Time rolls on

It is between ninety and one hundred degrees as I climb steadily, the sun overhead shines down through my bike helmet and jersey and into my soul.  The shadows from the trees on either side of the road fail to reach to the pavement.  Everything about this moment says heat, yet I recognize this open stretch of road as a spot where, in springtime when the snow is retreating, I have had to turn around as the snow on the road becomes solid just around the corner. 

The oddity of thinking of snow in the burning heat of summer reminds me of my own seasonality. Only a month ago I was lamenting my complete lack of fitness and now just between yesterday and today I will have nearly six hours of saddle time. 

At times my physical setbacks seem unending, yet if I step back wisdom tells me this too will pass.  After a spring that refused to come to an end, summer is here; dry, dusty and hot. Seeing the mountains now one would never imagine that in six months they will be blanketed with snow, subject to the long, cold dark nights of winter. 

Yes, today shows no hint of any other day, but those days will come.  I welcome today and I will welcome the changes when they happen.  For now, I will pause, breathe deep and be grateful.  

Loaded for bear

The road, like a slender finger of spring, splits winter and reaches into the backcountry. Spring is here with the promise of long days of sunshine.  Under a blue sky dotted with clouds ranging from white to grey three souls rolled out of Mazama and follow that road into the mountains where winter remains steadfast.

As the miles ticked by we climb and the snow on either side of the road grows deeper. Wild flowers are starting to bloom on the valley floor, yet the mountains are still cloaked under a deep blanket of snow. Spring is a time of contrasts.

As we ride, we look lumpy, our pockets bulging as we make our way deeper into the hills.  

The road isn't ready for cars and, on weekends, the snow plows are idle. We ride three abreast.  The first hour was warm, but now the clouds are thicker and a wind is bringing the chill of the snow through our jerseys.  Patches of ice on the pavement become larger and more frequent.  Finally we round a corner and can see the road goes into a wall of snow. 

There is no doubt we are at the end.  Often in spring I ride a road to where the snow takes over and there is a "Should I, or shouldn't I?" moment as I consider if I should turn around or keep going.  No debate here.  This is it.

We look around and realize it has begun to spit snow.  We are emptying our pockets like we are contestants in a game show.  We pull out jackets, vests, gloves, tights, and neck warmers. I sit on the pavement to put on wind pants. I am amazed that the road isn't cold.  We dress as fast as we can and then begin what we know will be a long, cold descent.  We are no longer lumpy, we are dressed to stay warm.  We have all done this multiple times over the years and we came prepared.

Time to get going.  

As we begin the descent the sweat on the front of my beanie turns cold and I have an ice cream headache.  The wind blows in our faces, then from the side, then for a moment behind us as we ride down the mountain we spent the last two hours riding up.  I realize that while I am not quite warm, I am not cold.  After several minutes we see two cyclists heading up and they are not lumpy.  They will be cold.  They will be very, very cold.

We trade pulls and can't help but have fun on the never ending descent.  The road grade fluctuates as we drop thousand of feet. 

As we near the valley floor we see a cyclist with bare arms and legs.  He appears to be out for a short ride and will turn around soon (we hope).  We finish our ride and welcome some hot lentil soup into our bellies.  We express gratitude for the day, the ride and each other's company. 

Yeah - I'm off plan

Pirate for a year

This shouldn't be forever, but after eight months, it feels like it has already been forever.  Yes, you adapt; but everything is harder. I said everything, and I mean everything.  I am grateful to be where I am and am glad I have been able to adapt as well as I have.  I have learned that I need those around me.  Hottie and TQ have been essential to my success and happiness.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

More later.  Just wanted to let my fans know I'm not dead, just laying low and getting ready to attack!

Privacy isn't what it used to be

 

Apparently, I'm dead.

As a kid when we would get a new phone book I would open it and find our name and phone number.   As an adult I went to the trouble to get an unlisted phone number.  Today I'm on the FCC do not call list.   

When the internet was fresh, it was interesting to type in your name and see what came up.   Now it is scary.  Name, birthdate, address, phone number, spouse and employers past and present all pop up.  Also showing up are former spouses, their spouses, kids, parents, former addresses.... all connected to me! Too much for my liking. 

It turns out that even when your data is taken from legal sources (tax records, public filings, etc.) it is still YOUR data and you have a say in how it can be shared.  But it takes action.

A tech savvy friend told me what it would take to get my info removed from the websites that collect and offer up our personal data.  I spent about an hour starting the process myself and was overwhelmed. I realized it would take me hours of effort spread out over weeks, no, months, no.... years!  

There were three things that struck me; first it would take a ton of one time effort to remove my personal information, second, I would need to learn how to do it as the rules keep changing and third, as new services pop up, or my data resurfaces I would have to search out my info and repeat the process again and again and again.

Knowledge, expertise and sophisticated tools, that is what makes something a business opportunity.  There must be a company that does this.

My Data Removal does this.  You confirm who you are and what data is yours (they can't remove incorrect data, only real data) and they remove your data from the sites that mine your data.  On an ongoing basis they use software to constantly look for your data to pop up again and if it does, they remove it again.  I'm at a point in my life where I have enough assets that I am someone who can be targeted and also someone who does not mind paying less than my coffee budget to keep my data safe.  No brainer.  I would strongly recommend you consider this.  

Embrace the grind

Coffee

I'll catch up later.  So much good.  So much sad. 

Yesterday I left for a bike ride that was supposed to be 2.5-3 hours.  The idea was to ride down to Carlton and back.  There was a strong wind blowing north to south and I was flying on the first part of the journey. 

I knew the return would be hard, but that was okay.  As I let the tailwind blow me south I spun and enjoyed the long awaited sunshine.  

When I turned around my pace slowed and my heart rate climbed. For reasons I can't figure out, there were yellow marmots off on both sides of the road scurrying around as if they had just been let out of school.  It provided a welcome distraction as I fought the headwind. 

I've been down this quiet road dozens of times and there are still things to see for the first time.  As my mind wandered my pace would slow and I had to concentrate to maintain a decent level of effort.  

I recalled hearing about a gravel race in horrid conditions where the winner finished with an average power output of 330 watts for five hours and an average speed of sixteen miles and hour. With that thought swirling in my head, I didn't feel so bad pushing into the headwind. 

As I climbed the hill approaching home, my legs felt the nearly three hours of riding in them. That was okay.  I love the process. I love the long miles, the sore quads, the sun on my back. In this time when people go to extreme lengths to avoid being uncomfortable, I embrace it.  I grow from it and it keeps me young.  At least, that is what I tell myself. 

Coffee and Lies # 203 Various Implements of Destruction

In this era of political disillusionment and propaganda overload many of us are seeking a new, or at least different, reality. An old acquaintance wrote a couple paragraphs encouraging everyone who was having trouble getting behind a candidate to instead get behind an issue and support that issue.  It is then up to you to determine if that meant voting for a specific candidate or taking other action.

I believe that in the end we vote with our wallets and our time.  Idle words do not impress.

This year I have attended a few trail building work parties sponsored by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. This last weekend I was again wielding my favorite implement of destruction (a Triangle Rogue Hoe in case you are keeping score at home).  Man, that thing is a weapon!

It is impressive what a handful of hacks can do in a few hours with some heavy hand tools and a little oversight.  By pure coincidence the work parties I have been involved with in 2016 have run the full range from cutting in a new trail to putting the finishing touches on the berms of banked corners. Seeing the full cycle of trail building in the woods has been enlightening.

I acknowledge there are multiple phases that precede the actual trail work ranging from scouting to permitting to planning.  My guess is that within those tasks is where the real work lies.

Like many good things I believe good people are the lubricant that makes the impossible happen. With time carved out of busy schedules and almost no money these good people borrow tools and machinery and cajole other good people and in the end they etch out progress.

I’ve spent the last couple years admiring those who unselfishly contribute their time and one of my goals going forward is to be one of them.

Won’t you join me?

I would encourage all of you to contribute some of your time, starting right here in 2016, to a good cause. You may find that like me your hands and back will be sore but your inner peace will far outweigh any discomfort.