborvitaes in our yard. I was standing on a rock wall, slipped and came down full force on the knee cap on a sharp rock. Felt a sharp stabbing sensation and was about to puke yet held it together.

There's a tendon (line #5 on the photo) that stretches down the side of the leg and across the knee cap (where it got hit) that had never healed and had become very agitated with some liquid in the tissue. I could ride and everything but if I knelt down or went down stairs the wrong way or did squats, it felt like jabbing an ice pick into the knee. Fortunately, the ultra sound, deep tissue massage, ice massage, and stretching the muscle and tendons out has done tremendous wonders. It’s nearly back to normal. (And, I’ve been riding with mountain bike knee pads now for protection.)
Knees are one of the areas that take the longest to heal (besides torn rotator cuffs!) Here's to YOUR health in the weeks and year ahead!

Newberry Caldera

Ride No. 2 on the Stumpjumper was the epic Newberry Caldera Rim Trail. Bagged Paulina Peak, climbing 1,500 feet to a final altitude of 7,915 over four miles of access road. A mile back down the road to the Rim Trail trail head and a bit of nice single track took me to the lovely view of the bike overlooking Paulina Lake. A bit further along encountered a bit of snow still on the trail in mid-July. Did not see a soul for the 20+ miles of single/double track around the caldera rim. Definately appreciated all facets of the Stumpjumper - climbing for sure, but also a couple of realatively steep and technical descents. Can't wait to get back to Central Oregon, but in the meantime will look forward to introducing the Stumpjumper to our home trails.

Goodbye Pinky, Hello ?????

After the demise of my first ride - Pinky - A Trek Liquid 25, had an opportunity to try out three replacements for full rides - a Trek Fuel EX 8, Santa Cruz Blur LT and Specialized Stumpjumper Elite. Short answer is the Trek was too stiff and did not hold a line going down, Blur flowed like an angel going down, but was a real push to get to the top of the route. The Stumpy was "just right." Climbed like a goat and descended with just as much confidence as the Blur, though not quite as plush. The Stumpy was the hands down winner on all fronts - climbing, descending, components, weight and price was right there given the component set.

First ride on my bike this AM - Sunriver up to Lava Lands Visitor Center, topped off with a ride up to the top of Lava Butte. What a complete screaming joy! After three days of good hard test rides with some pretty good climbs, did not think I would have the legs today, but a combination of excitement and the qualities of the Stumpy went for another 21 miles.

Pictures are "just off the showroom floor" clean and pretty and the bike and I at the top of Lava Butte.

Happy Trails My Dear Friend

How do you say good-bye to your first ride, the one who has faithfully carried you through the ups and downs, the twists and turns? Happy Trails, Pinky and thank you. You've been a great friend. After four years, Pinky's rear triangle gave out - a broken frame, not to be repaired. But not before one last spectacular ride - 15 miles of single track - total ride of 19 - with the lights, getting home just after midnight. What a blast. But, today she gave in.

And so, the return to the dating world begins, with a rented Trek Fuel EX 8 on top of the car right now and plans to do the ride planned for today - a run down the Deschutes from Sunriver into Bend. A Specializd Stumpjumper Elite is reserved for Saturday and will be looking to rent a Giant Trance on Friday. Hopefully, I won't come home from vacation alone.

No memorial service will be held as Pinky wished it to be. She would be happy if you would just oil your chain in her memory before heading out on your next adventure.

Sage Hill's Trail: Wenatchee

The annual trip to Wenatchee for the Access to Justice Conference usually means a run at Devil's Gulch, but word was the water was still running too high to ford some of the lower streams. So, on bright sunny Saturday afternoon I went to check out the Sage Hills Trail which is a full five minutes from downtown W. Think tree-less, grassy foothills with some nice switch back climbs which feel very flowey on the descent. Can't imagine doing this mid-summer with the sun bearing down, but on an early June afternoon, it was great. Highly recommended and much more trail laid down than the map I had, so plenty of opportunity for variety and loops (as opposed by the out-n-back route I took). The first link has a map, but better ones are out there somewhere as the couple from Seattle I chatted with mid-ride had a much more complete map in their pack.

I Looked, They Looked, I Smiled, They Smiled

While coming back from some great (single-track) riding today at Fort Lewis . . .
I looked at them, they looked at me
I smiled at them, they smiled at me
And we're on our way
I rode to them, they flew to me
I didn't talk to them, they didn't talk to me
And we're both on our way.

Snow Hanging '10 (April 2010) and Cold Lingering!

It started out at nearly 50° in summer biking shoes (thin socks), and one long-sleeved shirt near Summit Lake. And, it ended with riding on snow to the top of Rock Candy Mountain, below freezing temps, a second winter long-sleeved shirt added, a jacket added, numb feet, a total of 20.96 miles and 2,180 feet in elevation gain.
Today’s ride was electronically monitored for keeping the heart rate within the “fat burning” range. (Ha! There was no frigging way that was going to be consistent!) Some of the headwall hills (steep 1.2 to 2.7 mile lengths) spiked the heart rate to 175 BPMs. Mtn-Biking Man “hit the wall” and felt flat-lined near the 10 mile mark to Rock Candy Mt. It had been all uphill to that point and he had to seek resurrection with some HammerGel. The head started to experience some lightness and sort of “stairway to heaven” delusions climbing the last 500-800’. Then . . . it was all downhill.

After returning to the Summit Lake start point, Mtn-Biking Man sought sanctuary with coffee and a Turbo Cookie at Blue Huron Bakery. $3.96 -- not quite priceless but worth the workout!

Is a Ride Worth a Venti Milkshake? Ask an 11 yr. old.

Mtn-Biker Man had recently been riding loops with Winston (dog) around the trails just outside LBA Park when he ran across "Tim," also out for a leisurely ride with his daughter. We got to talking and planned a ride in Ft. Lewis Area #19 with his son's Tyler and Alex today. [Pictured: L=Tyler, Tim & Alex = R]








We met up with Dr. Ron (@ Rt. picture) at the trail head (behind JZ Knight's ranch compound) and made our way out 7-8 miles toward Rainer then back. Here's what Tim had to say:
"It’s always a bit of a struggle to include kids into something strenuous, especially when they are so-so about the sport in the first place. There are only so many promises of milkshakes and computer-time that will get them up the next hill or past the upcoming mud-bog before they shut down in protest. Somehow within them they need that memory…that reserve strength of having survived something monumental in their experiences…to dip into and get them past themselves. I was mountain biking with the boys (15 and 11) on a trail wrought with ups and downs, mud and stinging nettles that required not only some physical toughness to endure the ride, but a mental toughness to continue on with out knowing when we’ll stop or where we were. (You have to appreciate the trust they [kids] put in us to make the right decisions and somehow pull us through it!!)"

Tim witnessed his youngest, Alex in one of life’s finer moments. Alex faced a predicament. While he was tired, frustrated in facing numerous hills, and not knowing what was ahead… he reached down and found within himself the endurance to continue and declined Tim’s help (with respect) with his bike up the hills. “Alex displayed, the positive attitude he wanted, to older bikers on the trip see . . . and he ended the long ride with some funny comments about how tired he was.”

Tim stated: “I’ll take some of the credit as I made it a point NOT to criticize his struggle and to express empathy for his pain…after all…we WILL be doing this again :) So I hope the lesson sinks in and he learns to appreciate his experiences as something to help him with future struggles. On the other hand, at 11, he may only remember that he was FINALLY able to drink a whole Venti vanilla bean milkshake by himself."

Mtn-Biker Man missed getting a milkshake himself and instead got more chores from the "Honey Doo" (word pun intended) list when he arrived back home.

Good having you join up for a ride Tim. And, welcome. (Tim's picture to the far right page -->)

Bike Computing Shortcoming

Here's an earlier attempt and failure to provide adequate technology for mobile computing and biking. Multi-tasking can prove to be dangerous in this situation. Do not try this at home!

Bail Outs = Your Friend to Missing Links

Notice anything missing from the bike in this picture?

Went out strong on some single track with Jeff H. weaving along the fringe of meadows and up through the tight-knit Black Forest trees. Feeling alright yeah! I stomped on the pedals to attack a short steep pitch when suddenly a loud "SNAP" resonated and the bike quickly started to drift backwards. Yep, the chain broke. No problem because I've got a chain tool. Oops, it busts trying to re-link the chain. No problem because Jeff H. has a chain tool! "Oh-oh guess what" . . . Jeff's tool was broken too. (It broke on him over a year ago and he forgot to replace it.)

Jeff decides he'll ride back the 6-7 miles to get the vehicle. Before leaving he states that I'd at least get to ride the down hill sections. Only problem is that we've dropped about 600 feet so it's uphill going back. I ran back to an agreed upon bailout route that was about 4 ½ miles. Running in bike shoes is an oxymoron.

Welcome to Jim & Adam

Sunday, a beautiful semi-sunny afternoon. Riding solo Mtn-Biking Man ran across Jim -- Ft. Lewis area 21. Welcome Jim (left pic).

As we chatted, two other riders came upon us. Adam (right pic), and John PR.

On Injury List: Mtn-Biking Man is on the injured list with a torn "Rotator Cuff Tear." On Jan 10th going over two 4-5" roots about two feet apart (something he normally clears), the front wheel hit the second root and instead of being able to pop it up over -- the wheel sank deep . . . sickenly deep, and bottomed out the fork and pitched 'em hard over board on his left shoulder -- still clipped in. Hit the ground full force he did and heard a pop and a yell. Another three to four weeks will tell if recovery is s-l-o-w-l-y working or if surgery is required to "get 'er fixed." :(

20 Things Mountain Biking Teaches You About Life

Good writers have often used sports as a metaphor for life: the lessons of the playing field, teamwork, or the agony of defeat . . . applied to daily living. If John Muir, Leo Tolstoy, or Khalil Gibran had spent time on a mountain bike, they would perhaps have learned and reflected that:
20. Boldness pays.
19. Desperation breeds mistakes.
18. The hardest parts are also the loneliest.
17. There's fresh horse flop in the trail ahead.
16. Balance is first among the virtues; momentum is second.
15. Success requires confidence, but cockiness invites failure.
14. Sometimes, the best way past an obstacle is straight through it.
13. Some people get lucky at parts; nobody gets lucky at everything.
12. It's all about the being and the going, not the having and the arriving.
11. At each intersection, there's the easy way and the hard, rewarding way.
10. It's tempting to focus on the immediate problem to the exclusion of the big picture.
9. The thing that nails you is the one you don't see coming.
8. It's worth stopping for a breather to see where you are.
7. Thousands of tiny decisions shape the trip.
6. The fun starts when you push the limits.
5. You can get hurt, heal and go again.
4. Ups are followed by downs.
3. Practice makes you better.
2. No quitting allowed.
1. Love hurts (but don't let that stop you from falling in love.)

What have you learned from mountain biking?

Goal To Do Yoga -- Tell Us There's Hope

Mtn-Biking Man tried a new Yoga pose tonight and nearly died because he was so tight. (He lost balance and fell over twice too - ha!) He's working up the nerve to start Yoga to help with mountain biking and for balance. Here's a pic of the pose tried, a pic of what balance can do and link to a stellar rider who took up Yoga and swears by it http://nsmb.com/3470-ryan-leech-and-yoga/

  

I Heard The Thumping on My Brain . . .

A constant "thump, thump, thump" sound overhead while riding today then they landed right in front of Mtn-Biker Man . . .