"Mountain Bike Racers" via BikeBlogCollection in Google Reader

Running intervals and punctures

2009-11-11T19:44:00Z

Today I only had work in the afternoon so this morning I went running. I like running in daylight if I can as I can run off-road but I find it harder to motivate myself to get out than when I just get up in the morning for a run! Today I headed over onto the trails round the golf course and then when I got round to the football pitch I did some intervals. I ran as fast as I could from one end to the other, jogged back to recover and repeated five times. Turns out the distance was 100m. I learnt that I am not very good at running fast, but I am sure it will do we good in the long run as I need to get better at pushing hard for short periods of time. I think I might look for a longer stretch though. I was within a second on every interval though which was good going. It felt hard work running home though. Still slowly I seem to be getting back into running and I know it does a lot for my fitness!

After that it was a quick lunch, shower and out the door for work. Down the road and I realised something was wrong. Yes I had a flat rear tyre. Home fixed, checked in the tyre, out again. Half a mile later flat! Now I'm late, so home switch bike, train to manchester, off to school, get lost, look at map, just arrive in time. Too much stress with me and I seem to have lost the ability to deal with stress!

An easy ride home, stayed on the road even though I was on the cross bike, then off to the post office and the supermarket. Also picked up something for my sisters Christmas present, but won't be blogging about that till after Christmas incase she stops by here!

Zoo Tired

2009-11-11T17:53:00Z

Last night's post about taking the Kinders to the zoo got lost in dreamland. After "one crutching" around the zoo all morning and helping out in the classroom afterwords I was wiped out by 4pm. Marni and I made it home and into the house, a little dinner and both fell asleep in front of the TV somewhere around 7pm. I rallied to come upstairs and stayed awake a little longer but soon I was once again in dreamland preparing for another big day today.

This morning we were up early for another DR appointment and followed it up with breakfast at Snooze. I dropped Marni at home to nap and ran some errands including picking up my sweet new Speedway Fatback 135mm front fork from the post office. Then in the afternoon we watched some more of The Office with my foot up. By evening I was ready to give my first bike trainer session a shot. I felt surprisingly good after the big day yesterday but I was still pretty nervous. It seemed silly to don bike shorts for such a short session but I did it anyway.

I hobbled downstairs, put on my cycling shoes, clipped them in carefully and started to spin. I had the trainer set on really easy at first and it didn't feel too bad, if a bit choppy. I shifted up to the big ring and spun 60-80 rpms. My ankle was super stiff and I felt like my seat would have to go down. Thankfully it started to loosen up somewhat and by the time I hopped off I felt closer to normal. I can certainly put the power down on the pedals (relatively speaking) but it's going to take a little more ankle flexibility to do a longer ride yet. We'll see how everything feels tomorrow and if all is well I'll start inching up the trainer time each day. I can't believe I'm dreaming about watching movies in front of the trainer. Ha!
After I undid my shoes and hopped off the bike, no unclipping yet, I did my core work and a few sets of hangboard pullups. I have to admit, I'm pretty beat. Dinner, ice, elevation, a little vitamin I for me and then off to bed. I'm mostly encouraged but it's still a bit scary how stiff my ankle is. Just got to take the good with the bad and keep on working at it.

More to come and a special post on Friday to kick of some snow biking stoke!

Lest We Forget

2009-11-11T17:52:00Z

I can't imagine having to give up my life, my wife and daughter, my family & friends, my job, cycling and the things I enjoy to go off to war. I got to take part in a Remembrance Day ceremony today and had the opportunity to contemplate the sacrifices that others have made.

Crossings

2009-11-11T17:58:21Z

Mountain Biking During Hunting Season

2009-11-11T15:33:01Z

This past weekend I rode at the SORBA CSRA Bike Fest at Clarks Hill Lake in east-central Georgia and the weather was absolutely perfect. This was my first time riding the Bartram Trail / West Dam and at the end of the day I clocked more than 22 miles in the saddle across the fast, flowy singletrack. SORBA CSRA is busy working on extending this section of the Bartram Trail to connect to other area trails and it won’t be long before you can string together 40+ miles of singletrack in a single ride.

Anyway, it turns out it’s hunting season which means mountain bikers need to take extra precautions to stay safe on the trail. Bike Fest organizers did a good job spreading the word so I stopped to buy a $2 hunter safety vest on my way to the trail that day. I learned a few more tips about biking during hunting season that I thought I’d share here.

Avoid riding during dawn and dusk hours. It turns out this is prime hunting time, especially during deer season, plus the low light conditions make it difficult to make out colors and shapes in the forest. If you think you might be caught on the trail in the early evening, bring a light or two to make yourself more visible. The best time of day to ride during hunting season is mid-day.
Wear orange and/or bright colors. You can pick up a cheap orange safety vest at most outdoor shops and it’s well worth the investment. Avoid wearing camo patterns on your clothes, Camelbak, etc.
Don’t be afraid to make a little noise. Hunters may not like to hear this but making noise with a bell or even your voice will let them know you’re not an animal. Several years ago I was riding with some friends and after beating everyone to the top of a climb I started yelling to let them know I was first. Little did I know there was a hunter in a tree stand not 20 yards away and he was pissed I had scared his deer. He fired his gun into the air to scare me and it worked. Hey, at least he knew I wasn’t a deer and he wasn’t aiming the gun at me
Check for closures with local land managers. Some trails are closed to bikers at certain times to minimize conflicts with hunters. Make sure you know when those times are and observe them.
Be alert. Sure, hunters need to look out for us but it’s a good idea to look for them as well. Be particularly alert around forest clearings and look for orange hunters’ vests wherever you are. If you see a hunter, give a wave and make eye contact if you can.

This poor guy didn’t survive his encounter with a hunter

Be careful riding this fall, particularly if you ride in areas shared with hunters. And watch out for those leaves on the trail too - those things can be slippery and they usually hide the nastiest rocks and roots

Adaptation

2009-11-11T07:17:00Z

I was finding it interesting how quickly the body can adjust to temperature changes. Not just slow ramp ups but major changes. Last night while riding in the cold and dark, that's what most of my riding will be for the next month if I want to avoid the trainer, I thought wow I'm really warm. Almost to warm. Now it was just above the freezing mark during my ride and I was more than comfortable for the 1.5 hours.

Now I think back to a couple weeks ago for that night cross race at Hardwood where at one point I could barely feel my fingers and that was only a 30 minute race. I was wearing about the same amount of clothing and I was actually working harder at a slower speed being on dirt and grass while riding at intensity. Normally much easier to stay warm. So what changed? Nothing except for the fact that it has been cold for the last few days in the evenings and I've been out in it.

On the reverse side of the thermostat I look at how hard I blew up at Mountainview Ontario Cup race when the heat went through the roof in the course of the day, I popped hard, less than a week later in the same conditions I rode to the win at the 9 hour feeling amazing. A couple days in the heat and the body adjusted. Many years ago in my former ski instructor days I remember being out in minus 30 and being fine all day by mid season but yet those first few days of the season it was almost impossible to keep the fingers and toes warm.

So obviously my body adjusts well to the changes but I wonder about other people. You know the ones that say" I hate the winter" or the ones with "the heat kills me" Is it that they don't try to adjust or is it that there body can't adjust as well? I guess this is part of the reason that I ride in shit conditions instead of opting to the trainer. I got a message from a friend involving having a hard time making himself go out in the rain and cold. Mentally he just didn't want to be out in it. Yep, it sucks being out there but it's still better than the trainer. The other thing is you may have to race in unfavourable conditions. This season has been completely crap for cold, rainy, conditions or extreme heat. I don't think there were to many races that weather was what it "Should be!"

So what is more important, training the body to be strong and in peak or training the mind to be ready to deal with the worst conditions? In most cases it's harder to do a controlled workout while being out in the most unfavourable conditions but yet the mind is getting ready to be completely miserable but yet on the trainer with wattage or heart rate you cant be very precise with intervals and be as strong as possible. It's a hard debate because both are at the top of the scale of importance.

What am I going to do? For this winter season my plan is to do as much of my endurance rides outside as possible and all my high end intervals on the puke machine. I think this will give me the biggest benefit. Ok now the truth, I want to do everything I can do avoid 3 and 4 hour rides on the trainer, it's boring even with movies etc. I also want to take advantage of the wattage trainer and push my legs as hard as I can. 3-5 minute intervals are bang on consistent when i set a wattage on that stupid machine where out on the road there are slight ups and downs on the road that will give my legs a break during those longer intervals.

I'm hoping that we don't have a repeat of the 2009 weather next season but at least I will be as prepared as I can be going into it. It would be nice to not spend longer cleaning the bike than it does to do the race that makes the mess (o-cups) and hopefully the endurance season brings only rainbows and butterflies with trails made of chocolate.

Time to work.

Here we go Again!

2009-11-10T15:22:00Z

Yay!...

....this is how my Butt feels...

....Yep, you guessed it, back to the hospital this Friday for outpatient surgery

(#5 since Sept 24th)

hoping this isn't the case...

looking back... is all of this pain and suffering a result of my making fun of this product packaging?

MMmmm nothing like a healthy dose of Irony...

What's Playing: Pepper - Butthole Surfers

Race Report: Chicago Cross Cup, Deerbrook, November 8, 2009

2009-11-10T14:23:00Z

Photo: http://gallery.me.com/jbdreyfus#100162

Was a little worried after hearing that the sled hill would not be part of the course that the course wouldn't be very good. In the end I was wrong about that and in the end everyone races the same course, right, so who cares? Although, to be honest every time I rode past it, a little part of my said "what a waste." Great course, no recovery anywhere, some tricky off camber stuff, thick mushy grass, about what you would expect from a cross course in November. Cool start area, with 2 really wide turns and long straights ebfore going into the trees. 2 sand pits, 1 right after the other.

The kicker was the weather! What a great day for racing. There's nothing like racing in the short sleeved skinsuit in November!

40+

Lined up second row, behind the top 10 with the call-ups. Whistle and I'm good, top 10. Coach Brian was in this race, so he's right in front of me and is yelling for me to stay with him. I'm on his wheel through the start, the big wide turns before the woods (a very nice touch, I might add) and through the first barrier/ditch/run-up. On to the pavement, around the turn. Brian in front of me, Wayne Simon on my wheel. We hit the grass and take the sharp up right and down left and into the first tricky off camber section. I realize I'm going much faster than I should. Everyone else is taking the low line, i decide its open on top and go for it. I hit the brakes slightly and my rear time locks and slides out and I'm on the ground. Some thing crashes into my helmet and back, hard and Wayne's now in front of me, but without his bike. He grabs his bike and goes. It takes a few seconds or so for me to get my head clear and I'm up and running, but I've slid pretty far back from my good start.

Raced hard for the rest of the race. But, no room for mistakes on this course. Everything was slippery. I ran 28-30 PSI and still was losing traction in the wet stuff, but was hitting RIM on transition areas and the lips of the 2 sand pits. The sand pits were easy enough, just thick and well, sandy. Sand make the drievetrain crispy! I moved up, passed where I could and then raced 2 or 3 guys for the high teens, ended up 18/42. Not too bad. After the crash, it took me a lap or so just to clear my head. Then I just raced as hard as I could, trying not to make mistakes.

That's cross. One mistake, you go down and that's it. You finish where you finish. That is simultaneously why I love cross and why it can be so frustrating.

3s

In my quest for as many raaces as possible this cross season, I'm doubling up when I can. So this was race #14 so far. I like doing the 3s because after the 40s race, I have no expectations. Just go out have some fun, beat myself up a little more, good training. In the hour between the end of the 40s and the start of the 3s, the course had changed alot. Alot drier and a bit smoother. Line up, second row, decent start, but after the first race, I've only got so, so legs, but not alot of kick. End up 30/44.

Kudos to the Cup, Chris Henning, the Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club, Flatlandia, and the town of Northbrook. Nice course, great race.

Mountain Bike Trailbuilding 101

2009-11-10T20:22:10Z

Before the Shovel: First Steps

As a trailbuilder with 4 years experience, I have worked on more than my fair share of mountain bike trails. I believe it’s every mountain biker’s responsibility to get involved with trailbuilding at some level plus it’s great exercise, you’ll meet cool people, and you’ll be giving back to the mountain bike community. Best of all you, and your friends get to ride your new creation! Getting involved with trailbuilding is easy if you look in the right places. I intend to show you the quickest and easiest way to start building the trail of your dreams. This article identifies the steps you need to take before you put a shovel in the ground.

Identify a Need

Chances are you have trail envy. You’ve seen or ridden trails far from home that you love, and you want to bring the best elements together into one super-trail close to home. Don’t be afraid to dream big when you picture the ideal trail. Grab a pen and paper and list all the features you’re looking for. Start with the genre of trail you want to build and then add more specifics. Here’s an example:

New Downhill Trail
- Road to shuttle/ride/hike up
- At least 500ft elevation drop
- Flowy
- Rock gardens
- Lots of jumps: step down, step up and gap
- Some berms
- No uphill
- Some pedalling
- Some steep sections
- Within 30 miles of home

These are just some examples of characteristics you might want in a trail. I will expand on definitions in article 2 entitled Choosing Your Line.

Now that you’ve identified the key features of your trail, contact people in your community with extensive knowledge of existing trails.

Contact the Local Experts

In order to find an area to build trails, contact your local mountain bike club. If your town doesn’t have a mountain bike club, go to the local bike shop and find out who knows the trails best. Once you’ve found your local expert, tell him about your riding interests and what your area is lacking. Say that you would like to get involved and build a trail to suit the needs of yourself and other riders like you. This is a good way to find out if there are already trails in your area that meet your needs and can help identify areas that are good for building.

Be open to helping the club meet their existing trailbuilding goals, especially if you are a novice trailbuilder. Often mountain bike associations will host trail build days. Attending these build sessions will help you maintain a good relationship with your local club, meet other people with similar interests, and learn basic trailbuilding skills. If you’re unsure as to whether you are ready to build a whole new trail, sponsored trail build days will help you decide. Mountain bike associations appreciate suggestions for trail improvement. Maybe they will use one of your ideas in their next build day.

Once you’ve attended some build days and improved your trailbuilding skills, ask your local association to give you some projects pertaining to your interests. Many mountain bike associations have long lists of trail maintenance jobs that need to be done as well as volunteer hours to fulfill. For many people, involvement in local build days is all the trailbuilding they want to do. For others, trailbuilding turns into a passion matched only by their enthusiasm for riding. These impassioned builders need a trail to call their own.

The desire to build trails comes from an unfulfilled need. Your local expert might not show any interest in pointing out areas on existing trails suitable for the modifications you have in mind. It is common for mountain bike clubs to hesitate in allowing trail features such as jumps, berms and steep sections, features that many riders enjoy. A good solution to this problem is to ask to build a new trail specific to the needs of riders like you. Now you must find a suitable place to build your dream trail.

Identify a Suitable Area to Build

First, ask your local mountain bike association if they can recommend an area to build in that will suit your needs. If there are trails in your area similar to the one you have envisioned, ask if you could build in the same area. This keeps trails centralized and allows others to more easily enjoy your work. If you don’t get an answer from one person, look for someone else who can help and be persistent. Ask your local mountain bike club, bike shop, riders and perhaps the best resource, other trailbuilders.

It is very important that you don’t build a trail anywhere you don’t have permission to. This includes private land and protected areas. Unless I have permission from the land manager, I only build on crown land. Crown land is a Canadian term meaning “taxpayers land” owned by the government. Crown land is public land with certain laws governing its use. Find out where the government owned land is in your area by going to library or geography department of a university and looking at zoning maps. You will likely find a number crown land areas suitable for your new trail. (note: US laws are often more strict regarding public land uses) It is always a good idea to contact the crown land manager in your area before building. Crownland.org is an excellent resource if you live in Canada. Google maps is another good tool to use to identify forested areas and topography using the satellite and terrain tools. Remember, illegal building hurts our sport and can lead to jail time!

Now that you have identified one or more areas suitable for your new trail, it’s time to brush up on your trailbuilding knowledge.

Review IMBA Trailbuilding Strategies

IMBA has a number of books packed with useful trailbuilding strategies. These books will help you envision your new trail. It’s good to read this before you go scout out the area because you will have a better idea of what natural features to look for.

Now that you have one or more possible places for your new trail, it’s time to lace up the boots!

Stay tuned for my next article: Choosing Your Line.

About the Author
Kevin Johnstone is an avid mountain biker from Ontario, Canada. He has been building trails for 4 years across Canada. He has worked with the worlds #1 bike park builder, Jay Hoots, for a number a build sessions spanning 2 years. He spent 2 seasons improving the trails at Kelso conservation area in Milton. He is currently building downhill specific trails. Kevin can be reached via private message.

Stocking Up

2009-11-10T09:01:00Z

Something I've read in several sources talk about the different types of preparation that go into getting ready to train for six to ten odd months. The most popular is obviously physical and mental...the preparation of the mind and body through visualization and the creation and implementation of a solid regimen. There are several other aspects that people don't consider that will help to get your butt out the door.

What I'm talking about is stocking up. When your season begins you want to try and have all of your training tool reserves topped off. By this I mean tubes, nutrition, gear, bike maintenance, etc. Nothing can derail a training plan early in Base 1 like a severe mechanical failure, or running out of nutrition products early Saturday morning. So to get the ball rolling save a little extra cash and fork over for the goods. In some cases you will actually save money in the long run by taking advantage of shipping discounts or quantity based orders.

In all...set yourself up for success and not failure from day one. So with a little less then two weeks out from day 1 Base 1...I've began the stocking process. Now for me...and I know some of you can appreciate this...I'm not the type to go apesh!t and spend every penny on the most expensive stuff out there. There are plenty of products that will easily get you to the finish line...and the way marketing and sponsorships rule the athletic planet right now, product B may work a little better than product A...but by how much? ...and is it worth doubling or tripling your costs for that unknown benefit margin?

For me I keep it simple...your basic lemon-lime Gatorade powder coupled with Hammer Gel. This combination got me to the finish line 19 minutes ahead of second place at Hurkey last spring...so I think I'll stick with what works (for me!). Also, with the majority of my training taking place in the winter or colder months of SoCal (I'm sure all of the out of state readers are rolling their eyes right now)...I picked up the last few pieces of cold gear to finish off my setup. In an effort to keep it on the cost effective end, I picked up some Pearl Izumi shell gloves, lite shoe covers, liner shorts, and I splurged on another cycling cap. The average item price was about $20...can't go wrong with that! Couple those items with my arm and knee warmers and jacket and I'll be ready to tackle any cold morning SoCal will likely throw at me.

Now some of you may think some of these are items are NOT essential going into your training regimen. Ask yourself when you wake up on a chilly morning trying to motivate your butt out on the bike for a couple of hours...will I be comfortable, warm? Being able to say yes to that question can make a huge difference on your weekly training volume. So get your shtuff together...stock up, tune up...and get ready to put down some mileage!

Moving forward...dialing in the weekly routine is always an interesting moment of creativity prior to the season's start. From a coaches perspective it can become a work of art combining the week's workouts to ebb and flow, perfectly balanced on the fine line of stress and recovery. After reviewing quite a few resources I've settled on my structure (well for the most part). A lot of what goes into these things is the question "will I be able to get it done?". And that is on the forefront of my mind when developing weekly structures.

With me...I really wanted to focus on my limiter with the run. Swimming amazingly comes the easiest for me out of all three sports. It requires minimal amounts of training time for decent output. Cycling...well that's become my bread and butter. So the run will be my focus while maintaining cycling fitness. Here is my weekly routine thus far for Base.

Mon - Swim, Weights

Tue - Spin Drills, T-run

Wed - Long Run

Thu - AM Spin, PM Mod run

Fri - Long Swim, Weights

Sat - Long Bike

Sun - Mod Bike, T-run

When I look at this routine I can honestly say that I can do it. You may ask, no off day? Well...it's Base, off-days will always work their way into the system. Most likely Monday's and Friday's routines can be pushed into other days in the week allowing for a needed day off. And with all of this...the routine is best effort. Training must always stay dynamic. Within this routine are key workouts that will allow me to focus on the highest priorities. I like to over-schedule and if I can cram it all in and feel good doing it, great! If stress starts to snowball, it's time to focus on the key workouts for the week.

So that's it for now...just remember that preparation comes in many different forms. The guys that write the books will say it best. Set yourself up for success...and you will achieve it. Good luck!

Race Across the Sky Encore this Thursday, Nov. 12

2009-11-10T15:44:08Z

In case you hadn’t heard yet, there’s an encore presentation of Race Across the Sky, the movie about Lance Armstrong’s epic battle with Dave Wiens in the Leadville 100 MTB race this year, on Thursday, Nov. 12 at theaters across the US. Check out our recap of the movie if you want to know more and buy your tickets online now!

Beautiful, glorious SNOW

2009-11-09T22:27:00Z

In case you didn't notice, it has been snowing in the mountains. A LOT. Forgetting for a moment that Northwesterners are typically fickle snow-lovers who get so so so excited for the first snow, only to watch it all melt away in the next week's rains, we were enchanted. The Barker family wanted to see and feel and taste snow and we wanted to do it yesterday.

Given a plan-less Saturday, there was nothing else to do. It was time for a family hike with a toddler dressed like a cow. Or a dalmatian, take your pick.

And how was it?

It was so fantastic. It DUMPED snow all day long. It dumped so much, in fact, that we skipped the baby sledding session and headed to the coffee shop instead. Of course, we went on a snow hike before-hand and reveled in the wonderful, beautiful snow.

I love snow. I really, REALLY love snow.

Riding out of the fog

2009-11-10T07:16:00Z

Last night I headed over to Belmont to meet FatLad and his mate Phil. I was riding there through freezing fog, wondering if I should have put thermals on under my tights and where we were going to ride since we couldn't see! We headed out up the Belmont Road since the cheeky route up was going to be even more of a bogfest than normal. At the top we suddenly came out of the fog and lights could go on full as we flew along to Pigeon Tower. Down the ICR and I was glad I could see. It was nice on fatlad to fall off as soon as it got rocky so we knew where the harder bit started!

Back up to the pike and the views were clear to a point where they just stopped. Off the back and then round and up to Winter Hill. My promises this was the last uphill didn't seem to be believed at this point. We got to the top and the gates were shut and padlocked so it was time to snorkel round the mast to the other side.

Then it was down down down, until Phil threw himself off his bike on one of the few easy bits. Back on and round a corner after the drops and there he is again with a bike on top of him. This time it was easy to see why. At this point we entered the freezing fog again. Slowly back to the road and along to the pub.

A pint and crisps later the two of them headed off in the car and I put on extra layers and headed home. The fog was once again penetrating my tights and I was glad to get home. A quick wash of the bike and me and I was off to bed.

Night riding rocks!

Fifth, my sore arse, and Curvy

2009-11-10T10:03:00Z

On Sunday I got out for like my fifth ride since the beginning of September. It was an absolutely glorious day with temperatures around 14 degrees. Being a three day weekend for me I managed to juggle the schedule to squeeze in a ride. Freak'in hell man . . . +14 in November and riding a bike . . . I'll take it.

Hairy and scary white thighs.
Note: no chamois cream. 'Funny' how I forget stuff I always do when I am away from riding for a while. My arse didn't think it so 'funny' the next day.

Speaking of squeezing . . . . 207 lbs of manly girth managed to fit into my shorts. Thank Gwad for spandex. Yes, that's right 207 lbs. Fugg me. My riding weight for last year was 186lbs. That's a 21 lb difference. Shite! That being said, and if I don't mind tooting my own horn, most of it is muscle - the kind that makes the ladies gaa-gaa (actually it's all hidden under a nice layer of insulation). Three days a week in the weight room, P90x workouts, and defensive tactics workouts are putting the pounds on me. 21 extra pounds to carry up the hills in the Gats and only four previous rides in the past two plus months . . . . well, needless to say I was suffering.

Leaf-less and brown.

Despite the obvious suffering that I knew was going to take place, it was an absolutely amazingly most awesome'ness ride. So nice to be outside for an extended period of time.
I was joined by Curvy Butt, who has seen as much saddle time as I have this Fall. As we rode the flat stretches we occupied ourselves with creating excuses for getting off our bikes on the climbs in order to rest. Searching for red breasted wobbler hatched hooded southern yellow beaked Coo-coos was reason enough to slow the pace on the climbs.

Curvy Butt at the Champlain look-off, looking curvacious as usual.

This ride was just what I needed. Incredible how much a little saddle time changes your perspective on things and how good it makes you feel. It was good to stretch the legs out to help me get ready for next weeks intergalatic event - the Destalk Antirace - if you please.

Moab: Visual Aids

2009-11-10T12:00:24Z

Although I may have sounded down on Moab in my previous post, I find it difficult to retain any sort of lingering melancholy that I (inexplicably) felt in the wake of what was by all accounts, a fantastic weekend. I think my larger point was that in spite of countless riding days in Moab, and despite having ridden everything I did over the weekend before, that Moab still delivered. Which is testament to not only how truly wonderful a place it is, but also a credit to the people I rode with. As I said before, riding with good friends and in a beautiful world is always worth the effort. And in case you need further evidence, let me present exhibits A-D:

Exhibit A: Sunset on Slickrock:

Exhibit B: Keith mid dab on a harder-than-it-looks ledge on Amasa Back:

Exhibit C: Dan and his socks on Porcupine Rim:

Exhibit D: K.C. cleans that climb on the Slickrock Trail (you know the one):

And, just for good measure I thought I’d present visual proof -indisputable and irrefutable – that Chris Holley is indeed mortal:

??????????????

2009-11-10T06:42:00Z

Got nothing, rode my bike in the dark, booked my pass out place for Saturday, ride my bike again tonight in the dark. That's it.

Try to be creative tomorrow.

One step at a time

2009-11-09T19:20:00Z

So far so good. The bones are healing well and I'm cleared to start walking on the left leg with the boot on for protection. I can sleep and work on my range of motion stuff with the boot off. First I'll start with the crutches or a cane, increasing the weight on my left leg as pain dictates. So far the pain isn't an issue and I can do some walking unassisted though longer sessions like tomorrow's Kindergarten zoo trip will be crutch assisted just in case. After pressing them for a while on various details of what I can and can't do and more importantly why, she finally came back in the room one final time and pushed, pulled and prodded my ankle a bit more. I didn't wince once. Then she watched me walk on it. "You might be further along than we thought but give us two more weeks of healing and another set of x-rays." Not exactly what I wanted to hear but fair enough. She did say the boot would probably come off at that point which would be ideal.

The doctor was not in favor of cycling or other activities yet but the fears were mostly out of concern for a shock loading or crash on the still healing bones from what I could pry out of them. That I understand. More talks tomorrow with Jenn, the PT-inlaw, and I'll make a decision on starting to ride the trainer. Obviously crashing isn't a risk and the weight on the ankle is much less than walking unassisted but perhaps there is another medical point of view I'm missing. I don't want to make anything worse but I also don't want to sit around for 2 more weeks for unfounded paranoia. Even some low level enduro paced sessions would really help stem the loss of fitness too much further. Plus I'd be a lot less bored and it seems like it would help with my range of motion. You know you're bored when you're begging to be able to ride the trainer.

In other news I got to stab my wife in the butt with a needle!I'm not going to steal all her pictures but keep an eye out for her blog and Facebook for the details. That was a new one!

Exciting News!

2009-11-09T20:16:00Z

A crispy winter ride

2009-11-09T15:57:00Z

A cancellation meant I wasn't working today so a few emails and I found that my friend Carolyn was free as well. Its ages since we have ridden together and she has been getting into triathlons this summer so a road ride was suggested. The sun came out and it was an ideal day for being on the road. After a false start with the cafe we found a fantastic one out at Rufford. There were at least 10 types of cake for me to choose from as well as ice-cream. One that has been bookmarked. There were a few cyclists there as well!

Back home with 56miles done.

Singletracks SS & DH Jersey Pre-order

2009-11-09T17:45:24Z

Element22 did a kick-ass job designing the singletracks jersey and we’re finally ready to start taking pre-orders. We need to order a minimum of 10 of each style so to make sure that happens we’re going to sweeten the deal: the first 10 people who pre-order either style will receive a 1-year singletracks Pro membership ($29.99)! Your Pro membership code will be delivered via email once your payment is received.

Both jerseys will cost $55 each and any proceeds from sales will go to IMBA. We’ll be taking pre-orders through next Monday, Nov. 16 so you need to act fast if you want one. Once we place the order it will be several weeks before the jerseys are printed by Champion System. You’ll find buy buttons, sizing info, and more about the jerseys themselves below.

Short Sleeve Jersey (Club Cut)

Long Sleeve DH Jersey

Sizing info:

	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL	XXXL
Chest (inches)	38	40	42	44	46	48	51

SS Jersey Specs:

# Superior comfort and wicking.
# Three rear pockets.
# Tapered collar - high enough on the sides to allow for logos but tapered at the chin so as not to pinch.
# Separate side panels.
# No annoying label tags at the neck.
# Full length zip

(back view of SS jersey)

DH Jersey Specs

# Multi-dry fabric for superior wicking on the front and sleeves, mesh back for increased ventilation.
# Similar style to sample pictured below
# Full sleeve (photo shows 3/4 sleeve)