Tale of the GPS

I rode my last ride of 2008 last night - a 45 minute spin in the garage to keep the legs loose. I thought I'd just post my stats from 2008. By far, this has been the most miles I have ridden in any year and it felt good.

Total rides: 183
Total miles: 5,351.1
Longest ride: 204.3 (STP)
Average ride: 29.24
Shortest ride: 5.5 miles (Racing Craig around the block)
Average miles per week: 102.91
Miles before STP: 3231.61
Miles after STP: 2119.49
Total hours on the bike: 319.95
Average hours per week: 6 hours 9 minutes
Average time per ride: 1 hour 45 minutes

Almost 40% of my rides were between 10 and 20 miles - these are those one hour or so highly intense training sessions on the trainer or around Newberg. The weekly graph clearly shows that I ride for the STP. Much like Lance and the TdF, I focus on doing well that second Saturday in July.

Here is a graph of my miles by week:

Here is a histogram of my miles by ride:
I really enjoyed all of the riding this year. The best part was seeing new places and riding with new and old friends. I hope I can do more of both in 2009!

Proof

Here is proof that I actually work while at work. This was fun to drive but took a bit getting used to the snow. The problem was that there was no heater so it got cold quickly.

Closed

The plan was to be open for business today. Mother Nature was not cooperating, dumping more snow than expected. As the supervisors and I roamed around the parking lot when we closed the plant, I took a few pictures as we pulled and pushed employees to get unstuck and on the road. The snow was angry that day my friend! As the employees came into the parking lot, the just left their cars where they got stuck.

Using the "Bobcat" to pull employees out of the parking lot so they could go home.

Notice the visitior parking sign. The top of it is about 30". The snow had drited this much over the weekend. Also, see the ribbons of ice from the roof. This is from the freezing rain and the slow thaw. The ice is in ribbon because of the ridges on the roof.

We are going to be closed tomorrow due to the weather and us trying to get the parking lot cleared.

Snowed

The snow just keeps falling. The week started with snow and has ended with snow, with snow in between. You could say we've been snowed over this week. The kids didn't mind at all - school was canceled all week. Christmas break came a week early. It just means they have to make it up later in the year. With school canceled, everything else at the schools is canceled as well to include basketball. We had no practices and no games. So other than work this week, I just rode three hours in the garage and did little else.

Today, snow started early and fell all day. I really didn't want to stay at home all day so after choir practice, the C and I headed out. We hit Franklin Covey for next year's pages, Honey Baked Ham for our Christmas ham, Sushi bar for my weekly raw fish fix, Border's for "Breaking Away"and Peaches, and finally home. Half-way through our travels, I broke out the chains. Traction had deteriorated so I needed help. I was glad I did. Over 6" worth of snow has fallen with more on the way. After getting home, we headed over the church and played basketball for 90 minutes. It was good to be active after sitting in the car for so long.

After getting home after playing basketball, we played in the snow for a while. It was cold, especially in shorts but fun. Now it is just sit and watch BYU - AZ. Go Cougs! Right now, they need to pull their head out and play.

On the bike, the garage continues to test me as I push and practice cadence. I try to keep it high and crank up the pain. It helps to have a TV and ipod to keep my mind off of stopping. Only a few more months till I can get back outside and on the hills.

Sun & Solvang - March 14, 2009.

Intensity

We had our second game of the season on Saturday. I'd sum the whole game up with one word - intensity. The first half was a close one as we end the half only up by one, 15-14. They had two good players and we had managed to stay in front of them for most of the half. We got lost on defense a few times and they made us pay with easy baskets. Our players also got caught up with worrying about the referee rather than playing basketball. At half time, I gave them the "referee's don't win basketball games, players do" speech as well as let's pick up the defensive intensity. Matt, our post player, and Craig went to work on their best players. Matt frustrated the other player so much with his defense that he started pushing and fouling Matt. Craig simply shut the other player down, not letting him get by him or to the basket the entire second half. We held them to 3 points for the half and ended up winning 28-18. I'd like to think that the team is a reflection of the coach and they have picked up on my intensity and passion for defense. I was very proud of how they played.

Craig hit a pair of jumpers - really nice shots, good form, nice follow through, good arc on the shot, nothing but net. No threes this game but that is okay. His defensive effort was impressive. He is so quick. Most of the time players can catch up to a player dribbling up the court, not with Craig. He can get down the court just as fast as the other players running. He just needs to work on his lay ups and he will be extremely dangerous. Just another item for practice.

The cycling was more of an escape this week rather than exercise. I rode for 4 hours total, one hour on four different days. I needed the escape as we were downsizing this week and letting some really good people go. For the year, I went over 5200 miles, meaning my weekly average will be above 100 miles per week for the year. Nice! The work I am doing now on the bike is focusing on leg strength and cadence. I sit and get my cadence to 85-95 RPM and cycle up the gears at descending intervals. I start with 15 minutes on the easiest to warm up, click down, 10 minutes, and then 5 minutes for the next 5 clicks down, finishing with 10 minutes of cool down with 5 at halfway back up and the last 5 where I started. At the highest gear, it is painful to keep up the cadence but it does the body good. The hour just flies by when I do this. With all the inclimate weather, I will be spending a lot more time in the garage. It is all good. This is how this year started out. The legs feel good and I need the time on the bike. March is not so far away.

Coaching

A few weeks ago, I started to coach Craig's basketball team. It has been quite interesting and fun to work with the boys, teaching them a bit about basketball and teamwork. There is a talent difference on the team. We have polar extremes on the team - from those that play frequently and watch basketball to several boys without a clue and less talent. Practices go between drills that require a high level of skill and those that are basic. We do quite a bit of coaching in both types of drills. We run suicides and full courts sprints at the end. I remember how much I hated running suicides at the end of practice. I see that same dislike in the eyes of the players but they still work hard and run for me. I even will run with them at times.

We had our first game Saturday morning. We lost 27-26 but learned a lot about how the players respond in a game. Craig had 6 points, 2 assists, and 6 steals. He even hit a "in your face" three pointer. We have talked quite a bit about shot selection and how the closer to the basket you are, usually the higher percentage. We have even proven this out on the court by having him shoot threes and then free throws. Each time, the higher percentage shot was the 15 foot free throw. In the game, he takes the inbound pass, turns, shoots, and banks in the shot. It sparked the team. We had a shot at the end to win but couldn't get the shot off. I learned something as a coach as well. I need to stay out of the moment of the game and think - players play and coaches coach. The C was up early and performed scorekeeping duties for the team. I appreciate her helping out.

The week of riding was good as the weather held til this morning. Solvang is right at three months away and I want to be ready to ride. I will be challenged with coaching basketball, youth activities, riding, working, and doing all of my other duties.

The Steelers are struggling again at home right now. They just need to play all their games on the road. They play so much better on the road as proven the last few weeks. Before the game and all day at church the day, various Cowboys fans called me and talked to me about the game. It could be a painful Monday morning.

Thanksgiving

It has been a busy yet fun couple of days.

It all started on Wednesday. All week I had read about how bad the weather was going to be for the Thanksgiving break which translated to me into staying indoors. Getting up on Wednesday morning, the weather prognosticators were all wrong. The skies were clear. In talking with Christine, she wanted to do a bit of shopping. I left work early, got in a 75 minute ride, got cleaned up, and took Christine to do a bit of shopping and to get a bite. We got home in time to meet my parents.

Thursday morning started early with some cooking. Then, Cassie, Craig, Pa, the "C", and myself headed over to the elementary school for the Turkey Bowl. We had 60 people show up to play some football. We played for two hours with four teams. We had good sportsmanship and no injuries. Although there were some collisions, all players got done with all their teeth and with no broken bones. After getting home, Craig and I put up the house Christmas lights. Playing football and putting up the lights, we were quite hungry. The "C" and my mom put together a feast! We all ate and ate, had some good conversations at the dinner table, and walked away quite fed. The evening ended with some football and some TV. Craig and I even got a game of Madden in. It was a very relaxing Thanksgiving day.

Friday morning was a more typical weekend day for us. OB12OLD and I got on the bike for a two hour tour to Laurel and back. The body was sore from the Turkey Bowl so it felt good to get out and just recover and spin. We got back, ate some turkey, cleaned up, and ran some errands. Then we drove out to Beaverton, caught the Max to downtown, and hung out at Pioneer Square to watch the tree lighting with about 25,000 of our closest friends. It was quite the festive place. They played music, we sang some Christmas carols, and then they turned on the lights of the 100 foot tree with 2.5 miles of lights on it. On the way home, we hit Juan Colorado's for some Mexican food. Pretty cool stuff - the best part was being together and enjoying each other.

Saturday, we had to say good-bye to my parents in the morning. I then hit the road for 30 miles. After warming up the first ten miles, the legs felt strong so I pushed it back home, averaging 20.2 MPH the final 20 miles. It is time to start preparing for Solvang. I spoke to JD last week about his TdT ride and Solvang. Looks like the plan is to hit the SoCal ride in March. It will be like our Spring training camp in preparation for the 12 hour STP. I look forward to the ride in March.

The rest of Saturday was getting Craig some good church clothes in preparation of him turning 12 and then running some additional errands - bassoon reeds, groceries. When we got home, we sat down and took a breath. It was a busy, fun couple of day. We really appreciated my parents coming and hanging out with us - the more the merrier. The "C" took pictures of all the fun on our family website, so check it out.

Time to get back to watching my Steelers against the Patriots....

Sympathy

Just a quick shout out to JD - way to go!! on the TdT, getting in at 6 hours 10 minutes. I missed being out in the 70 degree weather and 8,000+ of our closest friends. Although I wasn't there in Tucson, I hit the road this week for a total of 110 miles. The goal was to ride more on Saturday but the schedule and the weather was not cooperating. It was cold, damp, and foggy. It is unnverving riding in the dense fog, no shoulder, going down the back side of Chehalem mountain. It was good to get out and ride. I am 11 miles from 5K. Sometime tomorrow night on a short, unceremonious ride, I will go over 5K miles for the year - definitely more miles than 2007.

I started to coach Craig's basketball team this week. I have found it enjoyable to teach, reinforce, and then see it put into action. It is going to be a fun season, watching these young men learn the game.

It is a short week - nice!

To all, wishing you a happy and joyous Thanksgiving.

Tucson

Just wanted to send a shout out to JD.

Good luck with the TdT tomorrow. I will be there with you in biking spirit, wishing I could be taking up some of your slipstream!

May the road rise up to meet you...

Clear

The week started gray, cold, and wet. Not a lot of hope for better weather as the week started. I rode in the garage Monday and Wednesday only to wake up on Thursday with clear blue skies. It was incredible to have such weather in November in Oregon. When I woke up on Saturday morning and it still was clear, although it was cold, it warmed my heart to see a cloud free sky and dry roads. Cassie had to be at swim team practice by 7 AM so I rode with her over to the pool at 6:45 AM. From the pool, I headed up Chehalem mountaing. Going up was warm and cozy. I didn't work that hard since I didn't want to sweat that much as it was only 40 degrees. The 4 miles down the back side were cold. The payoff was the view from the top. The sun was just peaking over the ridge line, casting shadows in the valley. There was a light fog in the crevaces of the valleys. The tall pines would pierce the upper layer of fog as if trying to escape to greet the morning sun.

I rode out to the start line of the Reach the Beach ride and back over Krueger road, by the green house, and Gibb cemetary. I felt good, like I could ride all day. If I didn't have more to do, I would have continued to ride. All told, I rode over 2 hours for 36 miles.

After the ride, I took Craig to basketball placements and allowed others to talk me into coaching a team. I know a little about basketball and am excited about the opportunity to help 5th and 6th grade boys learn a little about the game as well. We start this next week.

After basketball, we headed to Monmouth to watch the C's high school team play in the state football playoffs. It was fun to watch her get excited, cheer, yell, and show some school spirit. There is passion there for her alma mater. Ontario kept the game close but couldn't close the deal, just too many turnovers. Without the turnovers, regulation ends either in a tie or they win but they ended up losing 28-14. Ontario had only 8 seniors on the team with a lot of juniors. They should be good next year. Hopefully we can see them play again.

Saturday night was Cassie's first church dance. I was so excited for her to go. She danced all night and had a great time. Has it really been 14 years? It goes by so fast.

Sushi

The week started and ended strong but the middle was light - I got lazy and I payed for it.

It was Kaizen week so I ate too much and exercised too little. On Monday night, the indoor riding finally started again. For the next four months, my weekly riding will be on the trainer, in the garage. Not all that bad, with Chris in my ears or on the tube, I get a good work out and maintain fitness. Saturday was a ride in the rain for 30 miles. By the end of last winter, I was mentally prepared to ride in the rain each Saturday. I am not there yet. It will take me a few times to get back into riding in the rain. You'd think that riding is riding. There is something depressing about sitting in the rain on your bike, pedaling. Maybe it is remembering all the great rides when there was no rain. Also, I have a hard time riding hills when it is wet out and for me, that takes some of the fun out of the riding. After all of the suffering to get to the top of the hill, there is the satisfaction of bombing down the back side. No suicide bombing the back side on wet roads. Saturday's 30 was flat and average speed.

The middle of the week, I headed to Tacoma for business. I thought I'd at least get on a spin bike for a few hours but I was lazy and didn't go when I had the chance. The meeting went well but I didn't exercise. I payed for it with a pound or maybe two. Ooh well, I get it back this week. No plans for travel at least not right now.

Friday night, the C and I went out to a Sushi Bar. It was interesting but good food. I am sure we will go back. The California rolls, house rolls, sushi, etc was tasty. I appreciate the C being willing to try new and different foods. Now if Colin would only do the same.

Data

The cycling season is slowly coming to a close. At the same time, I am closing in on 5K miles for the year. I thought I'd share some data and graphs about my riding this year.

All data current as of today.

Number of rides: 156

Total time on the bike: 285 hours 21 minutes

Total miles: 4,757.49

Shortest ride: 5.5 miles

Longest ride: 204 miles

Average miles per ride: 30.5

Average time per ride: 1 hour 51 minutes

Median miles per ride: 21.85

Median time per ride: 1 hour 21 minutes

Average MPH: 16.67

Although I am not a professional, I still like to track what I have been doing and how far I have ridden for the year. The mileage graph shows how I built up to ride the STP and since then, I have dropped off the total weekly mileage.

I did get out to run twice this week. I did a pyramid on Monday night, running 200, 200, 400, 400, 800, 800, 400, 400, 200, 200. The C ran with me and I got to chase here around the track. On Wednesday night, I rode and then ran. The running was much harder after riding. The legs were tired and the body worn. I did fight for two miles.

All else was a quiet. No $5 foot long, no Mashitas, no pass "go" and collect $200.

Calling

While I was standing out at Craig's game, JD gave me a ring. I gave him the news that the C had probably told K, I was not going to ride in the Tour de Tucson. The decision of not riding in Tucson in November hurt when it was made but became reality when I said the words to JD. I remember Red in Shawshank Redemption as he was heading South to see his friend Andy, " I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope."

I remember all our rides this last summer and last fall. I remember the fun and good times our families had together. Those are good times that I hold close, making the decision not to go even harder. JD - I appreciate the call sorry for not being able to ride. I'll miss sitting behind your skinny, fine tuned tires, rolling down those free miles at 30+ MPH.

Tito, get me a tissue; Jermaine, stop teasing. I'm out...

Slowing

Not much to write about the last few weeks - just running, riding, watching football and soccer, going to church activities, and working. The plan to maintain the gains has been at work for the last two weeks. I have ran twice a week for the last three weeks. It feels painful enough and I get a good work out. The riding has come down as well. The frequency is off only slightly but the miles are down significantly. I have only been averaging about 60 miles per week. I only need to average 35 a week to hit 5K for the year. The legs feel good and the weight is stable. The key has been eating less and staying active. Let's see how disciplined I am during the holidays.

Some interesting news from the pro tour, Ivan Basso place third in the Japan Cup. Another former TdF contender is making his comeback. I have always like Basso and it is good to see that he is back on the bike and riding for Liquigas. I will have to get LG stuff to add to the hat I have. It is going to be an interesting 2009 Pro Cycling season with the stacked Astana with Contador, Armstrong, Leipheimer, and Kloden, the return of Basso, several new teams, and all the normal cycling destinations with the usual fun.

Final game notes - Craig had his final football game on Saturday. He carried the ball 3 times for 43 yards. He was slipping tackles, sliding through holes, and running away from people. I just wish he had more carries. He had a good game and a good season. As we were walking off the field, I look down at him and he is holding back the tears. I asked him what was wrong. He was sad that it was over, even though it was tough and painful, he still wanted to keep playing. I knew exactly what he meant and how he felt. I had been there. I just put my arm around him and gave him a hug. Thanks Craig for the memories and for loving footbal as much as I do.

The primary colors went for a ride on Saturday morning. Cassie dressed in blue, OB12OLD in yellow, and I was in my usual red. Cassie was motivated and rode hard. Pa was making a recovery ride from a back strain and pneumonia. I just sat back on enjoyed the fun.

Chihuahua

I am an avid velonews.com reader. It is were I get all of my pro cycling news. Here is a picture from the site as it covered the Vuelta Chihuahua.

Can you say a Chihuahua from Chihuahua, Chihuahua? Now that's a lot of Chi and huahua!

Diversity

It has been a good week for exercise but the cold is starting to creep in, making it hard to remain motivated to stay riding outdoors. So I started to run a bit. I bought some new shoes, supporting Livestrong. I hit the ground on Tuesday with a 1.35 mile run with Craig. He pulled me along the entire time and dropped me as we got back to the house. I didn't time it. I just wanted to see if I could run. It felt good but on Wednesday, my legs were sore. Thursday was a bit more running but just a shy longer at 1.5 miles. It was much easier and I felt better on Friday than I did on Wednesday. What I like was I was able to get a decent work out in but for less time. If I keep at it, I might be able to run with the C.

I did get on the bike for over four hours this week as well for over 72 miles. All told it was five days of exercise between biking and running. I will try to mix it up more this next week as I try to get some pounds off in these next few months.

Craig had a good game on Saturday with some tough inside running. They didn't give him the ball as much this week as he carried 6 times for 18 yards - no long runs this week just the tough between the tackles running. He was 1 for 2 on short yardage. The second attempt there was no blocking as he was met by the linebacker right in the hole at the line of scrimmage. He is starting to see the field better. He gets through the hole and you can see him looking for daylight as he moves forward. Now we just got to work on him hitting the hole harder.

This will be a busy week with quite a few church commitments....it'll be all good.

Sidetracked

The week started off with sun and ended with rain. For riding, it was not a good week at all. I got on the bike on Monday and rode 16 miles, ending on a high note of getting up Coral Creek in 9 minutes - besting my time up the hill by 4 seconds. The difference was this was into a nasty wind. The effort felt extreme and I had hoped for a better time but the weather was not cooperating. I was surprised at only improving by 4 seconds. I had an interesting experience on the bottom of the small climb - doubt. As I started, my mind wandered as I pushed myself to my lactate threshold. I thought to myself, "with all this pain and wind, do you really think you can get up this hill faster than last summer?" I had a choice, give up and explain away the reason for not trying due to the weather. Or, I could put my head down and try. I went back and forth for a few moments as I standing on the pedals pushing up the first part of the grade. Rather than give up, I decide to see what I could do - to give it my all and to see if it was good enough. I rationalized that since I had ridden more miles, weighed less, and had better gearing, I had a good chance of succeeding so I should push on. I always finds these types of experiences in life when doubt enters in very interesting. They come at different times and in different circumstances and usually ending in a rationalization for either triumph or failure without trying. The lesson I take away is much like a quote many have heard that says you cannot make the shot if you don't take the shot. It is in the taking of the shot where learning occurs.

Those were my only miles for the week. On Tuesday, my throat starting getting sore and by Wednesday I had the flu. I trudged through work on Thursday and by Friday I was starting to feel better. Rather than try my luck on a Saturday morning ride in rain and wind, I opted for more stable weather indoors in a warm bed.

We headed out to Craig's game in Portland. The weather broke for his game with only a slight breeze. The team played well as did Craig. He had 9 carries for 31 yards. He continues to be the short yardage back. He went 4 for 5 on short yardage carries getting the first down. The one he did not make it on was a 4th and 5. He got 4 1/2 yards but not the five but the beauty was in the trying. He could see the marker and accelerated towards it, getting hit by several defenders as he reached out, trying to get the ball across the line. On another carry, he got past the line, side stepped a backer, took a hit by the safety who clamped on to him, a backer came over to help, then another defender, and another, and another, and finally then going down. Six tough yards that brought cheers from the team and crowd. On another carry, once through the line, he saw a gap between the backers and sprinted between them only to find the safety filling the gap. Whap! You could hear the contact. Both went down and bounced right back up - a good hit on a good run. On a carry before the half, from the five, he got to the end zone but the line judge could not see the ball crossing the end line to call the touchdown before he was pushed back. If there had been replay, the call would have been overturned. It was a good day on the field for Craig and it was fun to watch.

This week marks my final push to meet the second of my two goals from the beginning of the year - to get my weight down. I am stuck at 205 and want to get under 200. In order to do that, I am going to start a core workout session with some running twice a week. As the weather has turned to typical fall Oregon weather, more indoor time will be necessary to make this happen. Only 500 more miles to 5K....

Talk'in it up

Stop me if you heard this one before... What do you get when you cross a 1/2 Gibb with a 1/2 Baldy ... a Bald Gibb (aren't they all bald by now) without the funky gold medallion!

"Here we are... in a room full of treasure... talk'in it up... talk'in about politics...it's the Barry Gibb talk show"


Let me explain - Monday was the big budget review with the Milgard Leadership Team. It was a long month of preparation for one day of execution - it went well. As always, we got some good feedback on our plans but also received praise for our location's results. I ran out of day light on Monday but I did get out on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for a total of 100 miles. Wednesday was big gear day as I rode the rollers and left it in the big gear all the way around,even on a few hills that I usually dropped down on. It felt good but hard. On Friday, I rode up half way to Gibb cemetary and then half way up to Bald Peak. The climbs felt good as the legs felt strong.

I got up early and was on the rode by 6:15 AM. It was still dark. As I rode over the Willamette river, the sun was just starting to light the morning sky, the fog was sitting in the trees and hovering over the water, the yellows, blues, and reds of the morning sky lighting the background...just beautiful! I headed down to Willamette Mission State Park and back. About mile 40, the legs started to feel the hard climbing from the night before and the going got a little tougher as I finished the last 10 miles.

After the ride, we headed over to Craig's game. He had a solid game - carrying the ball 8 times for 40 yards. I just love it when he runs up the middle. He has no fear. On several carries, the linebacker would step up and Craig would lower his shoulder and give the hit, gaining a few extra yards. Bam! All of his run except two were up the middle. He had an off tackle run that was backed up and he reversed field for a twenty yard gain. On a 4th and 2, he got the call up the middle and got the first down. On the other side of the ball, he had several solo tackles in the open field. Craig was laying the wood on both sides of the ball. Gotta love it!

It's been a good, full week.

Another Baldy Birthday

Last year for my birthday, I talked Christine into climbing up to Bald Peak by going up the steep Chehalem Road. This year I decided to add to the tradition by taking another route up to Baldy that I had not taken before. My boss had rode up to Baldy from the Hillsboro side and told me about the ride. I thought “hey, why not give it a try.” I started up Rex hill, then out Scholl’s Ferry to Scholls. I got on Hillsboro highway for a few miles and turned onto Bald Peak Road. I was moving at a good clip, averaging 19 MPH even with all the rollers and the little climb up Rex. I could feel the work out from last night as the road turned upward. This side climbs a bit different – steep for the first 3 miles with changing grades, flattens out, and then turns steep again the last mile before the park. The grades weren’t consistent like the Newberg side. I was able to get up in a little over 39 minutes. Not bad for not knowing the first half of the climb. There was not a lot of time to ride today. Craig had a game at 10 AM and it did not get light till about 7 AM.

All told, it was a nice week on the bike. Monday was a half Baldy, Wednesday was Gibb cemetery and Coral Creek, Friday was a 75 minute time trial, and Saturday was a back side Baldy for a total of 101 miles and a lot of climbing.

A note about Coral Creek: I had not ridden it for most of the summer. I decided to give it a try at the end of the Wednesday ride. I was riding my 11-23 for the first time up the hill. Without pushing, I equaled by best time up the hill. Maybe this next week, I will ride it with earnest and see what kind of time I can put up.

Congrats to Levi on winning the TT in the Vuelta today and for finishing on the podium.

See ya on the road.

Scoring

It has been a busy week with budget prep, mutual, riding, and football. The excitement for the week was Craig's second game. The league plays on the high school fields and the players get to experience what it feels like to be on the real field. The Tigers first possession, second play, Craig takes the hand off on a 34 dive - a run off tackle that ended up going up the middle. He broke a few tackles and is then in the secondary. He split the safeties. They get their hands on him and as they did, Craig kicked it into another gear and took it into the end zone - 50 yd TD. As he crossed into the end zone, he put both arms straight out. It looked like pure joy. In talking to Craig after the game, I asked where did the speed come from. His reply was "I saw the end zone and just wanted to get there." I sat in the stands and beamed. On his third carry of the game, he took the pitch, saw nothing, reversed field and ran for 60 more yards. All told, 7 carries for 132 yards and a TD. He had several tackles on defense as well. One was right in front of me, it was a sweep that he help to string out, as the back came towards the line, Craig popped him and got him to the ground. Nice tackle. He gave me a fist pump from the field. I got more joy out of seeing Craig do well than I can remember getting from playing. Thanks Buddy!

About the bike, 90+ miles this week with beautiful weather. Saturday was Yamhill, Carlton, Lafayette for 55 miles. I let the terrain handle the intervals as it is constant rollers. The difficulty this time of year is that at 6 AM it is 45 degrees - by 8 AM it is almost 60 with clear skies and sunny. I just love to ride. 700 miles to 5K.

Remembering

On Thursday night, I laid in my bed watching a History Channel compilation of film from 9/11/2001. As I laid there and probably like many others watching the show, I could recall exactly where and what I was doing that day. I was listening to National Public Radio and driving to work. Right before getting out of the car, the announcer says something to the effect that they were getting some interesting reports out of New York about a plane crashing into one of the towers. I can even remember my thought - some commuter had mistakenly crashed. I had no idea it was a large plane. I walked into the lunch room and the TV was on. As I stood there and watched, the second plane flew into the other tower. I felt angry and helpless as the towers came tumbling down.

Then my thoughts went to my mom. Her birthdate was 9/11. Instead of a day of celebration for my mom, it had turned into a day of anger and frustration for the nation.

Thanks to all the military personnel serving worldwide to protect our freedom and way of life. I know that freedom is not free and I salute you.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Rolling

The third major tour is going on right now in Spain with the only American on top after eight stages. Levi is riding in support of Alberto Contador. His strong time trial ride gave him the golden jersey. After a few days out of the lead, he got back in by just riding a strong stage today. Interesting tactics for Team Astana, they sent Contador up the road to blow up the race and let Levi sit back and ride easy. Although the mountains haven't been terrifically steep, Contador has been able to put some time into his rivals but not much. The steeper mountains are coming and Levi will be well rested to help Contador when the road turns up in stages 13 and 14. Excitement!

After riding the Col de Ashland, I can understand what a long, grueling climb can do to a rider's legs. Maybe not so much on the day of the ride but the next few days the fatigue sets in and the riding is harder. I felt the pain early in the week. I got on the bike on Monday for 50. It took the first 25 to get the legs loose. It didn't help that it was cooler weather either but once loose, I could ride fine. Tuesday was a rest day but I could feel my legs as I sat in budget review meetings. Wednesday night I got back on the bike for a short 21+ mile ride and I could feel the strength coming back but it was still there. If I had ridden longer, I feel my legs would have come back. Thursday was the payoff day. I rode to work and hit the hills on the way home. I rode in bigger gears and got up hills faster than before. The climb to the green house and up over Gibb cemetary was done in almost a minute less time. I was blown away as I stood to climb up the final quarter mile to the top of Gibb. I felt good. Granted, I am not a pro nor have the fitness of a pro but I understand a bit better now how a hard day in the saddle affects subsequent performances. Saturday was a calm 45 mile ride to Gaston, down to Yamhill, and back to Newberg over Laughlin road. All told 141+ miles for the week, putting me at 4,160 miles for the year. I can smell 5K. I hope the weather holds for a few more weeks so I can continue to put a dent into the last few hundred miles.

Craig had a game on Saturday. He is starting to get the game. He had a few tackles and a fumble recovery. I enjoyed walking the sideline talking to him about the game. He looked good.

Lithia

The week started with rain and a "no ride" Monday. Some time Monday afternoon I realized that I should have ridden to work in order to hit my 100 miles for the week goal. Tuesday was Craig's middle school orientation, Wednesday was a youth activity so I rode to work on Thursday. The C asked me to take Friday off so we could go to Ashland for the long weekend.

Thanks to my brother-in-law Bob for allowing us to hang at his house in Ashland. It was a great weekend of family fun and a bit of riding.

We hit the lake a few water slides on Friday afternoon before riding the trail between Medford and Ashland. Friday night we introduced Colin and Craig to Mr. Bean. They must have watched the first three seasons several times. Saturday morning, I got up and got on the bike. The C had talked to me about Mt. Ashland and a race up to the ski resort in mid-September. I thought I'd try out the route and see how I do. It is 25 miles with over 5K worth of climbing, with almost all of the elevation coming over 16 miles. Yes, 16 miles of up hill. The average grade is 5.5% and the climb is relentless. There is only one spot of downhill, a very short one of about 1/4 mile at mile 9 of the climb. The climb is between 2% and 10%. The C and the kids came up and gave me food as I rode and met me at the top. I don't think I am returning for the race. It was an epic climb. If it was part of Pro Tour, it is at least a Cat. 1 climb due to the length. I can't wait to go back and try it again. There is something about climbing that brings a focus and calm that I enjoy.

After getting down and home, we headed to Lithia Park and cruised around downtown Ashland. We partook of Lithia water - an all natural mineral water full of lithium salts and is known for its positive psycholgical impact. This is not to say that it tastes good but is good for you. After cruising around for a while, we headed for some Mexican food, played some Soccer and Football, had family races, and back to the house for some rest and a movie.

All told, it was a great weekend being able to ride and be with the family. This next week will be fun as Colin starts school, Craig starts middle school, and Cassie starts Soccer. It will be fun. I can't wait for the fun.

Baldie

This past week was full of not being in the office, meaning no riding to work. We had our annual off-site budget and strategy review session to discuss 2009. There always is a mental exhaustion that comes with hours and hours of discussion and data review. What made it more difficult to work through is the lack of exercise. The exercise keeps my mind fresh and sharp but I was wanting for time this week. So Friday afternoon I got out a bit early and got on the bike. I had a little time so I decided on taking on Baldie.

As I passed the Baptist church on Bell road, I thought about putting in a good time on the climb. As I started up the hill, my mind started to think about the talk I had been assigned for church on Sunday. I looked down at the cyclometer - 17 minutes so far on the road. I then got lost in my thoughts about my life and how it had been shaped through people, experiences, and decisions. A calm came as climbed. The rhythmic pedaling and breathing, the thoughts, the sun on my back, without even noticing 23 minutes had passed and I was well on my way. I ended up getting up the climb in a personal best, just a hair over 37 minutes. I cruised down the back side and around North Valley road. All told 42 miles.

Saturday started early as I rolled out at 6 AM. I had planned on getting in 60 miles but the legs were not awake or cooperating. They felt real tired and heavy. The climb less than 12 hours before did me in. I headed back and ended up with 40 miles - a good ride but lackluster effort. Baldie had done me in. It was all good though as we, all the family, headed up to Silver Falls and hiked to 6 waterfalls. Cool!

I will surpass 4K this week. I am set up to get to 5K over the last 4 months. It should be fun as the rain is starting to fall again. Wow! It is only August.

Incredible

On Friday, I was talking with the C about riding on Saturday. I mentioned that my boss and a VP were riding in the Saturday Vine Ride out of Newberg. This is the same ride that she did last year with me and OB12OLD. After we talked, she said, "You should ride the Vine Ride. It would a great opportunity for you." So I signed up for the ride. The ride goes through Oregon wine country. We passed some 14 or 15 wineries along the route and acres upon acres of vineyards. The weather was great and the support for the ride incredible. I didn't have to carry any food from home. This is how well the century ride was supported. At the same time, it was real comfortable with the two from work. We rode, talked, ate, and talked some more. The 100+ miles went by quickly as the day heated up. The neat part of the ride is on the way back through Dayton, the C and Cas caught up with us and we rode together to Lafayette where I showed the C and Cas the rode that lead back to Newberg. It was neat to see them on the road and ride with them.

All told for the week, 187 miles, the third highest total for the year for me, raising my weekly average to 120 miles. 5K and Dura Ace components here I come!

The incredible part of the week was the C and Cas. They rode the Tour de Stake together yesterday. All told, they put in 67 miles of riding, to all the buildings in the Stake. They rode in the heat and did well. I am so proud of them for getting out there and doing it. Incredible! Way to go Triple C!!

Touring

Some days it is just fun to kick it rather than rip it. That is exactly what we did today. The C and I rolled up to Troutdale with some Saints and Spinners friends to ride some of the scenic Columbia Gorge highway. The scenery was incredible as we climbed up to the Vista House and overlooked the Gorge and then down the road to the series of water falls, ending at Multnomah Falls with some lunch at the restaurant there. The C did quite well on the climbs but time in the saddle without time in the saddle spells pain in the saddle. All told, a little over 36 miles that took almost 3 hours.

As you can see, this wasn't my usual pace but the beauty was riding with some friends and my wife. The C and I rode and talked and goofed off. Nice!

The week was 106+ miles of fairly easy riding - just trying to take a easier week. A week from today is the Tour de Stake. It will be fun to ride with the C and Cas. Coming in September will be my training for the Tour of Tucson - need to get under 6 hours.

Century

Not a bad week on the bike - just a little over 100 miles with no long rides. It was get the time where I could as I was watching the boys all week. We had a good time playing at the park, throwing the football around, eating man food, playing games, and just being together. It was real good bonding time. I'll admit I was nervous at first but Craig did a great job with Colin and I got to really bond with the boys, all the while getting my time on the bike.

At this pace, I will pass my 2007 totals by mid-September. I have plateaued on the weight loss but soon enough I will smash that barrier as well.

Time to get back on the bike.

Reflecting

This year's TdF did not disappoint. Although there were very few Americans competing, the TdF proved that cycling and the event belongs to those who ride clean. There are a few riders that I follow, one being George Hincapie. He is a work horse who gets on his bike and does his job, all the while having fun. Here is a typical George picture. It's all done. He is taking his brief case and he's going home - on his bike!

Thanks to velonews.com for the pic. Thanks George for the smiles, crazy glasses, and for being a true professional with high ethical and moral standards.

Cassandra

I got up early this morning to get ready to go to Ward Council, as I am eating breakfast, my phone rings. JD is calling me from the Champs Elysees, the final circuit of the TdF. In talking with him, he mentioned that he had stood road side at the Tour of California and that there is no comparison with TdF. The air in Paris was electric and crazy. TdF sponsors drove by throwing hats, shirts, and other items to the fans. The riders had not arrived yet but the anticipation was palpable. Thanks JD for taking the time to bring me in to the final stage of TdF.

Craig asked me about a week ago while a rider needs a team at TdF. I tried to explain it to him but finally said "let's watch." Team CSC showed why a team is needed as they put a hurting on the other contenders through the domestique's high tempo and punishing rides. By the time the final time trial came along, Evans and Menchov had nothing left. If this had been the first week of the Tour, Evans pulls back Sastre. Due to the pain that the riders of CSC inflicted, Cadel did not have a chance although I hoped he could. Congrats to Team CSC on the excellent TdF win. Cycling really is a team sport.

Speaking of a team sport, the Chilly C Cycling team rode out from Laurelwood on Saturday morning for a spin around Hagg Lake. The ride did not disappoint. We saw several deer, running along the side of the road. The lake and surrounding scenery was beautiful. Cas and I did some hill work, pushing the tempo hard up the hill and cruising down the back side of them. The C did well also, especially after the bike change. We rolled back to Laurelwood after 28 miles of the Oregon countryside. Cas and I decided to ride the 18 miles back home. She learned a little about drafting and paceline riding and we made it back in an hour. Not bad for a 13 year old and her third real ride. Nice! She did get tired on the last bit of rollers into Newberg but we got it done. All told we did 46 miles. We will be ready for the Tour de Stake in mid-August. I am excited to maybe have another cyclist in the family. Craig is next then we will have four. He is already showing interest. Yes!

For me, I rode 116 miles. This next week will be tough with girls camp. But, I'll figure out a way to get in the miles.

Timing

Stage 20 of the TdF is tomorrow. It will be epic. I have watched ever stage so far and am enthralled by the passion, pain, and pageantry of the event. All these days of racing come down to 53 km in the race of truth - the individual time trial. After almost 75 hours of riding, the top 5 cyclists are separated by less than three minutes. Wow! I will be watching tomorrow morning pulling for Cadel and Christian. It all comes down to who can put pain aside and ride for the maillot jaune. Timing by Festina.

I rode my own time trial this week, although a bit shorter - the 10.3 miles home. I clocked my fastest time yet at 28 minutes, 35 seconds at a blazing 21 MPH. I beat my own personal best by over 5 minutes on the same route. I was motivated and it hurt but a good kind of hurt.

It has been a quiet week of riding so far with lots of TdF time. My thoughts are with my STP buddy this weekend. I will be watching for JD on the streets of Paris on Sunday. "Yo", a quick shout out to the race and pour some Gatorade on the streets of the Champs-Elysees for me.

Anniversary

4 years and 40 pounds ago, my father brought to me this idea of riding a bike for fitness. I have been hooked on riding the bike ever since. Granted, I have watched and followed the TdF since watching Live on Sky TV in Germany, Greg LeMond's improbable pulling back of 54 seconds in the 1989 edition. Impressive it was to watch!

As I sat and rode today, I thought back on many of the rides I have done, recalling good, bad, and ugly. Last week, when JD and I rode, we talked frequently about going back to SA and putting in some miles there to compare with what we have ridden since. The 211 loop with its hills, the scenic loop hill, Bandera road, and other rides that we did would probably be bumps or rollers rather than hills when comparing them to rides like the Col de Hamilton or the Rock Shop climb or Bald Peak. It is nice to have had to opportunity to ride such incredible rides over some beautiful landscape.

As for this week's riding, I got back on the bike on Monday to ride into work. Thought I'd show how tough I was and do some climbing. Well, the hills fought back this time. I am riding up to the green house on Krueger, legs screaming at me, letting me now that they did not approve of this pain. I had to get home so I kept pedaling. A few times I thought about calling the SAG, but my pride overcame me. The 25 miles on Monday hurt so I didn't ride till Thursday. The legs felt better but still not quite recovered. Today was 57+ miles. Of which, 22 were with the Chilly C Cycling Team or the Triple C Team. They want to ride in the Tour de Stake so I need to get them into shape. It was good easy pedaling after a morning of hard intervals. At the same time, I love to have company and this was awesome to have them with me. All told, 107+ miles this week.

Update on Goals: YTD miles: 3329 (definitely more than last year); 204 pounds (9 more to go). I am on my way to reaching both. Next target: Tour of Tucson in November - less than 6.

See you on the road!

Vacation

Let me describe my typical day while I have been on vacation - wake up early, watch the TdF, eat some breakfast, ride for a few hours, and then go sight seeing or other family activities. Perfect! What made it even better was having the Hogg here to hang with and to do all these things with - nice!

We put in 100 miles before we even hit the road on Saturday for the STP's 204. Some of the week's highlights include getting up Bald Peak in record time, just over 37 minutes, riding new local routes, and having a King Dog.

The STP started early for us as we rolled out of bed at 4 AM and onto the road by 4:30 AM to get to the start line to meet with the rest of the Newberg riders. At about 4:50 AM we rolled across the start line at the University of Washington. It was a beautiful start to the ride, clear skies, 60 degree weather, around Lake Washington with the sun hitting the peaks of Mt. Rainier. It was breath-taking. While enjoying the ride, we were doing some work with the group from Newberg, At one point, while talking about Scouts, two of us mislead about 200 riders. Luckily, a few noticed and quickly got us back on track. We pounded out the first 100 in six hours total time. The second 100 took a bit longer but we got into Portland a little after 6 PM. This was the fastest in total time that I had ever ridden the STP. I had bettered my ride time by only 20 minutes but the impact of all the training rides is that I did not suffer like I had previously. So many times I was thankful for all of the riding I had been able to do prior to the STP. I didn't get the hollow leg feeling or the total body ache of previous rides. This was very encouraging. We had a plan and we worked the plan to perfection.

In retrospect, we could have been a bit faster on total time. We spent some extra time at a few of the rest stops that we could have cut down. I figure we could have been at least an hour sooner if not more. Now we have the recipe, next year means we can only make it faster than this year.

I appreciate all the help and support of my family and friends that they gave before/during/after the ride. I could not have done it without you. Thanks!! A special thanks to the Hogg and his family for hanging with us - it was great!

All told for the week - 304+ miles, over 400 ridden with the Hogg.

Off the mountain

The Tour de France has several mountain top stage finishes. Ever wonder how they get off the mountain - they ride. Can you imagine putting in some 100+ grueling miles up and over several climbs and then having to get back on the bike to ride down to the team bus? The ride down is not alone either, it is with all the fans and recreational cyclists who previously had lined the route up the mountain.

Here is an excerpt from Will Frishkorn's (of Team Garmin-Chipotle who is competing in the TdF) blog and his experience riding down the mountain.

"The craziest part of the day by far however was coming down off the finish hill. When we hit the top we had warm clothes and a bit of food waiting. After a quick hit of calories and quickly bundling up we headed back down 15k to the team parking. Unreal! The crowds that made the entire climb almost unbearably loud were all moving the same direction and it was complete mayhem; thousands of people on foot, bicycle, motorbikes, and a few cars sneaking in as well. Every few corners there would be cops signaling to slow down and yelling "accident!!" and sure enough there would be a few people smashed together off in a ditch. it looked like one of the Milram guys got tangled up in one, but mainly just spectators. None the less, scary ... and with the mind already pretty numb it was that much harder. Amazing though to see how many people were out turning the day into one huge party. Makes all the suffering that much easier for sure."

Feasting

It has been a fun last couple of days with a bit of riding mixed in. On Thursday afternoon, we fought the holiday traffic and rolled up to Tacoma to watch the Rainers game and fireworks with my brothers, OB12OLD, and my Louisiana nephews. We had a great time just being boys - you know, throwing stuff, yelling random comments, and just being annoying overall. The fireworks were great, the kids loved them.

The 4th was spent just hanging out at a memorial breakfast, eating some incredible BBQ (Thanks 2OLD for the ribs), playing some football at the park, and reading. Thanks for my mom for having us all at the house and be patient with all of the kids and as always, the great food. Although I never lived in that house, it does feel like home because she is there.

After leaving around 6 PM, we headed to the airport and meet the Dunfords. Quite exciting for all - they are here.

We got up Saturday and tuned into the Tour. Yes, it started. Valverde put on a show at the finish. I believe he was trying to send a message to the peleton that the Dauphine was no fluke. I am leary of his ability to finish the Tour. Three weeks is a long time. Cadel's face at the finish kind of told it all - "I am going to have to work hard."

JD and I put in a metric century and a half - 97 miles of fun around the Willamette Valley - North Valley, Haag Lake, Yamhill, Carlton, Lafayette, Hopewell, Wheatland Ferry, St. Paul (let's rodeo), and back to Newberg. The weather cooperated with us - it was a cool 72 degrees with cloud cover all day. It was good to be riding with JD.

Overall, 150+ miles this week - with one week to go to STP. We'll probably ride a bit more than the schedule this week but also allow plenty of time to recover. It would be nice to have a 300 mile week!

Fantasy

Yes, even the TdF has a fantasy league - courtesy of Performance Bike.

My team is as follows:

Overall GC contender: Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto, Kim Kirchen of Team Columbia

Sprinters: Oscar Freire of Rabobank, Mark Cavendish of Team Columbia, Robbie Hunter of Barloworld

Climbers: Andy Schleck of Team CSC, Manual Beltran of Liquigas

Support: Stijn Devolder of Quick-Step, Danny Pate of Garmin-Chipotle

I took a few more sprinters since there are more flat stages than mountain stages. Cadel is in good form and showed well at the Dauphine. It is his year to shine.

It all starts this Saturday, 7/5 - Stage 1: BREST TO PLUMELEC, 195 km. No prologue, just racing! Let 'em ride....

Sweltering

Summer finally hit Oregon on Thursday with temperatures in the 90's. The nice part is that summer has lasted for at least three days and might stick around for a little while longer. Late Wednesday night the C and the kids got back into town. It just so happened that summer's arrival was timed with their return. I appreciate them bringing the sun back with them from their Southern adventures. All of them had dark tans and smelled of coconut oil. Well, maybe not the coconut oil but they did have nice tans. I am happy and relieved that they are back safely and the boys survived.

The riding is always better when you don't have all this extra clothing on - like it was this week. I rode every day this week; 6 days in the saddle. Some days had significant miles, others were just a run to/from work. All told, 170+ miles over almost 11 hours of bike time. It was another week of hill work. All the strength training will pay off at the STP and later in the summer. Only two more weeks till the ride. I picked up our packets yesterday and reviewed the ride book - pretty much the same as last year.

This week will be some riding to work, a 4th ride, a JD Hogg special on Saturday, and a route review on Sunday. The last week of preparation will be another one full of miles. Probably a bit more than the recommended 120. Over the last four weeks, I have averaged over 170 miles. For the year, I am averaging over 110 miles a week. Definitely hitting my goal of riding more this year than last. The weight has been stable at 206 for two weeks now but I have phase 2 of the plan to implement. I look forward to next week seeing if it works or not.

It's been fun - See you on the road...

Underrested

The week finished strong but a little painful. After attending my niece's baptism and lunch, which was a nice family affair thanks to my brother Matt and family, OB12OLD and I hit the road. I wanted to get to 60 but after riding for 25, my legs were screaming at me. There were no hills, no high tempo, some headwind, but nothing noteworthy to cause this pain. Sitting there thinking about what and why, I remembered something I read in Floyd's book. Floyd had the notion that it is a misnomer to say you've overtrained. You are just underrested. This made sense to me. I had ridden a century on Saturday, came home Sunday to an empty house, unable to sleep well. I rode 3 1/2 hours on Monday, got home late Tuesday, rode three 1/2 hours Wednesday, rode 2 hours Thursday, and then another 3 hours on Saturday (OB12OLD was feeling good - he got the "I'll rip your legs off" pace on - he must have smelt blood). All the while, having trouble sleeping and not eating well. I paid the price for all of this during the three hours on Saturday while riding into the headwind.

Being at my parents house on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I got some good food and some decent rest. When I got back here Sunday night, I went to be early. This morning was a different day. I tore up the hills on the way to work, not feeling fatigued. After work, I rode another 2+ hours, on hills and not feeling very fatigued and not eating much either. I felt good. I hope this carries over into tomorrow as I will try to hit 3 hours on the bike again. All told, last week was about 12 hours on the bike, 190+ miles. The 12 hours is more than the time on the bike for the STP. This is a huge mental victory. I am ready now, just polishing it off. I am excited for JD to come on down and spend some time here just hanging on and off the bike. It will be relaxing. Only two more Saturdays of work before the ride. Let's ride!

On another note, the bachelor days are coming to an end. I am so excited to see the C and the kids - only a few more days to go.

Empathy

As I was riding home last night, up another climb, I have gained empathy for the pros - having to ride hills day in and day out and the toll it takes upon the body. I am reading Floyd's book right now and he is talking about his first TdF. He asks Big George after the first week if the tour is always this hard. George's response is classic, "No, it gets harder." Wow! My legs were semi-toast last night so I only rode 34 miles. I am not exactly where I wanted to be by this time but I am close to my weekly goal of 200. Only a 60 miler on Saturday and I will be over the 200 mile mark for the week. A lot of the preparation for the STP is mental. Being able to hit the 200 mile mark in the week is a big step on being ready for me.

Only three more weeks to the ride.

Humility

Some days you have your legs and on those days, you ride hard, with passion, and smile for all is good. Other days you just suffer and get it done. Still others, you get your legs ripped off like I did today. I hit my stage 1 goal for the week of 50 miles today but it hurt. The first 11 1/2 were into work up Rex hill and Hauggen road. In the afternoon, Rob said let's get crazy and we road up over Gibbs cementary and down North Valley, around Caulkins road and to Rob's house. He just got a new LeMond Zurich. We all know how we feel with a new bike. Yeah, he rode it like he stole it and I got picked up by the bike police. Yeeeoooowwwww! Pain! After the pain, I dropped him off and headed out Wilsonville road and up Coral Creek. I had to get my 50 in but somewhere on Coral Creek I hit the wall and just pedaled to get to the top so I could get home. The road was angry today my friend. Humility...but I live to ride again another day.

Clarity

As I was reviewing my post from yesterday, I realized I neglected to explain the title to the post. For starters, this is not a statement about pent up bowel movements on a long ride while sitting on a small seat.

The plan for the ride was to hang with the BF, get in some good endurance riding, and do some speed work. Mission accomplished. For 65 to 70 miles of the ride, BF and I cruised along together, gabbing and enjoying each other's company. These are special moments for me to be able to spend this time with him - just the two of us doing what we enjoy together. Isn't that what family should be about, being together and enjoying each other?

As we were riding along the middle section of the route, doing some rollers, off to the side of the road was an old barn. It was obviously a working farm as evident from the smell of cow manure. Up on the top of this old barn was a large sign that read "Aged Manure." Showing my ignorance for manure and the importance of the aging process, I made a crack about how can aging manure be important. It is not like it is wine or some other delicacy that requires an aging process. Here is one of those special moments. I was then instructed by the BF on the importance of aging manure - how it can be harmful to plants and soil due to its high ammonia levels and nitrogen scavaging properties. The need is to compost the fresh manure, work it, and age it so that it is an effective soil fertilizer. Wow! I wrote a whole paragraph about aging manure.

The endurance portion is self-explanatory. All of the riding is paying off as I did not suffer as I have on other rides. Another big help was the Moms. She stopped in at the rest stop at mile 55 with Subway - a 6" club, hold the mayo and mustard. It hit the spot and I think helped to fend off that hollow leg/fatiguing feeling in the legs. We got some looks, sitting at the rest stop in chairs, eating a sub, our own SAG (support and gear) wagon. So to Mom, you get the Best Supporting of a Rider non-Rider award. Thanks.

The speed work was a rush and boost at the same time. I was able to hold 20+ MPH over the entire time. Granted, the course was fairly flat but I was working along. Many times, I was in the 22 - 23 MPH range. The boost was passing a lot of people, especially the final 15 miles by the lake. There were a lot of tired folks. I have been there before and know the "get me off this thing" feeling. The legs felt great and I was able to push.

Great ride, great support, and great company along the way.

Aged Manure

It has been a busy week. Riding to work, work itself, mutual, band concert, last day of school, prepping for the family's trip, and prepping for my trip. All a barrel of fun and excitement. Monday night Cassie had her final concert. She did well and I enjoyed being there to be a part of her concert. I rode in to work on Monday, up over Hauggen rode, all 1200 feet of climbing over three miles. Having done this several times over the last few weeks really paid off during the century today. Tuesday was mutual and combined activity - a little get ready to end school party and games. Wednesday - more riding to work and hanging with the C. Thurday - Hauggen road and prepping for the different trips, packing cars, cleaning the house, staying up too late. Friday, the family packed up and left. I am sad that they left for a couple weeks but happy for them that they get to see some family and friends. There is a little jealousy mixed in as well. Friday afternoon, after work, I got in the car and drove to Tacoma. Hung a little bit with my brother and then up to Redmond for a night stay at the hotel.

We got up and got ready to roll. We were on the road by 7:45 AM. We had to wait for it to warm up, relatively speaking. The ride was nice. A couple of hills early on but quite nice. I rode primarily with the BikeFather (BF) but to close out each 50 miles, I did some speed work for 15 to 20 miles. The last 20 of the ride started with a nice climb and then some rollers by the lake and to the finish line. The pay off was the Father's Day present from my mom - a sports massage after the ride. Nice! It really helped to work out the lactic acid. I feel pretty good right now as I sit here and write. All told for the week, 172+ miles. The plan for next week is to ride 150 during the week and get in a nice ride on Saturday to bust the 200 mile mark for the week. No need to be bored at home. I'll just ride.

STP is only four weeks away.

Happy Birthday C

Today is the C's birthday. Feel free to wish her a happy day.

Thanks to all family members who reached out to her. It meant a lot to her and to me!

Dangers of Cycling

"A car collides into cyclists participating in a race in Mexico's northern border city of Matamoros, Sunday June 1. At least one person was killed and 14 injured when a driver slammed into a bicycle race." This is crazy! No helmet or safety gear will help in this case. Wow!

Saturday's ride was tough - 80 miles but the week of riding hills to and from the office four times took its toll on the legs. I earned new respect for professional cyclists today. They ride in these multi-day stage races for hundreds of miles. The body takes a beating. Granted, they have a massive support staff an put in the serious training miles as part of a grand training program but their bodies still take a beating and they keep riding through it all. I learned more today about riding through it. All told this week 150+ miles - another new weekly mark for this year. This next week is a bit toned down due to the Flying Wheels Century on Saturday. Even though the STP prep shows 210 is the target, I will not be hitting this mark. I am shooting for 140 and calling it good.

Stay safe and keep on riding just not in Mexico!

....

Six more weeks till the STP and gas is at $4/gallon plus. Seeing both of these items, I decided to start riding to work again several times a week. I started last week and have continued to ride in this week. Getting up and getting on the bike in the morning feels good and even better after the 10 mile commute to Tualatin. It is a wierd sensation but I feel more focused at work. Probably because I want to leave a little bit earlier to get home or the early morning exercise helps me to get things done. What ever it is, I am going to continue to do it till the real rains and cold comes back. Don't get me wrong, I don't ride in every day but the goal is to ride in more than I drive.

It was a good week on the bike - 140+ miles - the most in a single week so far this year. Saturday was a long ride, 85 miles but without any tunes. It was a tough day in the saddle with just me, the road, and .... nothing. So far, I am tracking for more miles this year than last year, in fact, I passed the 2K mark this week for the year. I am on pace for 5K. I don't know if I will get there but it will be close. I have my two week bike camp starting in less than 10 days. Well, it is not an official bike camp. The C is on a pilgrimage right after the kids are out of school, leaving me to conduct my final preparations for the STP. I plan on a couple 200+ mile weeks while she is out. Since the sun stays out till after 9 PM, it will be easy to get in several 3 hour tours during the week and then a century on Saturday.

On another note, Team Astana rider Alberto Contador took the Giro de Italia this weekend in Milan after 21 grueling stages. Levi rode support and helped Alberto win the maglia rosa. Up next, the Tour de France. They have to let in the #1 professional team, especially after the Giro win. The Tour has complained for years that Johann Bruyneel and his teams with Lance focused only on the Tour at the expense of the other grand tours. They forced his hand this year and they performed with only 8 days to prepare. They need to step up and let the #1 pro team with the Tour's defending champ race.

Time to ride....only 130 miles this week for the suggested mileage.

Weiser (Wei·ser) and back again

This ended up being an awesome few days. I have already wrote about the fun I had on Saturday. Sunday morning dawned early for us as the C and I decided to head East to Weiser (pronunciation provided), ID to see our neice graduate from high school. It was also nice to get away. We had originally planned to take the kids but my parents very graciously volunteered to stay an extra day and hang out with them.

I just wanted to say thanks to my mom and dad for taking the time and staying. It means a lot to me that they did this. Thanks.

The C and I talked and talked on the 6 hour drive, surprised the Weiser family members, enjoyed a nice graduation, ate too much food, and enjoyed the company of family. Thanks to Cheri and John for their hospitality, Bob, Mark, Caran, et al for the relaxing and engaging conversation. It was also nice to have a night away from the kids.

We got up this morning and drove in to Newberg - from the sun to the grey. Shortly after getting home, I took Cassie and Craig to Ironman. Good show - very entertaining! I'd see the sequel. After the movie, it had dried up enough to ride. My legs have been sore from the short run on Saturday and I needed to work out the soreness. A short 20 mile ride to help work it out was nice also.

All in all, a very busy weekend but so many great memories! Thanks to all involved. These are the times that I cherish.

Almost century

I got back on the wagon this week, logging over 130 miles over three days. Monday and Wednesday were hard climbing days, getting in over 2K of elevation gain in 20 miles of riding each day. My approach is to get the climbing in extended periods with some flat at the end to push for speed in. By doing this, I tie in the strength gained on the climbing with speed work with the hope of increasing my base speed. So far so good as my normal "cruising" speed is rising month over month. The way I tell this is happening is riding over the same roads, watching my speed. Not a real scientific approach but it at least makes me feel better about what I am doing. On Monday, I started with some real tight legs from Saturday's extended ride. After the first part of climbing, the loosened up a bit and I climbed with ease. Wednesday's climbing was smooth and fun. Nothing like bombing down Chehalem Road at 45+.

Saturday was nothing but fun - triple triple dime. We started early at the Dentists office. There is a theme here. Dentist - Pain - Pain Train. The pain train left about 6:30 AM with only one scheduled stop, Clubber Lang Blvd. We rolled out and around Haag Lake for the first 30, over to Yamhill, Carlton, Lafayette, and Hopewell for the second 30, Wheatland Ferry, St. Paul and back to Newberg for the last 30. There was no rain and a little sun. It was a good day on the bike. I started to feel the ride about mile 57. You know the feeling. It feels like your legs are hollow and the only way to make it stop for me is either to push harder or to stop. Stopping wasn't an option so I pushed harder and suffered a bit more. Thanks to Mark and Ben for the fun on the bike. It is always easier to suffer when you are riding with someone else. Share the burden!

Mark and Ben are a couple of triathletes and during the ride, one of them leans over and says that I should try running after a ride. I kindly thank him for his offer and politely decline. I have tried to run over the last few months to no avail. As I am riding up the house, the family is getting the rackets out to go over to the high school to play tennis. I want to play so I change and we go over. I find out that the gals are going to run. Craig challenges me to a 100m dash. I gladly accept and barely beat him. He's 11; I'm 38. Barely winning was never in the cards. Soon enough, I will be the second quickest in the family. I decided to see if I could run a mile. 1 lap, 2 laps, a little pain and discomfort, the quads are burning, lap 3, I'm going to do this, lap 4 with a kick at the end. I probably could have ran a few more laps but this might be the start of a little bit of running for me. Who knows? If it helps me lose weight, let's go. Next we hit the tennis courts and play for an hour. Yes, my legs are sore today but nothing that a few hours on the bike won't solve.

Now that the fun was over, time to do the chores: clean the garage, finished staining the deck, and hang with my parents. OB12OLD rode in from Sheridan. It was a good day for a ride. An even better one to hang with family. Thanks to my parents for stopping in and cooking some great salmon and potatoes and being great company. It is so nice to just "hang."

Stay riding. Only eight weeks to the STP. I am excited for this one.

Only 190 miles this week on the suggested mileage.

Celebrate good times

To kick it off - Congrats to JD and Special K for freeing Willie! Way to go team. The C had a terrible time waiting for the news. She kept me working until the call/text came.

The 100 mile a week streak ended this week. Primarily due to me laziness and Outdoor School. I only rode on Wednesday and Saturday for a total of 87 miles. I did get in plenty of walking and hiking at Outdoor School. Up and down several hills, playing some basketball, walking on the beach, and chasing 5th graders all over the camp. I really enjoyed the time hangin with LBD. He played some mean basketball, hitting a few threes to pull the game out for our team as well as doing some school work. The Outdoor School was on the coast at a place called Twin Rocks. We had atypical Oregon weather - sunshine and clear skies. It was incredible. The weather continued to Saturday where I got in 75 miles, the first 45 with OB12OLD. I had planned on going farther but the heat got to me. I don't envy JD and the desert heat being too oppresive. It's tough to ride in out there like that. My arms got fried after not seeing sun for the last few months. The plan this week is to ride more and increase my Saturday ride load.

On another note, my weight continues to drop as I exercise more and eat appropriately. I have only another 12 pounds to go to get the goal. Maybe by the STP time I will be there.

Remember, get out there and ride. It's about time on the bike.