12/28

Not a date in December but the difference in temperatures at the start of the ride today vs. yesterday. I had looked at the forecast in advance so I took advantage of the warmer Saturday temperature to get in a little over 4 hours. I planned on checking out some of the trails after the snow we had gotten on Friday. I had two bikes lined up, the SS with fat tires and the geared bike with narrow tires. I planned on doing the same approximate loop on each of about two hours so I could contrast the tire combination on the trails.

I started with the SS and it seemed to float a little over the footprints but it would also break free on some areas where the snow was loose. The back roads are still covered with snow and has an ice surface beneath the snow. There was a lot of "brown sugar" snow, ugly brown crud that sat on top and would slide when you rolled over it if not careful. I tried to do a loop at Addison Oaks where there had been no traffic but gave up shortly after starting in to the trail.

I changed the SS for the geared bike and noticed that I was able to get better traction in most spots as the tires cut through the snow and reach solid ground. The front was a knobby design that allowed me to steer while the rear was a mud tire with minimal tread that is supposed to prevent mud (or snow) from packing. I made it up all the hills that I lost traction on when I was riding the SS. I even made it part way around Orion Oaks before heading back.

Today I only rode for two hours on the back roads. You had to be careful not to get caught in the icy grooves that had formed on much of the road. I don't know what type of machinery the county uses to clear the roads but it leaves multiple parallel grooves running the length of the road. It is quite exciting when coming down a hill and you feel the bike start to slide when it catches in a groove.

Last week marked the end of the power phase using the Compex. I was using it three days a week in progressively higher settings to simulate weight lifting. As a result my legs have been some what sore for the past 6 weeks. Just like the real thing. I have to measure to see if there is any increase in muscle size as well as test to see if my 1 rep max has gone up. Now I start the endurance phase but only two days a week. This phase uses very long muscle contractions to simulate multiple reps. Before too long it will be time to start higher intensity training on the bike as well.

Weekend update

The limited snowfall this past week has left the trails in great shape for riding. Plus the back roads have remained covered but generally in good shape. You just have to be careful to watch for icy patches.

I got out for about three hours Thursday and was able to be the first one on the trails at Addison Oaks and Bald Mountain. The snow wasn't deep but crunchy, it takes a little more effort to pedal through it but not too bad. It was dark by the time I finished the trail and headed home and it started snowing/sleeting on the way home which caused my glasses to ice up. I had to peer over the top in order to have a clear view. It got me to wondering how well cars could see and in they could see my blinky rear light in time. With snow covered roads I don't imagine they would have quite the ability to stop in a hurry. I may leave the rides on the roads in the dark for later in the spring.

Yesterday was just a couple of hours on the trails and rail trails, I switched to a narrower tire to cut through the crust and get traction on the trail. They worked great until I got to the rail trail where there had been a lot of foot traffic. The tires were forcing their way through the hardpack instead of staying on top. Fatter tires would have been preferred.

Today I had almost 4 hours in, mainly on the various connected rail trails. During my ride there were dozens of joggers but in that whole time I only saw five other bikers. That's OK, I like to think that my competition is sitting around the house as well but I know better. I've come to the conclusion that I am about 25-30% slower in the winter, especially on snow covered ground and roads. I think it is due not only to the snow and cold but the extra layers of clothes I have on.

It looks like we have pretty much the same weather pattern all week, with some snow included so I may spend more time on the trainer than I have been. So far this January I have more time on a bike than January of last year but less time on a trainer.

Look Ma, no brakes!

Did you ever touch a frozen object with your hand and get stuck to it? Or remember the scene in Christmas Story where the kid gets his tongue stuck to the flag pole? Well ice cold wheels are like that when they go through wet mud. The frigid air causes the mud to freeze to the rims. No big deal when you use disc brakes. But my SS uses rim brakes so in no time I was left with no brakes, or very little braking power anyway, for the rest of the ride.

I started the ride heading through some trails since I figured they would be frozen. For the most part they were except for the occasional puddle. The branches were bent down in many spots due to the ice, my helmet was constantly being hit as I made my way through. It was very pretty in the woods with everything covered in ice and the sun shining. It looked even better once out on the back roads and I had a panoramic view.

I started the ride with the temperature in the high teens and I could feel it dropping as I rode, especially once the sun started to dip behind the trees. Even with toe warmers and cold weather clothing I was getting slightly chilled so I headed back to the house after an hour and a half an finished my workout on the trainer. I guess I get colder easier on the road than on the trails. I'm not sure what I'll do as the temperatures continue to drop; split my workout or just stay indoors.

Spinning by candlelight

The perfect gift for romance on the trainers. Buy it now on CD at a bike shop near you. At least that's what I was thinking as I was sitting on the trainer in the basement late this afternoon. I was literally in the dark except for the glow of a kerosene lantern, spinning away and listening to my MP3 player. No electricity in the house other than a few lights (and the coffee pot) running off the generator.

We lost power this morning at 7:15 due to the overnight ice storm. I bought a used generator a few years ago but we don't have the ability to hook up the furnace to it so I ran out to the local store this morning and bought a kerosene heater which kept the main part of the house warm. We use the generator for lights and TV or a few other appliances where necessary and we use a camp stove for cooking.

Since I had the day off from work I hung out at the mall for a while and caught the new Bond movie. Sorry, while the new Bond is good nobody can beat Sean Connery. I was really hoping the power would have been back on before I got home but no luck. So off to the basement to spin for an hour and a half.

While down there I couldn't help but think about the ESPN commercials that show Lance Armstrong on the trainer powering up the TV studio. That might not be such a bad idea for days like today. Get a workout at the same time as keeping the electricity. I found that the lack of visual stimulation while sitting on the trainer allowed me to get in the zone pedalling to the music. If you have ever seen a Johnny G spinning video you know what I mean. I was listening to the Afro Celt Sound System. As their name implies they are a cross between African and Celtic music with a little techno thrown in as well. Great music for spinning and a lot of their songs are on the longer side.

The power finally came back on about 7:20 so we were without it for just over 12 hours. Hopefully we don't get more ice or a big wind to cause it to go out again.

Going uphill while pedalling down

Today's ride was a long uphill ride, whether I was actually going uphill or not. Last night I switched over to the studded tires in anticipation of the icy forecast for today. I was hoping to get in four hours and figured I would have to be out on the roads to avoid the soft trails. I was out for a few hours yesterday and had to be careful of the ice as I was using regular tires.

The overnight snow/sleet had left about an inch of accumulation and as I left the house this morning the sleet was changing to huge snowflakes. Later in the ride it would change back to sleet and then to rain. I stayed on mainly paved roads but the icy slush combined with the heavy studded tires was slow going. If the road was clear the metal studs on the wet pavement was still not a secure feeling.

I hadn't changed the SS gearing to make it easier so the entire ride was pretty much a struggle. It was good resistance training but it also meant my legs fatigued earlier than I wanted. I didn't get in the total time I was shooting for but I think the resistance made up the difference.

I got what I asked for, that will teach me

The mercury dropped and the snow fell yesterday, something I had hoped for in my last blog posting. I went out for a two hour ride in the afternoon and the wind chill was down to the coldest it's been all winter. Have you ever had a brain freeze after eating ice cream or a Slurpee too quickly? My face and brain felt that way for the first 15-20 minutes. The pain eventually subsided, or maybe my face just went numb and the rest of the ride wasn't too bad if I wasn't riding into the wind.

The rail trail and road were harder than they had been for a while which meant a faster and smoother ride. Still some wet sections but overall a lot better. Anyone notice how much colder you are when you have to go to the bathroom? Fortunately there is a bathroom at the rail trail parking lot that I stopped at on the way back. But on the way to it I kept looking over my shoulder for other users of the trail in case I decided to stop on the side. I had to use my lights on the way home and since I hadn't brought my clear glasses it was a little darker than normal. I didn't want to take off my tinted glasses since they were keeping out the wind.

Robin and Shari have decided to make the trip to Tennessee with me for the Cohutta 100 so we will be travelling two weeks in a row. Robin will race the 100 and Shari will do the 12 hour the following week. I may try to find a team to get on for the 12 hour instead of a solo effort after doing the 100 mile race the week before. That would at least give me a better chance at the Ft. Custer race the next week.

I hope to be able to build up a new Cannondale 29'er prior to the Cohutta, I hear the race has a lot of fire roads where the bigger wheels might be the ticket. I may end up using this bike for the Mohican as well since it has a similar ratio of trails and roads.

How long will this weather last?

I was able to take advantage of the lack of snow to get out for a few hours on Saturday and for another three hours today. Yesterday I stayed on the pavement due the rain and for a change it stopped raining half way through the ride. The sun even came out for about 10 minutes before ducking behind the clouds and the wind picked up.

Today I met Chris and we headed out on the back roads to the north and east of us. They were fairly dry, certainly a lot better than I had thought they would be. We were finished by 1:00 which is a good thing because this was on the radar, it looks like a white blob is about to attack our area. I don't recall seeing a snow circle completely surrounded by an icy mix line. I think wet and snow is in the future for a while now. In fact, looking out the window I see the first of the wet snow starting to fall. I just hope it gets cold enough to freeze.

When it rains it pours

Seems like each of the days I've been doing extended rides after work I get rained on for the last hour. Yesterday was no exception, it started raining right when I got to the trails at Addison Oaks. That will probably be the last time I can ride them until it freezes. Riding home in the dark and rain is an adventure, it builds character. I'm glad I've got my lights to see and be seen. At least I missed the really hard rain that came later in the evening.

They announced the races for this year's National Ultra-Endurance Mountain Bike 100 Series, now called NUE for short. Included in the seven race series is the opening race which will be in Tennessee on April 21. Great, but I signed up earlier this week for a 12 hour race in Tennessee on April 28! When it rains it pours. They have also changed the rules so you don't have to do a western race in order to qualify for the series awards. It looks like I may do both Tennessee races but I could use some company to share expenses and driving. I've got a brand new minivan that can hold four bikes on the roof or two inside but fewer passengers. Any takers?

The week of the 28th I am set and driving with Robin and Shari. I am looking forward to this race as we always have a good time together. They may question my taste in music but at lest we can laugh about it. Two possible weekends in a row in the (hopefully) sunny south in April. Every Michigander's dream.

Happy New Year!

The past year had been a pretty good one from a personal and race results perspective. A raise at work would have been nice but those of us in the auto industry are happy to still have jobs. I know quite a few that had lost theirs or been part of the downsizing process through retirements. Unfortunately I don't see things as being too much better in 2007.

A mini review of 2006 in the racing scene saw me move up in age category to 50+ and also win the CPS series. For this year I will move into the newly created Expert age class but I don't plan on racing too many of the CPS events. Other races are on the schedule to take their place. I didn't race many of the Fun Promotions Endurance races but I did do enough to take third in the 40+ class and take the overall win at the Drummond Island 24 hour. I also raced in two 100 mile races, finishing second in both. I wanted to do the rest of the national series but funds and time limited my choices.

This year I hope to do more of the 100 mile races and may not do as many of the local races. Again, finances will dictate the final schedule. Plus we have to make plans for Jason's wedding at the end of July out in Spokane so that will also play a big part in what races I do. I have already signed up for two races, the Tennessee 12 hour in April and the Iceman in November. The Mohican 100 is as pretty good bet though since I have a free entry from finishing 2nd there last year.

I continued to get in the base miles over the last few days, Saturday I got out for about 3.5 hours and two hours again on Sunday. Today was an easy 1.5 hour ride but into the wind on a SS still made it a little tougher than I wanted.

Friday we dropped off Jason at the airport and then my other son and I went to see the musical Spamalot. It was a gift from the boys. If you have seen the movie of Monty Python and the Holy Grail you know the basics of the musical. It was great fun and most of the famous bits were recreated on stage.

In some ways I'm glad the holiday season is over as I can get back to a regular schedule of eating and training. Not that I particularly want to go back to work but the temptation to eat will be reduced. I did manage to not gain a lot of weight but now it should be easier to keep it off and lose more. I can't resist sweets if it is around, fortunately we didn't have as much this year or I would have been in big trouble.

On to bigger and better things in 2007.

Busy, busy

First, Merry Christmas to everyone. Two days late but that's sort of what the past few days have been like starting with Christmas eve.

I upheld my annual tradition of not wrapping presents until the day before Christmas, I had everything purchased, I just never got around to wrapping. After getting that done I managed to get out and ride for a few hours but I had to stick to as much pavement as possible since the dirt roads were wet from the day before.

Later in the evening I went to Chris W's house for a party they have every year. Chris and his wife had prepared a great spread of all sorts of things to eat but I was careful to not overdo it, knowing what was to come in the days ahead. This year I am determined to start out the new year at a lower weight than last. It was also nice to be able to see some of my riding friends and wish them a Merry Christmas as well.

We were to meet Jason and his fiancee at the midnight mass so and we had to leave about 10:15 to try and get a seat by 11:00 or so, otherwise it standing room only or at least individual seats. As it was we saw Jason before only for a minute, his fiancee Emily was holding his seat in the pew. We finally got to meet her after the service and immediately welcomed her into the family. We stayed a little while at the church to sample the buffet they have after the midnight mass.

We were fortunate that Jason and Emily made it to the church from Indiana. Jason had flown in there the day before but his luggage didn't make it. It took 24 hours for the airlines to even say they found it and would send it up to Detroit to have it delivered on Christmas day. Until then Jason was a cranky boy. Visiting the future in-laws with no change of clothes would tend to do that I guess.

We didn't get to bed until about 4:00 am and were up again around 9:30 to open presents. We had to take a few coffee breaks to finish and then it was time for dinner. Robin and Shari came over for dessert and to meet Emily. They are great friends and we always have a good time with them. I think they were able to fill Emily in on a few things about Jason as well :-)

Sandy's sister had come up the day before to spent Christmas with us so while Jason and Emily were off visiting later in the evening we had a chance to sit around and talk and watch one of the Blue Collar Tour DVDs her sister had gotten for Christmas. Another late night and we had to get up early the next morning to go down to Ray's MTB park in Cleveland.

Tuesday morning I was up around 5:00 am since we were leaving early to go down to Cleveland. The owner of Ray's met us at the place two hours early to let us in and we had the place to ourselves. The Hammer people have sponsored a section of the park so Jason had called and talked to Ray several times. Jason was like a little kid in a candy store as he eyed up all the technical stunts and riding areas. We had picked up his friend Nate and along with Emily and our other son Greg we spent about four hours at the indoor riding park. I rode some of the technical things but I chickened out on a lot as well. It's not my riding preference but I can see where it would help your overall riding ability.

After leaving Ray's in the afternoon we went down to my parents outside of Cleveland so they could see us but more importantly to meet Emily. I think they were as impressed with her as we are. A few hours there and it was time to head back home. We stopped for dinner at Tony Packo's in Toledo. None of the kids had ever been there and everyone enjoyed the atmosphere and the food, even liking the deep fried pickles.

We didn't get home until around 10:30 at night where Sandy and Emily finally had a chance to spent a few hours alone with each other talking in general and looking at wedding dresses in the magazines. Emily had to leave this morning and drive back to Indiana before catching a flight to Montana tomorrow out of Chicago. We wished we had more time with her; the next time we see her may be at the wedding.

At least we have a few days now with Jason before he too goes back to Montana. It seems strange to think that this may be his last time at home as a single guy. Funny, when I was getting ready to get married I never thought anything about what my parents thought along those lines. Of course they already had two others get married by the time I got married. I don't think it makes a difference though. It still causes you to reflect on things. All I can say is we wish Jason and Emily the best of everything. I hope they will be as happy as Sandy and I have been.

The happy couple



Christmas dinner



Robin and Shari watching the dogs before telling Emily what she's in for


Some of the stunts at Ray's


Jason gets some air


At Tony Packos

Night ride

Not quite on the Winter Solstice but four of us got out for a ride last night. Good thing it was yesterday, rain is in the forecast for today. Chris, Todd, Tony and I were all on our ridgid SS's as we toured the back roads and rail trails while taking in the Christmas lights. Out in the country several of the big horse barns were lit up as well as the houses.

By the time I got home I had almost 2.5 hours but the time had gone by pretty quickly. We were fortunate that it wasn't very cold, but it's not hard to work up a sweat anyway. Plus the right clothes (and shoes) makes a world of difference.

I did have a problem with my L&M helmet light not turning back on after the first time I stopped but I have a second one on my bar that stayed on the whole time. When I got home I unplugged the helmet light and put it on the other battery and it fired right up. I put it back on the original battery and it worked with it as well. I think maybe the cord had come out of the battery slightly when riding but in all the races I've done it has never happened before.

Hopefully the weather will allow me to continue to ride outdoors. At least the days will start to get longer. I've been working out my training plan for the next few months and I am not looking forward to spending a lot of time on the trainer. But I look at long trainer rides as making me mentally tougher. Not to mention what it does for my backside.

More pics of the happy couple

Jason sent me these from the day he proposed up on the mountain.

Big news

Jason called on Friday night to tell us that he had gotten engaged! I was speechless but apparently my wife already knew he was going to ask his girlfriend, Emily. They don't have a date set yet but maybe next summer, and possibly in Spokane, Washington. That is where Jason had spent the prior year teaching at a small catholic school and they have a beautiful church there as well.

We haven't had a chance to meet Emily yet but she will be visiting her family for the holidays in the Indiana/Chicago area and Jason will be flying to meet her family before Christmas and then the two of them will be arriving Christmas eve. We look forward to meeting her and welcoming her to the family.

In other news I wanted to celebrate my 50th birthday on Saturday by riding 50 miles. Fortunately the weather was nice and I met up with Chris W for part of the ride. I ended up with 60 miles. I have been riding my SS lately for winter training so it was a good workout. Heading into the wind was especially tough, as it was the day before when I got in a 2.5 hour ride.

Saturday evening was spent at a co-workers wedding. It was a nice way to spend my birthday, among friends and with great food and an open bar to boot. Ironically we also went to a wedding on my wife's 50th birthday back in August. I didn't realize our birthdays were so popular.

Today we put up the tree and got the lights on it. Later in the week it gets the decorations. We have been a little slower this year putting up decorations. Not sure why, maybe the week I was busy with the workshop put me behind.

So I finally get a physical

This past year we switched health insurance plans and part of our new package includes yearly physicals. Now we didn't even have a family doctor, we haven't really needed one since we haven't been sick much, more often it's something of an emergency nature due to riding, skiing, etc.. I asked some of my friends for a recommendation and made an appointment for this past Monday.

The first test they did was an EKG, and then I went through some others including a bone scan and the usual blood tests as well as those of a more "intimate" type. The doctor says the EKG is showing some abnormality so he prescribes more tests including a sonogram and also a stress test. Due to all the riding I do I have a low resting heart rate which he says may put me at more risk after I tell him about the possible sleep apnea I have. I say possible because that's what my wife claims when she whacks me in the middle of the night. Maybe it's just an excuse for her though.

I took the stress test this morning which involves a treadmill and nuclear dye along withe some imaging tests. The doctor gave me a piece of paper to carry for about a week in case I cross the border or fly. Apparently the nuclear stuff in my body can set off detectors at these places. I checked and at least I can't be used for a night light.

The treadmill part was kind of fun, they start you off slow and then ramp up the speed and incline every few minutes while they monitor you HR and blood pressure. they want to get you to a certain HR and then you are supposed to tell them when you think you can only last another minute so they can inject more dye. I never got to that point and they have a time limit on the test so they injected more dye anyway. I was working a little by the time it ended, actually running to keep up but not enough to stop. They said for my age that the results were off the chart. Of course the pictures they took will tell the real story.

I also had a consultation with a sleep disorder doctor today and he prescribed a sleep test to check if I have sleep apnea and if so, how severe it might be. I will have to spend a night at a facility hooked up to all sorts of wires and things. I've heard from others that it can be difficult to sleep during these tests. Hopefully I won't have that problem and they can get a good diagnosis.

I'll be updating my blog with the experience and results as they come in. Stay tuned.

Busy at work

I have been busy for the past month preparing for a seven day workshop at work which just concluded this past Friday. The workshop was for our ITM Business Consultant program that started this year. I am one of three consultants that is helping to direct the program as we get started and this workshop was the first to begin teaching the methods and tools we will use.

I was responsible for coordinating the workshop which included attendees from Germany and Asia. There was a lot to do including hotel and conference room arrangements, meals, and evening activities as well as coordinating the overall content with the providers, Michigan State and a vendor from Germany.


We started last Friday night with a welcome banquet and then started in with the classes on Saturday morning, finishing up on Friday afternoon. Most days started early in the morning and finished up with dinner around 6:00 pm. We went to the Palace for the Pistons basketball game one night to break up the routine. Most of the attendees from Germany and Asia had never been to an NBA game before so it was a treat for them.

My off season training basically came to a halt for the past week, unless you count 12 ounce curls as weight training. We did a lot of training using this method. Their last night here saw us hitting several of the local establishments, capping off the night at JD's Key club, a dueling piano bar. It also happened to be date night at the bar, the U of M frats had asked out their girlfriends and charted two big buses so they wouldn't have to worry about driving back home. Good thing they did, most probably couldn't have found their cars. The girls were dressed up in party dresses with low cut back and fronts; in their inebriated state it made for quite a scene. The German visitors seemed to enjoy the show.

I did get out for a few hours on the bike Saturday and today. I was able to hit up the local trails and back roads. At Addison Oaks I was the first one on the trails; it's always a treat to have undisturbed snow to ride through. The weather looks like it will not be very good for riding so I guess it's back on the trainer.

April in November

These past few days have seemed more like spring than the prelude to winter. The warm and generally sunny weather drew people outside all weekend for a multitude of reasons. Many of my neighbors took the opportunity to finish their yard work or put up Christmas decorations. Fortunately I had my yard done weeks ago and the few outside decorations can wait until closer to Christmas. That meant I had plenty of time to do other things including riding.

I managed to ride all four days of the holiday break, at least two to three hours on each day except Thursday. On Friday the rail trails were wet on top and the mud coated the bike with a grey, cement looking coating. I ended up getting back on the roads through Stony and then the back roads home. At least the dirt roads were in fairly decent shape.

Saturday's ride was over to Addison Oaks to join the trail coordinator, Paul Bailey, on a lap with some out of town guests that he was showing around the trails. Paul puts a ton of work into the trails and every fall he uses a blower to remove the leaves from the trail to allow it to dry faster. It works, the trail was about 95% dry. It was probably in even better shape today.

Today I met up with six others to ride over to the cyclocross race at Bloomer. All of us except one were on SS's but we won't mention any names Mark. The group makes up most of the NOSS members, the North Oakland Single Speeders. Just a bunch of guys from mainly Lake Orion and Oxford that get together to ride and have fun. Of course most of them ride SS's. I do ride a SS on occasion but because I'm the oldest they let me ride anyway. That or they want me for my Hammer connection.

It turned out that one member of our group, Jay Jones, decided to enter the race on his SS MTB. We had fun cheering Jay on and watching him pass geared cyclocross bikes that were better suited for the course than his bike was. Some of our group had never been to a 'cross race before and were impressed with the race. I think some of them be entering one next year to try it out.

Now that this holiday is over it's back to work and probably onto the trainer. Cold and wet is coming our way and that means it's back to the basement and Spinervals or just spinning. When the weather cooperates I'll be back outside but it may be awhile.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey day in Michigan doesn't get much better than this, weather wise. The high today was in the mid fifties with sunny skies. For the first time in many years I was able to make the annual Turkey Roll at Pontiac Lake. I have been cooking the turkey the past several years so I couldn't make the ride. This year though my son worked until 11:00 in the morning so we scheduled a later meal.

With the ride starting at 9:30, the ground was still mostly frozen and just starting to get greasy in some spots exposed to the sun. This year had a record turnout for sure, the nice weather really brought out a crowd. After not riding much the past couple of weeks my legs could really feel the burn, even at the relatively slower pace.

Part of the pain may have been due to my time in the fitness center yesterday. I was testing for my 1 rep max in the leg press. I wanted to see where I am now compared to after I am done with the Compex strength program. Just that little bit of heavy lifting has me walking like a much older man, especially going down stairs.

I don't plan on fighting any of the store traffic over the weekend, besides I prefer to shop online. Speaking of internet sales, I sold some of my bike stuff on eBay this week including a frame and fork so I'm well on my way to funding my next bike, the Cannondale Caffeine 29'er.

With the nice weather forecast for the next couple of days and not having to work I hope to get in some longer rides. Maybe that will allow me to eat a little more turkey and pumpkin pie.

The dogs were as tired as we were after eating a good dinner.

A House Divided

This is getting to be too much. Another big game and another loss. We have a divided camp here, my older son and I rooting for Michigan and my wife and younger son are Ohio State fans. Way back it used to be a fun game but not the past several years. We have been hosting a game party with my parents travelling up from Ohio (he's a U of M grad) and a lot of my son's friends. One of them brings a projector and we have the perfect wall in the living room for showing the game. In spite of the outcome it is still a good time. I thought that the death of Bo might be enough to put Michigan over the top. I don't know what happened to Michigan's defense but Ohio was definitely the better team yesterday.


At least I got to spend some time with my parents, taking them out to dinner on Friday night and then shopping Saturday morning at both some new and old places that I thought they would like to see. One of them was Whole Foods in Rochester. While there we found out that a store will be opening next spring down by my parents. A manager even gave my mom a jar of jelly for free just for stopping by from out of town.

For the past week we have had some new members of the household running around. We picked up two dogs from the pound, one last week and then one early this week. We spaced them out to give our current dog a chance to adapt. We were concerned that she may not like having another dog(s) around since it has been several years since we last had two dogs. The first one we picked up is about 4.5 months old and is a beagle/lab mix. We were lucky that it was already housebroken and got it used to its crate from day one. The older dog didn't really want anything to do with it at first but now enjoys playing with the pup.

The second dog we got is a two year old black lab, or at least mainly lab. He's a big one, weighing 90 pounds. At first I thought he would be a real handful but it was just excess energy from being at the pound. Someone had worked with him as he knows most of the basic commands. Unfortunately we don't know what his name was so he is getting used to the new name we have given him. The pup took to him right away but the older dog has been more reserved. She seems to have some maternal instinct kicking in since she will growl if she thinks the black lab is getting too rough with the puppy.

Meal times are definitely exciting along with the arrival of any of the family members. Lots of happy tag wagging but it makes it hard to get in the door. The black lab has gotten out a few times and we have been fortunate to round him up in the neighbor's yard. Today I plan on looking for an electronic fence to help control the two new dogs. We have never had a problem with the older one other than chasing a few squirrels into the neighbors but she always comes right back when called. I'm sure Christmas will be interesting. We have an artificial tree, I hope it doesn't get "watered" for us.

Reflections on the past season

Today I went for my first ride since last Sunday, I had been staying off the bike on purpose for a while now that the racing season is over. A week is not really a long time but when you have been riding almost every day since March it seems like an eternity. Tomorrow the off-season training officially begins; days of weights, Compex and other assorted workouts. Bike time will be limited to fun rides until the on-bike portion of the training begins next year.

I have been planning next season already, well actually I started earlier this year as the 2007 race dates have become published. I want to do more of the 100 mile races as this format seemed to be the most fun. It's a long enough race to make it special but you usually don't do multiple laps like you do in a 12 hour event. Or at least the laps are longer. I'm not sure if I'll do a solo 24 hour again but I would like to try it on a team, I haven't done that before.

The local XC races are getting a little stale although they did put in a new venue this year and have an old one back for next. I just can't seem to get as excited about racing for an hour and a half to two hours when you could be racing somewhere else for 10-12 hours. If the race costs are too expensive though I guess I'll be hitting up the local scene again.

This past year was fairly successful in terms of results, I managed to win my class title in the MMBA Championship Point Series, 3rd in the Fun Promotions Endurance Series, and finished second in both of the National Ultra Endurance MTB races I entered. I even managed to win first overall at the 24 hours of Drummond Island, including having more laps than the teams. I accomplished most of the goals I had set at the beginning of the season. Next year's plans are still up in the air but hopefully I can build on what I learned this year.

One thing that will change it that the coach I have been using the past few years has said that he will no longer be performing that role. It is time for him to concentrate on other things for a while. I'm going to miss his advice, his training plans and guidance were a big reason for may success over the past few years. I found that I pushed harder in training when someone else was looking at my results. I may sing on with another coach or I may just use my own plan, based on what has worked in the past.

Where's the Ice, Man?

The Iceman cameth and wenteth yesterday. In spite of all the weather forecasts predicting multiple inches of snow, the race course conditions were almost perfect. No snow on the ground and the previous days' small snow had melted which helped to firm up the sand. The sand pits were still around, just not as many perhaps. The weather was cold and cloudy with light snow falling later in the race.

Between the Kalkasa to Traverse City Iceman race and the shorter Slush Cup race held near the finish, almost 2500 racers had signed up to compete. Or at least ride, as the end of the year event brings out many for whom this may be the only event they do all year. In my class alone there were 123 finishers.

Once again I had set up the Hammer Nutrition tent at the expo the day before the race and this year my son flew in from Montana to man the booth and offer expert advice on the Hammer products as well as race the next day. The booth was pretty busy all day and it was tiring being on your feet most of the day and talking to people. Not exactly the best way to prepare for a race.

I decided at the last minute to take advantage of the Cannondale rep's offer to test race the new Caffeine 29'er that will be available later this year. The 29'er market is expanding and seemed to have a large following of users to the extent that it almost seems like a cult. The 29'er with larger wheels is supposed to make riding a lot better.

I had never ridden a 29'er before so I thought this would be a great way to test out what everyone had been saying about them. The bike worked great in the sand, able to roll over most sections where others were floundering. I was able to keep traction on the hills that others were walking. It also handled the two small sections of singletrack much better than I anticipated.

The bike in stock form is a little portly for serious racing, probably coming in around 29 pounds in the size large I used. I could feel the weight when accelerating and when climbing. I also had continued issues with the seatpost slipping using the quick release collar until I finally got out an Allen wrench and snugged it down without using the QR lever.

The race turned into more of a challenge than I had anticipated but in spite of my relatively poor performance compared to if I had been riding my own bike, but I still would have finished 10th in the Sport class so I'm glad I made the switch to Expert. I'm also glad to have had a chance to test ride the Cannondale. Thanks go to them for making it happen. Thanks also to all who stopped by the Hammer booth and said hello and/or bought product. It looks like we will be back again next year and sales were good enough that my son should be able to make the trip again.

The headless rider at the entrance to Timber Ridge Campground, at the finish.


With our "Booth Babe" Shari