Monday, January 30, 2006

Ch-ch-ch-ch Changes...

Turn to face the pain... I think that's the Bowie line. Those who know me well know that there have been some crazy changes in my life recently. Nothing really that earth-shattering: wife is as wonderful as ever and getting more beautiful the more I drink... uh... I mean more beautiful every day. And the kids are healthy and happy and full of energy.

I'd love to be able and sit down and let all of this angst roll out of me with the expectation that there was some point to doing it... some wave of calm that would wash in and make me feel all warm and relaxed. But I just got off the bike so now it's time for the the angst to wash in... One thing that I have learned is that time gives you perspective on your mistakes. Even though I don't yet know what I've learned from this latest mis-step, I do know that I will feel better the further I get from it. Hopefully, THE PURPOSE will make itself known to me as well.

I've landed on my feet, in a better place with more opportunity for the future with people that I respect and trust and that's more than I can say for 'The Experiment' that was January's folly.

Today was in the 60s with sun and breeze. The JoFo-designed City Bikes wooly jersey was PERFECT for today. Shorts and short-sleeves in January... Not bad.

Uncle Brian (see link at right) is already talking smack about the 100. He's about 10 years older than me and still waaay fast. It's the height thing... I can sh*t bigger than him. Ask him about the post-bachelor party bike ride feast in Santa Fe when he got married... You have to see him tell the story. He starts laughing before he even starts and that guy can make anybody laugh. He's fast and infectious. Not in the run-and-get-a-shot way, more in a good-dude way.

If I don't beat him, I'll have to out drink him. He's a Navy man so I'll probably have trouble doing either...

Sunday, January 22, 2006

That time of the year, dammit...

It's almost February. Damn. I checked out Jeremiah Bishop's site while searching for races for 2006. It's my first foray into getting back into pre-life shape... you know, before the kids, the wife, driving to work. If I can get in some type of shape for racing while not killing myself (or kids, wife or house), it would be good. I've got a list of races at the end of this post. Catch up with me if you have any other recommendations. Not on the list is TransWales. The Jury (read: Susan) is still out on that one. I'm looking at these races in April thinking about what it really takes to do well in them and I just can't imagine lining up, ready to race that soon.

The truth is that I won't be ready to race but I'll go out there anyway because all I want is to see friends, ride bikes as fast as I can and try to pass a few people. Michaux is not an easy course and I do well on technical courses so that's good for me. One thing I've gotten good at in my old age is pacing myself. I usually pace myself into the middle of the Sport class and then wonder what the Hell I was thinking slowing down that much but whatever... If I can smile at the end, it was all worth it. The bike commuting should help, as long as I can find time to do it, right?

This great weather we've had in January has really made it hard to not ride although the variable health of the entire family has made it hard to do anything. That and JRock hasn't slept all the way through the night two nights in a row since Nov 1.

The shop is humming along, for January. The new carbon Sworks Stumpjumpers will be here at the end of February. I'll finally have a mtn bike with gears again.

Speaking of which, did I mention that I got my copy of the Stumpjumper book? It's signed by Ned Overend and Mike Sinyard. I'm sure I'm one of a few hundred dealers who got it, but I'll be getting Ned to write a damn novel in there when I see him in DC in March. Talk about a class act...

Michaux Maximus – Gettysburgh, PA April 23
Greenbriar Challenge
, Maryland
State Championship – Frederick, MD April 30
12 Hours of Lodi Farm – Fredericksburg, VA May 13-14
Masanutten HooHa! - VA, June 4
24 Hours of Big Bear – Hazelton, WV June 10-11
Curse of Dark Hollow – Gettysburgh, PA July 23
Wilderness 101 – Coburn, PA July 29
Cranky Monkey Mountain Bike Series – Annondale, VA June 25, July 30
Cranky Monkey Mountain Bike Series – Fairfax Station, VA Aug 13
Shenandoah
Mountain 100 – Harrisonburg, VA September 3
Terror of Teaberry – Gettysburgh, PA Sept 24

Monday, January 16, 2006

Happy New Year

It's 2006. Yet another year that I never thought that I would live to see.

Has anybody taken a good look at the new Yeti stuff? I remember back in the heyday, before the whole Schwinn debacle... Jon Parker and the boys did a great job making some of the best xc bikes on the planet. That yellow and blue color scheme has been burned into my skull. Love 'em and I'm not sure why. The new bikes look rad. It's the same type of feeling that I have for companies like Moots , Chris King and Salsa (despite all of the changes). I was actually in Sonoma with Ross Shafer from Salsa the week that he decided to sell Salsa to QBP and I have an original catalogue from 1992 (just a photocopy, no color).

I ran into an old high school buddy while taking Emma to swimming lessons tonite. It's hard to miss Shawn. He was 6'3", 240 in high school and he hasn't changed one bit since then. He had one of his kids at the pool the same time Emma was there. Weird. Small f'in world.

Here's praying for a continuing mild winter! Only 8 months until the SM100... It looks like Uncle Brian is coming out from San Jose, CA, to ride with me. Or in front of me. Now I REALLY have something to plan for.

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