Turning back the pages to the times I love best

The title is one of the lines from Gordon Lightfoot's song, Carefree Highway. I thought it was an appropriate blog title since Sandy and I went to see Gordon in concert at Meadowbrook this past Thursday evening. What makes the line even more meaningful is that Sandy and I went to see Gordon in concert on one of our first few dates, back in Cleveland in 1977. The theater back then was in the round and we had close to front row seats.

This time I got an offer through Chrysler for discounted lawn tickets and I thought it would be great to see him again after all these years. I took the day off work so Sandy and I could spend it together. The weather forecast was not promising so in the morning I stopped by the box office and upgraded to pavilion seats. I was surprised that I was able to get center aisle seats, about 20 rows back. Maybe not so surprising since Gordon's popularity probably peaked about 30 years ago.

The night turned out to be a pleasant one and no rain came down during the concert. But the seats we had were definitely a good investment as we had perfect viewing. Gordon's voice still had the familiar sound, just not quite as rich. Of course at age 71 it is to be expected. But I must admit he looks all of his age. The band members were the same ones we had seen 32 years ago except they added a keyboard player. All in all it was great night and it took us back to our courting days. Only this time I didn't have to drop her off at her parents. ;-)

I spent most of my riding this week at a slower price as my knee started to heal. I checked out the Stony TT course on Thursday and Friday in case I decided to enter the race on Sunday. I packed the van last night with the bikes and gear in anticipation of racing. I went over to STony early this morning so I could check out the course conditions from yesterday's rain and also check how my knee was doing.

Initially the knee felt good and the course was also in great shape. As I was riding I added a little more power to the pedal stroke and could tell that I was not yet at 100% on the knee. I headed back to start area and decided to not sign up for the race, waiting until next week to try again. The promoter had raised the price for this race above the normal entry fee and combined with a race that should only take about 50 minutes, I couldn't see paying to race at 85% strength.

Next week is a 6/12 hour race and again at Stony Creek, this time put on by a different promoter. There will be four different MTB races there this year and so far I've missed the first two. Then the week after is the Saturday race at LOHS. And Jason's family will be here!

Renewed my membership in the OTB club

The picture pretty much sums up the endurance race I attempted yesterday, the Ithaca 6/12 hour. OTB stands for Over The Bars. I decided two days before to do the race and also to ride in the singlespeed class; I had not raced the SS yet this year. Ithaca is a great SS course as it is fairly tight and twisty with very little elevation change.

I had planned on doing a prerace lap to get a feel for the course but decided to just wait for the race itself. With a planned six hours and laps usually in the mid twenty minute range I would have plenty of time to learn the course. Chris Werth had done a lap earlier and told me the course was pretty fast and he thought it was better than when we run it in the opposite direction. I decided to switch the gearing on my bike to set it up for a little more speed.

At the start I lined up with two of my riding buddies, Mark and Wayne, also in the six hour SS class and we sized up the remaining competition. One rider I knew and was fairly confident that he would start out fast but fade in the later hours, the other I didn't know at all. Mark and Wayne are fast as they usually only ride SS's. I had done quite a bit of riding leading up to the race since I hadn't originally planned on racing. I wasn't sure how my legs would respond.

We rolled out at the start and the younger rider I knew, Brendan, jumped in front. I was a couple of riders back and content to sit back with Mark and Wayne a few more riders in back of me. One of the few climbs we encountered fairly early in the race had some roots on it and Brendan slipped his back wheel causing him to crash. A couple of us went around him but it wasn't long before he was right on my tail.

It seemed like we carried on a conversation for most of the first lap as I was content to not push much but occasionally push the speed in the open sections, forcing Brendan to chase me. With my taller gearing I was able to generate a higher top speed. I also made a few passes of other riders where I knew Brendan would have to wait before he was also able to pass. My plan was to have him chase me and wear out early. I could tell he was working hard as I would open up a small gap and then slow up. I didn't want to maintain a high pace as it was still early in the race.

Brendan began having problems with his chain coming off and eventually he faded and I was alone to race my own pace. I was feeling very good and surprised how comfortable I felt. After the fourth lap I was calculating that I should be able to get in at least 15 laps with no problem, and maybe even 17 laps if pushed it near the end. All I needed to do was stay steady as I was gaining an advantage of about 10-15 seconds per lap on second place.

But as soon I was starting to feeling comfortable is when disaster struck on the fifth lap. I came up a short rise with some speed and out into the open where the course immediately turned right and went back into the woods on a slight downhill. Unfortunately there was also a little dip as you started down and my weight was too far forward from the climb and turn and the front end dropped into the dip. The back did a flip, sending me over the bars and crashing hard.

I got back up, sorted myself out and noticed that both my kneecaps were bloody, the right one really seeping and I could see white underneath. Still having a lot of adrenaline from the race and the crash I pushed on to finish the lap but the knees were starting to ache. It took me a while to notice that my handlebar had been rotated back from the impact.

On the completion of the lap I headed over to promoter's trailer looking for some first aid. He rummaged around and found the antiseptic and bandages. We cleaned the wounds as best we could and then tried to tape a bandage on. The knee is not a very easy place to bandage.

I rode into my pit to put some duct tape around my knee in an attempt to hold the dressing in place and also to change the rear wheel to one with an easier gear since I was having trouble pedaling. After changing the wheel I started to go back out but had to turn around when I realized I had forgotten to fix the bars. Finally I started another lap but by this time I had long ago given up the lead to probably everyone else. The initial pedaling was painful but OK as long as I didn't press too hard. I completed the lap and figured I would try another.

It was on my seventh lap that the adrenaline must have worn off and the pain set in. The bandage was off my knee by the end of the first go round and blood was still oozing down the leg. I decided to pack it in after only three hours of my race. I have races planned for the next three weekends so there was no sense making things worse now.

On the ride home my knee really started to stiffen up. I was afraid that someone was going to have to carry me out of the car when I got home. While driving I noticed that I had some abrasions on my forehead caused by my helmet and glasses during the crash. Once home, for the rest of the evening i couldn't really bend my right knee at all.

This morning the knee was feeling better as I had taken quite a few Hammer Tissue Rejuvenator capsules which seemed to help. I went out for a short ride to keep the knee active and I could pedal, just not with any force on the right leg. The small hills became a left leg only cycling drill. I can't remember the last time I had a ride with as low a heart rate average as this ride.

Next week is the Stony time trial and I hope to be recovered in time for that. Training this week might be a little off but time will tell.

On a positive note we found out that Jason and family will be back in town the first week in August. We look forward to seeing all of them again. Especially since we have only seen our granddaughter back in January.

CCNA

CCNA from the Wikipedia listing:

CCNA is the acronym for the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification from Cisco. In speech and in writing, this certification is properly referred to by the initials CCNA rather than the full name.

CCNA certification is a first-level Cisco Career certification and indicates a foundation in and apprentice knowledge of networking. CCNA certification validates the ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-size routed and switched networks, including implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN. To become Cisco certified, a passing score on the 640-802 exam must be achieved.

I'm proud to say that our younger son Greg successfully passed his test today. This is not an easy test and in fact a lot of people do not pass on the first try. Greg didn't pass on his first attempt a few weeks ago, only missing by one question.

He went back to studying and retook the test today. Of course he didn't tell us he was going to do so in spite of our nagging. We came home from work today to find a nice card from him, telling us of the news and thanking us for our support. We are extremely proud of him. We all went out to the restaurant of his choice to celebrate. Greg will now start to look for an internship to put his knowledge to work.

From the western front we are waiting to see what Jason and family are working on to get back east to visit. Initially the race timing company that Jason works with was going to pay to fly them back so Jason could time a race here so the company could test out a fix to the timing program. But the company had not been getting timely payments from the race promoters so did not have the funds to send the family back.

Obviously we were disappointed but understood. Then Jason called and asked me to check into cheap airfare but had not told me what he has in mind. Perhaps nothing will come of it but we may get to see the family after all.

Today started the two week corporate shut down but our are had the option of working. Even though the plants and most users of our systems are not around we are making changes so their is testing to be done. It is kind of strange to walk around the big headquarters complex that normally has thousands of people working and for this week there are maybe a few hundred. The cafeterias, fitness center, and latte stands are closed be will survive. Next week there will be more as we prepare for the plants to start back up.

This past weekend I was all set to go up to Boyne and race but on the way home from work Friday I came to the conclusion that I didn't really want to have a 3.5 hour drive each way for this 3 or 4 hour race and end up spending close to $100 after gas, entry, and food. I decided to skip it and rode for several hours each day. One of my Cannondale Midwest team members joined me on Sunday. It was nice to have someone to ride with. Hopefully we can get more team members to join us on future rides.

I'm not sure what the next race is, it may not be until the end of the month. I may have an announcement about a new type of race for LOHS to be held this fall but I can't say anything for sure until I can get the details worked out. Hopefully soon.

LOHS Race Info Aug 8

The next race at Lake Orion High School is Saturday, Aug 8. This will be a full length race and we will even offer a money class for men and women! On-line registration is here: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=8790 Or you can get the mail in form below.

2009 August Summer Mountain Bike Entry

It's July Already?

The year is half over and it seems to have gone by pretty fast. Not that long ago the weather was cold and rainy but for the past week the temperatures have pretty much been ideal. Summer is finally here, right on cue.

We held another race at Lake Orion High School and once again lucked out on the weather. It was rainy in the morning but while the rain threatened all afternoon, it never materialized. We had a decent turnout of students which was great to see. The trail was in good shape and the racers were treated to the longest course yet. This will be similar to the rest of the races scheduled there this year.

The three days off from work meant I got to ride for a couple of hours each morning and hit up most of the area trails at some point. I averaged about 3 hours per day; not very long but I threw in some harder efforts for training. I was usually home by noon to do whatever else was on the agenda for the day.

Sandy also had Friday off so we went shopping for the weekend meals as I planned on grilling every day. Sunday we were celebrating our younger son's birthday and he had requested tht I make the shrimp and chicken kabobs he liked. It's acutally a pretty simple dish but cleaning three pounds of shrimp takes some time.

While at one of the stores we noticed that the lawn furniture was on closeout. There really wasn't a lot left but it did get us thinking about it. In the afternoon we cheked out a few other stores for furniture and decided to mix and match table, chairs and umbrella from three different places. Now, after almost twelve years in our house, we actually have something on our patio other than a grill. We enjoyed eating outside all weekend.

Next week most of Chrysler shuts down for its first two week corporate holiday, similar to what the other auto makers have done for years. All of our plants will be down and most of the rest of the corporation will be off as well. Originally we were told to plan on taking vacation as well but now we are alloed to work instead. I plan on working most days to save the time off for later this month when Jason is supposed to come back for a few days. Hopefully the rest of the family will be able to make the trip as well.

When the moon is in the Seventh House

And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

From Age of Aquarius by the 5th Dimension

These lyrics kept running through my head during my ride on Saturday morning. It was one of those seemingly all too rare times when everything aligned just right to provide a perfect ride for how I was feeling at the time.

The week after Lumberjack I had only ridden lightly or not at all due to fatigue, heat and/or thunderstorms. Saturday morning was cool and clear and I decided to take out the singlespeed bike after changing the gearing to provide a better ratio for training.

The beauty of a singespeed is also it's detraction. If you want to go faster you pedal faster; if you come to a hill you pedal harder. Sometimes you can't pedal fast enough when going downhill and are limited to how fast your can pedal on the flats for a comfortable distance. On some ride a singlespeed is easier because you don't always have a harder gear so are forced to relax and just let it flow.

I headed out to the local trails and then the back roads and rail trails while soaking up the cool air and scenery. My legs were working in tandem with my heart rate and both were operating better than I thought they would. I headed over to watch part of the Stony Creek marathon mountain bike race.

Riders were coming through from their first laps and many of the bikes had a fair amount of mud attached to them. Some riders were also muddy from where they had apparently fallen somewhere out on the course. The promoter had elected to use a section of trail that had been wet for some time and was known to be muddy. Last year this same race cut out most of the section in somewhat similar conditions. I'm not sure why the whole section was used this time but I imagine their will be some work required to fix the damage created by the racers.

Usually when I watch a race I feel some regret at not being a participant but this time I had no regrets about not entering. I watched most of my Cannondale Midwest team members come through and then rode on toward home.

Today I was back out for a couple of hours but a little later in the day and the Zen like feeling was gone. Partially due to the warmer weather and also I was feeling a little fatigue from yesterday. But overall it was another good ride with an eye toward Tuesday's race at Lake Orion High School, weather permitting. Then the Boyne marathon in two weeks if possible.

The racing season is flying by and the new bikes will soon be announced. I have been receiving some inside scoops from our Cannondale rep attending the dealer show in UT but until things are officially announced we will just have to wait and see what is in store for 2010.

Lumberjack 100

The 5th year of the Lumberjack 100 is in the books and I am pleased to be able to report that this year I at least finished the race. If my body worked as well as my Scalpel I would have won instead of finishing seventh in my class. I am very pleased with the bike and the modification of running the slightly larger 650b wheel up front.

Robin, Shari and I left Thursday evening and spent the night at their cottage on Higgins Lake. The next morning we headed up to the race site so that we could arrive early enough to get a prime spot on the course for our pit. Having a good spot makes the lap transitions a lot faster. Shari is a pro at this by now.

After staking our claim we headed over to our rental house, or chalet, that I had reserved. I found the place on the internet and the cost was similar to what we paid last year for a hotel. The chalet had three bedrooms and slept 10. It included 1.5 baths and even had a basement with a garage door where we could bring in our bikes to work on them. In the winter I guess the place is popular for snowmobilers.

We had a bunch of people from the Cycletherapy team coming up to share the place with us so the cost per night was very cheap. It was nice to have a whole house to move around in. The fact that it was only about 4.5 miles from the race was even better. After settling in on Friday I rode over to the race and did a small portion of the course.

Race day morning we got up early to get ready and get over to the race site so we could get a parking spot to unload all of our gear. The heavy overnight rain had pretty much soaked into the sandy soil which was perfect; the day before parts of the course were like riding on a beach. The rain had also left the air very humid, not so great.

My strategy this year was to just finish; I was not too confident in my preparation for this race (almost none) so I wanted to try starting out slow for once. I always say this and then go out too hard, causing me to really slow down by the end of the race.

Once the race started we had about a two mile stretch of blacktop before turning into the trail. I was content to just sit in the middle of the group and take my time. Throughout the first lap I pretty much stayed in whatever group I found myself in and didn't really try to pass. I monitored my heart rate to keep from going too hard. Many times I had to resist the urge to press as I kept thinking I could go faster than I was.

At the end of the first 25 mile lap I was actually having fun and ready to go out for the second lap. I was able to make this lap little faster than the first as there wasn't as much traffic in front of me but I still had to force myself to slow down. I could start to feel a little fatigue at the end of the lap but a third lap was never a doubt.

On the third lap I would start to feel some cramps in my legs as we were now in the middle of the day and the temperature had risen. Fortunately most of the course in in the woods and well shaded. I did walk a hill or two that I had previously ridden on the first two laps. My lap time had slowed to where it equaled the first lap.

I didn't allow myself much time in the pits before heading out for my fourth, and final lap. At this point I was definitely feeling the effort but I was confident I would at least finish. The heat was starting to make me a little dizzy at times and I had to walk a few more hills than before, pausing to let myself cool down. I was so glad to get up the final hill knowing that the last two or three miles were pretty much downhill or level.

I crossed the line with a slower time than two years ago but at least I finished. I didn't think I was even in the top ten, knowing the other competitors in the race. I was surprised that I still ended up seventh but a long way out of first. Every year the 100 milers are attracting more people and better competition. But that's the way national races should be; not just showing up and placing because you finished. It also means I have a lot of work to do if I want to get on the podium again.

It was still a great weekend with good friends and a great trail system. The full suspension bike helped to mitigate any back problems or other discomforts caused by the long time on the bike and bumpy course. I'm not sure what the next race is except we do have another race at Lake Orion High School on June 30.

Thanks again to Robin and Shari for another outstanding race support.

Our primo spot on the course


Our rental chalet for the weekend


The back, complete with deck and gas grill


The living room, plenty of room for everyone to watch satellite TV.

In the woods

It seems like I spend a lot of time in the woods. Mountain biking is my main hobby and most of my riding is done on trails that wind their way through old growth timber. I have always liked being outdoors and was lucky enough to grow up in a rural area where I could walk out my back door and go for miles through the fields, woods and rivers. At one time I even wanted to become a forest ranger.

Our house was on a 5 acre lot but it was surrounded by empty fields that backed up to the forest and the same across the street. Even as a kid I was into building trails for my mini-bike and then dirt bikes. Some things never change.

But now I have traded the motor for pedals but still love to build trails out in the woods. I have worked on most of the major trails in my immediate area, either helping lay out or install new sections or simply maintaining the existing ones. These trails include Bald Mountain, Addison Oaks, Stony Creek, Bloomer, Pontiac Lake, and Maybury. When I first got involved with the Michigan Mountain Biking Association(MMBA)I was all over the area working at the trail days. Now days I pretty much stick closer to home.

I am fortunate to have the Lake Orion High School property within a half mile from my house and that the school property is a great piece of real estate for mountain biking. The multiple elevation changes on their meadows and woods has allowed me to build quite a few sections of singletrack and to tie them all together and also access the Bald Mountain trails. The school grounds crew has been super supportive of my efforts and assisted in so many ways to help put the trails in.

This past weekend I pretty much finished up another section of trail that while not being lengthy, will provide a few neat features but took a lot of work on a couple of sections. The best part about these trails is when other people ride them and are amazed at the trails they never knew existed. As a bonus it gives me a great workout, both while building them and then as an almost private training grounds.

Those that have ridden all the sections know that my trails can give you a good technical tree avoidance as well as cardio workout due to all the climbing. The terrain does not allow for many climbs to be rolled into; it's more descend, turn, and climb. But that is what makes the most difference in racing, climbing and the ability to hold sustained efforts. The latter I still need to work on but with a ready made course less than a five minute ride from my house I can easily get in the practice.

Hopefully some of these workouts have helped me get ready for the Lumberjack 100 this weekend. I didn't fare well there last year as I pulled out after 50 miles as I didn't seem to have any energy. This will be my fourth year in a row for this race and my field looks tougher than ever. There are 32 men registered in my class; I think that is the biggest field for my group in any of the 100's I have done. I know of at least ten that could be contenders for top honors. The forecast for rain may play a factor in who survives until the end.

I am traveling with my usual pit crew of Robin and Shari. We will spend Thursday night at their cabin on Higgins Lake and then head up to the race site Friday morning. The best pit sites fill up early so we will stake our claim and then head over to our rental chalet. This place will be new to us but it is a three bedroom house that we will be sharing with some other racers that we know. The place has satellite TV, AC, gas grill, kitchen, etc. And the best part is the cost is about the same as one tiny hotel room yet this is closer to the race. Hopefully this will be a place we will want to return to every year.

Snow in June?

Although snow in June not unheard of in Michigan, this is just the fallout from the line of trees that runs along the driveway. When the wind blows it does look like it's snowing. The trees can cause quite a mess in the spring and fall since they have little leaves that are hard to pick up. The branches are also full of thorns.

È quasi ufficiale

That is Italian for "it's almost official". After numerous delays and much conjecture, it looks like the Supreme Court has refused the motion to delay the Chrysler emergence from bankruptcy. Fiat will become the major player in how we do business from now on.

I imagine that we will be put to warp speed to get the plants and systems up and running. It will be interesting to see what happens to our management structure in the coming months. Fiat Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne, and soon to be head of Chrysler as well, has some different ideas of how management should operate compared with how we have been doing business. I expect we will see an exodus within the upper corporate ranks, either by request or by choice.

For now at least we have a glimmer of a future and can get back to the task of making cars and trucks. And of course greeting the arrival of the Fiat employees that we have been preparing office space for over the last few months. And while I can stop scouring the Monster.com ads, I will still keep the link handy, just in case.

Motorized trail hazard

I am lucky to be writing this update today. Yesterday while out riding at Bald Mountain I was going through a slight downhill section that is very fast and came around a corner to see a park utility vehicle coming right at me, also travelling at a good clip. The vehicle, or gator as they are called, took up almost all of the trail, especially as the trail is partly overgrown right now.

I hit the brakes hard while pulling off to the right as much as I could, all the while hoping that there wasn't anything sticking up or out of the brush that I was forced into. We passed each other with inches to spare and their eyes were probably as wide as mine. The gator never really slowed down and I kept going at a slightly slower pace but my heart rate remained up for a while. I can only imagine the damage a collision with that thing would have caused. The poor bike!

I was out testing the latest change to my Scalpel. I was not satisfied with the way it handled with the 29" wheel up front. The taller front end made short, steep climbs more difficult as well as quick transitions in the corners. It was great in the straight line or downhills.

I had borrowed a 26" wheel to put on there and the bike felt a lot better but of course that is what it is designed to use. I still had the problem of a low bar to seat relationship due to the geometry of the bike but I found out that Cannondale makes a longer steerer tube. I had one of those shipped to me and now the bars and seat are relatively close in height.

Tuesday I picked up my new 650b front wheel to try on the Scalpel. This wheel size is measured at 27.5", or half way between a 26" and a 29" wheel. The size has been around for a long time but over the last couple of year it has started to make inroads in the mountain biking community. It provides some benefits of both of the other sizes but is still limited in tire selection.

I have a Stan's NoTubes 355 rim on the Lefty hub and the Pacenti Quasi-Moto tire on it for now. Schwalbe is our tire sponsor but I couldn't get their 650b tire. After two rides I am very pleased with both the bike handling and the tire. The larger wheel has slowed the handling a bit so that it feels fairly similar to the 29" bikes I have and the wheel rolls over some of the small things better. Climbing does not seem to be a problem either. I plan on doing some long rides this weekend on this bike to determine if it is the bike I will use for the Lumberjack or stick with the 29'er.

Not even Last of the Mohicans

In order to even be last you have to finish. Unfortunately I didn't, nor did my racing partner Jay Jones. Even though we didn't finish we still had a good time.

Jay and I drove to Loudonville with my regular traveling companions Shari and Robin Scurr. Shari is the consummate pit crew, having done it now for the past several years while Robin and I raced. This time Robin wasn't racing but went along for the vacation and to enjoy the racing scene from a different vantage point.

We drove down Friday afternoon and checked into the motel. I had forgotten that the motel advertised it as a get away spot to enjoy the natural setting; there were no TV or phones in the rooms. But we didn't expect to spend much time in the room anyway.

We headed over to the registration area to check in, receive our number plates, and do a short ride to stretch the legs. Jay and I rode while Robin and Shari ran some errands. After the ride we headed back to the motel where they were putting on a spaghetti dinner. We managed to get to bed before 10:00 in anticipation of the 5:15 alarm the next morning.

After stopping at McDonalds in the morning we made it down to start in plenty of time and got a prime parking spot right by the start line. In fact, right after we got there they blocked the entrance to our parking area so we pretty much had it to ourselves. Jay and I got ready and got in place with the other 400+ riders.

At the gun all the riders proceeded down the main street in town and out to the big hill that soon separated everyone into a long line. I was taking it easy since there was nothing for me to gain in a 100 mile by going out hard at the start. Other than when we finally got to the first trail section it seemed that we were with a lot of riders that didn't have very good technical skills.

The weather was the best it has ever been for this race as long as I have participated in it. The trails were also dry, a first for me. Usually rain has been a part of the race somehow. I was riding at a steady pace and enjoying the trails instead of pushing too hard like I have don in the past.

Jay got past me and disappeared up the trail. I was surprised when I came to the first checkpoint quite a bit earlier than I had last year. I think the drier trail had something to do with it. Robin and Shari were waiting for me and I felt like a pro as they quickly took care of everything I needed. They said Jay was about three minutes in front of me and I figured I would catch him once we got to the road sections since I was on a geared bike and he was on a singlespeed.

About 15 minutes after leaving the checkpoint I was surprised to see Jay walking toward me pushing his bike. His bottom bracket had gone bad and he was not able to continue the race. I gave my condolences for his bad luck and rode on.

It couldn't have been more than another 20 minutes when I heard a loud crunch by my rear wheel and felt the wheel lock up. I slammed on the brakes and looked down to see a large stick had jammed in the rear derailleur and had broken the hanger. Fortunately I was carrying a spare so I pulled the bike off to the side of the trail and bent down to examine the damage. To add injury to insult a rider came by and crashed, causing the rear of his bike to swing up and strike me on the side of the head. It rattled my cage for a while and I had to get the cobwebs cleared before working on my bike.

Try as I might I could not get the bolt out of the old hanger as rider after rider came by. I resigned myself to trying to shorten the chain to make a singlespeed out of the bike and at least ride out. I was between two aid stations in the woods and had no idea where I really was. It was either SS or push. Once I finally got the chain to stay in the cog without binding I rode, or pushed depending on the steepness, as much of the rest of the trail I could before finally deciding to try and find a way back to the start.

I recognized the state route I was crossing but wasn't sure which way was back to town. I pushed on a little farther before finally asking someone standing in their yard how to get back. Fortunately it was only about another five miles or so along fairly flat roads. The ride back was actually very scenic and I was enjoying the ride.

Once back I sat by the Cannondale tent and wondered how to get in touch with Robin and Shari who were waiting for us at another aid station. I asked the promoter to call out there so the workers could let them know. No one at the aid station answered the phone so I just had to wait.

A little while later Jay pulled up in a ranger's car. He had been helping the ranger at a road crossing and the ranger brought him back once the racers had passed. I used Jay's phone to try and reach Robin and Shari but they didn't answer. Jay and I hung around watching finishers of the shorter race come in and then we got to see the pro's finish up the 100 mile race. Normally I am still two hours or so behind them.

Cannondale was well represented as four of the top six riders were riding Cannondale bikes. And the top women was also on the Cannondale Factory Racing team. Michigan put up a good show as both second and fourth place in the Men's class went to Michigan riders.

Robin finally got the message about jay and I and they came back to the finish. All of us hing around the finish for a while soaking up the sun and talking to other racers while we enjoyed the free food and beer. We went back the hotel room to take a nap before returning for the awards.

We decided not to hang around for the prize drawing because they were taking forever and we wanted to go into town for dinner. Jason and I found a little place our first time down there and we have eaten there every year. This time we noticed that it was up for sale. The owner is looking to retire and we hope they find a buyer that can carry on the excellent food. While we were eating several of the Cannondale pros also came in to eat.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel and the bar/restaurant to see if we could catch the rest of the Redwings game. Everyone was tuned to the TV when we walked in but it was the Cavalier's game as they were losing to Orlando. We convinced the bartender to switch the TV behind the bar to the hockey game and we were able to catch the last period of the game.

Heading back this morning we all agreed that the trip was still a good time in spite of the race results. We all wanted to return next year and would try to convince others to join us so we could rent one of the cabins near the finish area. And we are talking about coming back down some time just to ride the trails.

The next race on the schedule is the Lumberjack 100. Hopefully this race goes better than Mohican.

The weather doesn't get much better in Michigan

Wow! A three day weekend and the weather was darn near perfect. Mostly sunny skies, temperatures in the mid 70's and a light breeze. For Memorial day weekend it doesn't get much better in Michigan.

The trails have mostly dried up or are at least passable now. I spent the past three days on the bike for a couple of hours each day, riding a combination of back roads and trails. I was testing a few things on the bikes in preparation for next week's Mohican 100 which now looks like it should have decent weather.

I was going to get in a last hard effort yesterday at the rescheduled Bloomer XC race. I figured I would ride over to the race on my SS, race, and ride back home. While the race would be hard it should only take a little over an hour and half to complete. But once I got there I found out they were adding an extra lap to the Expert SS class so I decided to go ride somewhere else instead; it takes me a while to recover from hard efforts and I wanted to not overdo it before next weekend. I also saved $30.

This morning I joined about 15 other riders in a combination road/trail ride at an "easy pace", at least that's what the email invitation billed the ride as. It was hosted by the owner of Cycletherapy, the bike shop where I occasionally work part time. I should have known better since most of the guys/gals that showed up are also racers. The 2.5 hour ride was at times. "spirited", but always fun. I got to ride a bunch of new trails that I normally wouldn't as well as spend a great morning outside. I just wish I had left on the fat tires instead of switching to 'cross tires.

The rest of this week;s riding will be light efforts, maybe a few hard, short intervals to keep the legs from going to stale. I've not done as much training this year for Mohican, maybe legs with less hours on them will be better. We leave Friday morning to head south. I hope my new wheel comes in before then. I'm still trying to decide which bike to use.

Washed Out

Heavy rain overnight caused the postponement of the Addison Oaks 6/12 hour race for the second week in a row. I feel bad for the promoter as he has about $5,000 sunk into the event. He has rescheduled it for October 10. The Michigan race calendar is so full during the summer that this was one of the few open dates available. Hopefully a lot of people will come out in October to support him.

The storms also made the already muddy trails at Bloomer park even worse and the race for tomorrow has been postponed until next Sunday. With luck the course will be able to dry out some. I am not sure if I will race since it is only a week before the Mohican race.

Our final race at LOHS looks to be in danger of also being postponed based on the forecast for next Tuesday. We had a backup date for any rain outs and we may end up using it.

Long range forecast for the Mohican race does not look promising. Right now they are calling for rain just about every day in the week preceding the race and also on race day. I think this race is cursed as that would make four years in a row that it has rained on, or just before the race.

The postponements of race has made training even more difficult as you structure your week leading up to a race with the expectation that the race will consume a certain amount of energy. When it doesn't happen you have to try and make up for it or somehow adjust your plan. This spring has been very frustrating for both promoters and racers.

Slow to Report

I can't believe Jason finally updated his blog. He has developed a good eye for photo composition and the pictures of the kids are great.

It seems harder lately to concentrate. Several times I was going to update the blog and then put it off. It seems difficult to get some of the little things done.

A very big part of competitive athletics is the mental side. There are many book and coaches that address this subject. I believe that athletes who may be slightly inferior in skills may make up for it in mental toughness and voracity. I know this has helped me where I lack the physical attributes necessary to succeed. I think I have taken a few steps backward of late.

With everything going on at Chrysler over the last few months, heck, the last few years, it has kept many of us somewhat on edge. The uncertainty and dealing with the constant rumors and changes tend to wear on you after a while. But at least for now we still have our jobs. Although forced time off without pay may be on the horizon. I feel for those who may not have been as fortunate in the fallout.

My training has taken a hit this year in both time and intensity so I am using the recent return of the spring races at Lake Orion High School to try and get some fitness level back. But I can tell the bigger races may be a suffer fest.

The races have drawn the usual turnout, despite the fact that the first two races have not had any rain. In fact, last week the trails were almost 100% dry and it was sunny and in the low 70’s. I think it is difficult to get people out after work to race. Plus many still either don’t know about the races or may think that the course is probably some flat paths around a school.

In fact, I have been busy putting in new sections of singletrack that have added more elevation changes than before. And last year people thought there was a lot of climbing! At the last race one racer asked how I could possibly build a trail that was all uphill. Another racer commented that last week we ran the course in the reverse direction and it was all uphill then as well. They wanted to know what kind of vortex the LOHS property was in.

Last week was the scheduled 6/12 hour race at Addison Oaks. Many of the local trails have taken a long time to dry out due to all the rain we have had this spring, Addison being no exception. With heavy rains during the week preceding the race there was talk of cancelling the race. Nice weather for two days allowed the trail to somewhat dry out but would not be able to take on any more water.

Sure enough, the rains came down overnight and heavy rain a few hours before the start caused the promoter to reschedule to this weekend. A few years ago this same race caused major damage to the course that took a year of hard work to repair.

But the postponement of the race meant I could attend the demo day at Island Lake State Recreation area instead. For the past several years the event has been put on to allow people to come and ride demo bikes that are provided by dealers and bike manufactures set up at the event. Cannondale provides their big rig loaded with test bikes and the are sales rep, Jason Edinger, is also in attendance. It is a great opportunity to help represent the brand that helped me. Plus what better way to spend a rainy afternoon than hanging out with great team mates and talking bikes?

The weather has somewhat cooperated for this Saturday’s race but there is a forecast of rain and possible thunderstorms. Hopefully the rain will be short and the impact to the trail conditions kept to a minimum.

My plan is to race on Saturday if it is not pouring, I’m not sure if I will do the 6 or the 12 hour race. If I don’t race I may do the race at close by Bloomer on Sunday instead.

Next week is the last of the LOHS races and then in two weeks is the first 100 mile race for me, the Mohican 100 in Loudonville, OH. This course is probably one of my favorite 100’s even though it is also harder than some others. It has such a wide variety of trail conditions that you never really get bored, except for the long rail trail; that is kind of numbing. Maybe this year will be first in the four I will have done to not have any rain.



The Cannondale rig


Rolling some of my CFR bikes out for display at the bike demo.


The kids just keep getting cuter

Day 1 (again)

I have lost track of how many Day Ones we have gone through here at Chrysler since I started working for the company. Of course yesterday's big news was the company filing for bankruptcy and our announcement of the Fiat deal. Given the alternatives, this may end up a positive for the company but it will take some time.

In the interim there is much uncertainty about what will happen, especially since we are effectively shutting down the company for the next few months while the bankruptcy gets sorted out. Plants will be down and union members given most of the salary while off but no word yet on what the rest of us will be doing.

The plan for plant closings is more aggressive than originally announced. I was sad, but not surprised, to read that the plant that I started at will be closing next year, Twinsburg Stamping. Closing the plant had often been rumored and now that most of the assembly plants they supply will also be shuttered there was no reason to really keep it running.

Our shutdown plus the scheduled shutdown of some GM plants will have a big impact on the local economy over the next few months. GM will be the next company under the gun to complete their reorganization plan to see if they will receive additional funding. I think they have a more difficult task.

For now all I can do is wait and see how this will effect me personally and hope for the best. In addition to immediate concerns about continued employment there is also a concern about what might change to severance and retirement plans as well as other benefits. With the company in bankruptcy everything is open to change.

The upside is I may have more time to ride. But no money to race. Stay tuned.

Cannondale Goodness Times 3

I was fortunate this year to be able to build up three new bikes after selling off all my old frames, forks, and even another non Cannondale bike. I kept all the important stuff to swap over to the new frames and forks. Items kept include drivetrain, brakes, saddles, bars, etc.

Two of the bikes, the geared and singlespeed 29" hardtails are almost identical to the ones I sold except they have the new team colors. But I built a completely different bike compared to what I have been riding, a full suspension Scalpel. I had an older model Scalpel but they changed the bike a few years ago.

I went one better than stock by custom building mine with a 29" wheel on the front instead of the normal 26". Since Cannondale doesn't yet make a full suspension 29" wheel bike I figured I would try a 69'er build. I had seen one or two builds similar on the Internet and I thought it would make a great endurance bike. Lightweight carbon frame and a bigger wheel to roll over obstacles.

I had the regular 29" bikes built a few weeks ago but had to wait on parts to finish the Scalpel. I was able to take it out for its maiden spin on Friday on the Pontiac Lake trails. I could tell I didn't have it dialed in as I was not as fast or as comfortable on it as I should be. Saturday I changed the shock pressures and the overall fit, including a different stem and bar. Today's ride confirmed that it was a lot better.

I got out for about three hours and the bike felt great. Hopefully it will translate into faster times and less fatigue in the long races.

We had major thunderstorms roll through the area yesterday, accompanied by high winds. We were fortunate to not lost power for more than a few seconds but everyone across the street from us and in other areas close by are still without power since about 3:00 PM yesterday.

I had finished up a new trail at the high school yesterday but never got a chance to ride it before the rains came. Today I checked out all the school trails for storm damage and there are about five trees down that will need a chainsaw to clear. The first school race is a week and a half away and of course they are calling for rain. Hopefully we will not have the same bad luck as last year.

The Scalpel 69'er


F29 HT


F29 SS (time to tighten the chain)


Name stickers courtesy of Cannondale. In case I foget who I am after a long race.


A little anodized bling

Racing in Canada, eh?

Mark Parmalee and I drove over to Canada yesterday for today's Paris to Ancaster race, near Hamilton, Ontario. I had done the race a few years ago and had a good ride so I was looking forward to going back. The race is a 60k point to point route through back roads, rail trail, singletrack, farmer's fields, and a few super muddy downhills. All capped with a long climb right at the finish. It's one of Canada's biggest races, drawing over 1500 racers.

We got to the registration area late in the afternoon and after picking up our number plate packets we changed into our riding clothes to check out part of the course, especially the finishing hill. It was then that I realized I had forgotten my tool kit and pump that I carry with me in the races. I thought maybe I could find something at a local store later. But first we went riding and down the finish hill and tried to find the rest of the route. The course wasn't marked yet so we ended up riding some rail trail and the rolling back roads. We finished our ride back up the hill, taking note of the lines to use due to the deep ruts caused by four wheelers.

Looking for a place to eat we found a sporting goods store that had closed but the employees were still inside. They were gracious enough to let me in and purchase a CO2 inflator to carry in the race.

On the way back from dinner we decided to check out a curling club just down the road from the motel. Neither of us had seen curling in person, only on TV. The parking lot was crowded and we walked inside to find the place lined with spectators at the glass watching the matches going on. Upstairs was the bar and another viewing area, also crowded. We managed to get close enough to see and struck up a conversation with some of the crowd, made up of mostly those probably in their 60's.

It turns out that the club championships were being held that night which is why they place was so crowded. The ladies we talked to were very nice and explained to us the finer points of the game and how it was played. There were a few younger people on the ice but not many. I guess the sport is a great place to go and hang out and have few drinks, which we were invited to join but declined. After watching the matches for a while we were impressed with the skill it takes to be able to throw the stones at just the right speed and direction. Also the strategy involved in placing the stones.

Race day morning Mark and I arrived at the finish area early so that we could get our bikes loaded on the trucks to take them to the start line. We took a bus over to the start area. We had purchased this service with our registration, it solved the problem of how to shuttle our vehicle from the start to the finish. But we both cringed when we saw that they were basically just standing the bikes next to each other in a big box truck. We were fortunate that there was no damage to bikes once we goth them off the truck.

Mark and I set out for a warmup ride and could see that we were in for a long day. The race is primarily a west to east route and the wind was blowing very strong from the east, or a headwind that would greet us for most of the race. The gusts made it very difficult to maintain much speed. Sitting in a group would be the best bet, if possible.

The start is a little crazy since they have the top 100 riders from the previous year up front, with another 250-300 riders right behind them, all starting at once. Then there are two more waves after that. Mark and I were in the first wave and he was a couple of rows ahead of me and I expected him to be a strong contender for one of the top 25 spots by the end of the race.

When the race started all 400 riders funneled out onto the road up a hill and then onto a dirt road, eventually reaching a rail trail that resulted in two long lines of riders stretching out for some distance. This part always made me nervous as there is a lot of dust and nervous energy at the start. It wouldn't take much for a big crash to happen. Fortunately we made it through that section but I almost hit a post head on that was in the trail entrance as we crossed from one section to the next. With all the riders in front of you it was hidden until others parted around it.

Out on the course it was difficult to make up much ground by yourself. I found my self in groups and then would be faster than them when we came to the hills, only to leave myself in the open and exposed to the wind. Eventually a group would catch me and I would fall in with them but I seemed to struggle some today on the flats but was strong in the hills. I seemed to drop back some every now and then.

There were some singletrack and muddy sections where the lines would slow down and I would just go around them, either on the bike or on foot. Cyclocross skills helped in these areas. I had forgotten from the last time I did the race just how many farm fields we went through to connect the roads and rail trails. You definitely wanted to wipe off the top of your water bottle before taking a drink, you weren't sure just what that brown stuff was that was on there. The smell of fresh manure was prevalent in many areas we passed.

I was surprised to see Mark on the side of the course at one spot. He had flatted earlier and then flatted again. He had only brought one tube with him so I stopped and gave him mine, hoping I didn't get a flat later. It wasn't too long before Mark caught and passed me. But later he was on the side again, now with his third flat. There wasn't anything I could do so I just hoped he was able to borrow what he needed to finish.

We finally came to the infamous mud chutes and I knew we were near the end of the course. I could ride the first one but the second one was pretty deep and chewed up. I opted to get off and run, passing quite a few riders on the way down. At the bottom it was short section of paved road before we turned off onto the final climb to the finish. I manged to pass more riders and dug deep near the top to pass a few more as many riders were now walking up the last steep section.

I finished in a time seven minutes slower than three years ago, hopefully due to the severe headwind. I finished lower in the standings as well 12th out of 144 as opposed to 4th last time. I know the winning times were slower as well. I'm not sure what happened exactly, maybe I exposed myself too often in the wind. I know I didn't feel quite as strong as a few weeks ago but at least I felt good on the hills.

I changed and waited for Mark to come in. I was worried as to how he would get back as it would be difficult to have a sag wagon on the course for much of it. It turns out that he had to wait a while to find the third tube and then a pump. All of the course marshals really had no idea how to help either or even give directions on the shortest way back to the finish. He ended up taking two hours, much of it on foot, to finally make it back. That is a tough way to start the racing season. I felt bad for him, especially due to time and cost for the race, plus he was running in the top 20 at the time he got his first flat.

He was talking about coming back next year though, and bringing someone else who can drive from the start to the finish so we don't have to take the shuttle.

Next week Chris, Jay and I are supposed to head down to Ohio to ride part of the Mohican 100 course. I think the next race for me may be the first Lake Orion High School race and then the Addison 12 hour.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everyone. Sandy cooked another fabulous meal of roast lamb with the works and of course the Easter bunny made a visit. I have to have someone hide the basket so I don't eat all the goodies. We had a video call with Jason and family. both of the grand kids looked impressive in their Easter outfits. Isabel looks like one of those antique bisque dolls. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of her in her Easter outfit, hopefully Jason took a bunch and will share them.

This weekend we have been blessed with sunshine but cool temperatures and light winds. The trails have been starting to dry out with most trails now able to be ridden or they will be ready soon.

I got the team geared and SS bikes built up (pictures coming) and got each out on a few rides. I tried a new, lighter saddle that received a lot of rave reviews but it was not for me. I'm going back to my heavier but more comfortable WTB saddles. When you spend 10 to 12 hours or more on a bike the last thing you want to do is have an uncomfortable saddle just to save a few grams.

Friday and Saturday I joined Greg in softball practice and managed to screw up my right hand when I hit the ground going after a ball. When I went down to catch it I stumbled on the lovely outfield we were on and my hand hit the turf hard, while holding onto the ball. The impact caused my hand to swell and turn purple and it also is making it difficult to hold onto the handlebars while riding. I seem to have a habit of injuring myself while playing sports with my sons.

Next weekend I will be traveling to Canada for the point to point Paris to Ancaster race. I did the race a few years ago and had fun. It's one of Canada's bigger one day races with over 1000 racers split among the 60k and 35k course. Both courses finish on the same section that includes a monster climb right before the finish line. Last time I finished 4th in my group but with advancing age I hope to get into the top 10 this year.

My hand after softball practice.

Good weekend

This past weekend was great for several reasons. First, my brother and his fiancee, Sandy, came to visit. It was the first time we had a chance to meet her. They were in Windsor Friday night for a concert and we met them downtown on Saturday at the Eastern Market and had lunch at the outdoor barbecue spot while listening to karaoke. The singers for the most part would not present any challenge to the American Idol finalists. But I have to give them credit for even getting up to sing. And it wasn't like they were drunk. I think most of these people do it on a regular basis.

The sunshine made it feel warmer than it really was, especially if you kept out of the wind. The proximity of the market to Ford Field added to the atmosphere as people were getting ready for the NCAA Final Four later that evening.

After lunch we went to the Motown museum. We weren't sure what to expect and there were lines of people waiting to get in, most from out of town. The place is fairly small as it is the original home, office, and recording studio of Motown records. Once in you get a guided tour through the history of the company and the facilities. I had to laugh when one of the guides mentioned that most people that live in the Detroit area don't go to the museum unless someone comes to visit them from out of town. I can vouch for that.

It was amazing to think about all the recording stars that have been in that place and recorded records in the small studio. It kind of gave you goosebumps to think you were standing in the same spot as all those greats when they made their records. We sang as a group a short section of one of the Motown hits so now I can say that I, too sang in the famous studio.

After the museum we headed back to our place where my brother and Sandy checked in to the motel and then came over later for a great dinner prepared by my wife, Sandy. We got a chance to catch up and see more of Sandy. She has a great personality and I think she and my brother will do fine together. I don't see my brothers much so it was good to get together, but it was too short of a visit.

Since I went to bed late I also slept in but was able to get out for a ride on the back roads for over 3.5 hours. I mad a few more tweaks to my riding position and my legs seemed to adapt well. I couldn't ride my new bike though as I'm still waiting for a part from Cannondale to complete it. The part should be here next week, just in time for the crummy weather we are supposed to have.