Tour de Stake

For the last six or seven years, a few members of our Stake have been putting on a "Tour de Stake." In this event, the group rides to all the buildings in the Stake - a total of five buildings over 65 miles. If you read "Tour de Stake" between the lines it reads, "A reason for a group of cycling obsessed men to get together and show who has the highest propensity to inflict pain on the rest of the group."

For a few weeks up to the event, all I heard about was beating Doug - a guy on a tricycle. I had not met Doug or seen his mode of transportation until Saturday morning. He rides a modified recumbant that sits extremely low to the ground and that he can ride extremely fast on the flats. Since I was scheduled to be at a canoe trip, I had not planned on being at that pain fest. When the chaperones fell through and we could not find replacements, I decided to just relax and ride. We got to the McMinville (Mac) chapel at 7:30 AM and Doug was already there, riding circles in the parking lot, warming up. At a little after 8 AM, we said a prayer and the parking lot emptied quickly with Doug leaving first. I came to find out that Doug does not like to lose and lets all know how well he does, especially when he wins. To borrow a phrase from JD, "it was on, like donkey kong."

The C and I were slow out of the parking lot, leaving almost last out of the 50+ riders. We had been riding quite a bit of miles the last few weeks, averaging almost 130 miles a week with a good share of riding in the hills, building leg strength. I felt good Saturday. I knew the route, the hills, and most of the riders. It was 8 miles before I saw the lead group. When I saw them, they waved to me to come along. I crossed the freeway and tried to catch up. Mistake #1, don't tell your partner the plan or discuss the route. Before I knew it, C was dropped and I was in no man's land between help. I put my head down, put it in a big gear and tried to catch up. It was in vain as the time gap continued to grow. Mistake #2, don't wait for your partner who could help out. After a few miles of losing ground, I backed off the pace and decided to make it through the flats and get to the rollers to make up time. I started to pick off riders at about mile 25. One by one they came back to me. On the last climb into Newberg, I caught the leading two, Doug and Ben. I rode into the parking lot at the Newberg chapel first - a little psychological game. I stopped, used the facilities, filled my water bottles, and took a short rest. Mistake #3, see number 2. When Doug, Mark, and Ben got on the bikes and headed out, I followed suit. The rest of the ride was much like the previous weeks ride. Before I knew it, it was just me. This time I slowed slightly and decided to ride into Mac with Ben. We talked and discussed cycling. We finished the slightly shortened course, 62 miles in a little over 3 hours 17 minutes, averaging about 19 MPH. Ben and I waited for a little over five minutes for the next rider to come in, it was Doug and he was obviously annoyed with his third place finish. Mark, was the next one in.

At this time, I realized I had better get on the bike and head out to find C. I pulled out the phone and called her. After letting me know how unhappy she was with my decisions, I told her I would meet her in Carlton, about 8 miles from Mac. After we hooked up, we rode in together and still finished faster than most of the riders. C had done extremely better than I had anticipated. We are ready for the Vine Ride, our next century.

The last few days have been great. It is going to be hard to go back to work tomorrow. I have enjoyed just being at home with the family doing all sorts of things: riding, working on the yard, finding a park route to take the kids on a ride, seeing Christine prepare for the Hood to Coast run, and seeing a few movies (Bourne was awesome).

Final Notes: Don't ever leave your wingman and it is good to be King!

Don't give me that look

I got a call last night at 9:30 PM from Mark - Mr. "It's time to bleed" - asking me to take a ride with him and a few guys. Riding with a group is always better than riding without one, especially when the SAG wagon is out of town. We hooked up at 6:30 AM and headed out. I am not a large guy but bigger than the normal cyclist (208 lbs). It is all the weight training I did for football and while bored in the Army during deployments and field problems. I have not been able to lose some of my bulk. I get this look every once in a while from people who have not ridden with me. You know the look - it is the one like "you, on a bike, yeah right." I got it today. All I can say is the pain train left the station with a purpose today. The purpose - rip their legs off. Phase one happened early in the ride on the first climb, a short one mile 5% hill. Mark goes and I stay on his wheel. After the first quarter mile, it is just us two. Mark is a triathlete and I had not ridden the hill before and could not see the top so I stayed on his wheel. At the top, no one in sight so we ripped down the back side. We put up a high pace and stopped a few miles up the road to wait for the others. A few minutes later they come around the corner and we chat a bit. I got on the front and set a blistering pace. Mark came to the front and held the pace. All held on put were in pain. The next 40 miles were uneventful. Phase 2: With about 5 miles left we hit some rollers and before I knew it, I was all alone. Just me and the trees, grasses, and asphalt. Mission accomplished.

After the ride, Mark and I went by his practice and I got the tour - a different type of pain goes on in that dental office.

Last Saturday something similar happened to Christine and I while riding. We were finishing up, about to come across the bridge over the Willamette and two cyclists came up and sat on my wheel. Christine is pulling and I following. They don't say anything and don't come around us. On the hill on the other side, they decide that they don't want to stay behind us any longer and come around. No "thank you", no "nice pull" or even a "thanks for the lift." After they get up the hill a little way, I stand up and track them down, passing one, and getting to the wheel of the other. I then sit on his wheel all the way up the hill. At the top, he looks back and sees me and not his buddy. "Hello!" I then sit up and wait for Christine. I need to teach bicycle etiquette but at the same time, it is nice to do what others don't think you can do.

What does all this teach me? Don't stereotype people due to looks. I get it and I know how I feel. I need to be better and be sure to not do that to others. I'll put it on my 2008 New Year's Resolution list.

All told, today's ride was 64 miles for a total of 132 miles for the week. A good week of hills and prep for the next century in two weeks.

On the 5

I have driven the I-5 from San Diego to Seattle but I had not ridden on it till today. Here I am sitting on a freeway that I have spent a lot of time on in a car. It was almost surreal. My mind floated memories in and out. Driving to work in Tacoma, heading to a Mariners game in Seattle, going to pick up Christine from work at Southcenter Mall, on vacation from _______ (name a town we've lived in), rolling to the Dunfords in Cali, heading home from Burbank, and then a semi buzzed me. I had to get back in the game. In fact, I believed for a long time that it was illegal to ride a bike on the interstate. When JD and I were driving back from HHH last August, I remember seeing several guys riding on the I-40 and thinking that they were crazy for riding on the interstate, especially in the middle of no where. So today, when Rick asked me to ride home with him he mentioned having to ride on the I-5.

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Nope, only in town."

He was right. There was no sign when getting on the interstate that said no bicycles or other unmotorized vehicles. There was a lot of traffic traveling fast. Lucky for us we were only on the interstate for about a mile. We had to get on the interstate to cross the Willamette rather than take a few mile detour.

I have been riding my bike to work the last few days. It has been nice getting up early and riding in. I challenged myself yesterday and rode up a two mile hill averaging over 8%. Nothing like getting up and taking a little climb. I am sitting on the bike, looking down at 14% thinking to myself, JD would like this pain while memories of the Col de Hamilton floated threw my mind. The intensity was the same just not as long. The next century is in two weeks and I will be ready. The riding so far this week has been right on point. I am aiming for over 120 this week. We'll see how the ride goes on Saturday.

(Christine is at Girls Camp all week - this is why the post - I've gotten tired of beating Craig at Madden)

Tour is done - Discovery wins!

What a tour it has been this year. With all the allegations of doping, the dopers themselves, the expulsion of the yellow jersey wearer, it still was a magnificent event. An article on www.bicycling.com asked if people still believed in the tour. I'd say, definitely yes! Perhaps the bigger question is why? Monday night I got on the bike and headed towards the hills. I did not feel exceptionally well but took up the five mile challenge. It was painful but I pushed harder than I had in the past. I kept the cadence high. What a sight from the top of the hill but also what a wonderful journey to get there. I still believe in the tour for that reason. I can partake of the pain and the joy that these riders feel. I don't know what it is to run a 4.2 40 yard dash or to block a 320 pound defensive lineman or to dunk over Ben Wallace. I do know what it feels like to suffer on long climbs (see the Col de Hamilton in San Jose, CA) or to feel the rush of riding along at 25+ MPH. I can do what these pros do with the same equipment, just not with the speed. I do love the Tour and have ever since seeing Greg pull back 50 seconds in 1989 in the final time trial.

Congralutions to Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, and all of Team Discovery for the success that they all have had in this year's clockwise stroll around France. Contador was spectacular in the mountains and Levi was superb in the time trial. It is hard to believe that the three weeks have already past.

Back to Oregon, I rode over 100 miles this week - a stroll in the hills, some rolling hill work, and two flat episodes - C joined me for 85 miles of the journey. The legs are feeling good as I am starting to see some real decrease in my weight. With continued effort I will get down below 200 pounds in the next few weeks. Yoda better watch out! Under 200 means I might starting running again!

Work is rolling along. This week was catch up for being out so much the previous two weeks. Last night, we went to Old Fashion Days in Newberg. They put on quite a show with a lot of music and spectacular fireworks. I was impressed and glad that we fought the bugs and late night to watch the full moon filled night sky light up with the fireworks.

Finally, just a reminder - Please notify WADA, the UCI, and your team of your whereabouts, you'll never know when they'll come knocking to collect a sample.

Phoenix and back

After such a great ride last week, this week was followed with almost no time on the bike as I spent the work week in Phoenix at Kaizen training and events. The highlight of the week is being able to stop in at JD's new Boar's Head hangout. Nice crib! We spent the evening talking and watching guys in spandex ride over dogs and other high hills. The Tour is on... One word to describe the time ... comfortable. Thanks to JD, Kristin, and family for letting me hang out. It was great! I really enjoyed it.

I realized with my week in Phoenix how well I tolerate the heat. Getting up in the morning it was usually 90 degrees, hitting highs in the one teens. Even with a lot of time on the plant floor, it was that bad either. I am not complaining because I do like Newberg but the heat felt more like home to me.

A week of no riding was insane for me. My legs kept wanting to get out and I had to stay in. The hotel did not have an exercise bike and I was not ready to run. On Saturday, that all changed. We got up and saw Cassie throw down on some water polo. She is a fish and swims well. I get tired just watching her work so hard. She is the only 7th grader on the team of high schoolers. The coach calls her his next Olympian. Next was time on the bike - Christine and I headed out to ride a portion of the Vine Ride that we will be doing in a month. It was 42 miles of rolling hills of fun. Great stuff for legs to build strength on. There was little rain and only a few patches of wet concrete. We finished in 2 hours 40 minutes. As I rode down the street to our house, the ride felt incredibly short, especially taking into consideration last weeks 11 1/2 hours in the saddle. Time on the bike is all we need to be ready for the Vine Ride - the hills are the necessary pain.

Time to bleed...

Let me take you back a couple of days to lunch on Friday. The plant safety manager came off of vacation on Friday and we had a lot to cover so we went out to lunch. In looking at the menu, it hit me, "I am riding 200+ miles tomorrow!" I got the Southwest Chicken Pasta to aid in my carbo loading regime. The next four hours were tortuous, trying to focus on work and not about the ride. All I wanted to do was ride. At 10 to 4, I get a call from the front desk, "Your wife is on the way up to your office." Salvation had arrived.

We fought the traffic to get downtown, picked up some food at Chipotle, figured out where to park for the train station, checked-in for the Cascades 508 train, and boarded the train. Rumors were rampart from the other train riders about the time we would get to Tacoma. The information online was saying on-time while many of the riders were saying two hours late. I believed the online information and should have believed the riders. After four frustrating hours on the train, we finally disembarked in Tacoma and began moving towards the hotel in Seattle. I got to bed at midnight, tired, anxious, and hoping to not sleep through my alarm.

3:30 AM came earlier than expected. I got up, dressed for a day of riding, and got down to 2OLDS's room to make sure we got out in time to pick up my bike from the Vitamin Water bus. The Vitamin Water team is a group of 18 riders who had invited me to join them for the ride. Since C was riding the second half, I told them the first century would be great and thanked them for the invite to be a part of the group. We got to the bus in time, got ready, and headed to the start line. At 4:45 AM, we rode across the start line with about 150 other one day riders. The first 50 miles was uneventful (about three hours of riding) as I got to know the group. After waiting for the team to hand out Vitamin Water at the 50 mile rest stop, we hit the road again. Then it happened - after riding through the city with all of the stop lights and slow downs - we got in a pace line and began to work. After an hour of steady work at 20 MPH, Mark, the Ironman triathlete, rides up to me and says, "time to bleed." Quickly I knew what he meant. He rode to the front of the pace line and lifted the pace to 24 to 26 MPH. We bounced between 22 to 25 for the last 30 miles as the team worked together to keep up the pace. The last 50 we covered in 2:19 - very fast. Bleed I did put I didn't notice at the time nor know the impact (a little foreshadowing). I had just ridden my second fastest century. There was much celebration in Centralia, probably too much.

After 30 minutes of lunch and rest, it was back on the bike. I bid farewell to the Vitamin Water team and the C and I set out. The pain train was about to leave the station - with a new conductor. The first couple of miles of the second century indicated that I was in trouble. It was no longer easy spinning for me, my legs burned, my back ached, and the sun was in full force. The first 20 miles of the second century I was hemorraging and there was nothing to stop the bleeding except quitting and that was not going to happen. We stopped briefly for a bio break at mile 120 only to get back on the road. We continued on to Lexington, the 150 mile mark. The new conductor was merciless as she put the pedal down and made me work furiously. Christine had ridden away from me as the rollers got the best of my legs. She provided me the motivation to step up and catch here. After a few minutes of hard riding, I caught her right at the entrance to the rest stop. I was going to need help to get into Portland. We got some food, took a break, lied down, spoke to the team manager (my mom), picked up some more gels and life savers, and hit the road again. We stopped only one more time before getting to Portland. After 11 1/2 hours in the saddle, it was good to get off the bike for good - joyous to be in Portland and arrive with the C at my side.

The last 50 was made possible because of Christine. She pulled me, talked to me, and provided the support that was needed to get it done. The hard riding earlier in the day had done me in. I understand quite a bit better how it works in TdF to put riders into pain early and what that means late.

The C finished her first century with style. Congratulations! Way to go! She would have finished much faster if I had not been her anchor. She will have another chance to show her stuff in a month at the Vine Ride in Newberg. I am excited for the ride. It will be a good time with some serious pedaling. I mentioned in an earlier post the fear of her catching me and proving me the poser that I am. The time is here. Next year, she can join the group and pedal the full 200. Pictures will follow as we get them.

Century #4 and #5 complete - three more to go this year.

It's time

A good solid week on the bike - 140 miles in the books. We rode 5 days this week and completed the preparation for the STP. It looks like some 20+ folks from our stake will be at the starting block for the STP. At least there will be a few familiar faces along with 2OLD but they can't replace all the time on the bike spent with JD or the interaction of Trickle. I'll be missing them - a little gatorade on the asphalt for them.

The 4th was a great ride through some hills in Northwestern Washington. It was a clear, warm (by Washington standards), and fresh day to ride. The Olympic mountain range was an incredible sight as it's snow capped tops peaked through the tall, green pines as we rode by. Deer came out to see us on several occasions. A set of 8 point buck stood within 10 feet of us at one point. Wow!

Saturday, after a quick 32 miles, we headed to pick up our packets for the STP at the REI in Portland. Thanks to Christine who checked out packets before we left and noticed that my name had changed. We went back and we got the right packet for me. After an hour of driving, we got some food at the Tillamook Cheese factory and then found a nice patch of sand and hung out watching the waves flow in. Before we started playing, I put on the running shoes and ran about a mile with Christine. I remembered why I don't run - talk about bodily pain!

STP in 6 days...we are ready!

2 Weeks to 200

The next big ride is almost here. Two weeks to go for the STP 2007 version. Right now, it isn't about being able - it is about how fast. I have been averaging around 80+ miles a week for the last 20 weeks. I was going to get out last Saturday for a century but only got 21. I had planned on getting up at 4:30 AM to be riding by 5. Colin changed my plans so I ended up lying next to him and helping him get to the toilet. At 8, I headed over to Olympic Bodyworks to help them move to a new location. The move was part of a community service project that we did for work. I ended up helping there til 2:30 PM. I was tired. I got home, changed, and got on the bike. I started with the notion of putting in some serious time. My body had a different idea. "No mas" is all I got. The hills were difficult. The flats were difficult. The down hill was difficult. I turned it off at mile 15 and suffered the other 6 miles home. I was exhausted. Not eating all day didn't help either.

My nephew was here all this last week. It has been good to have him here. Alex has helped us be motivated and do some cooking as well as just be good to have around. We cooked up some Salmon on the grill. It was incredible. Christine spiced it up nice. The grilled cooked it up perfect. Today, we did up some "beer" can chicken on the grill. If you haven't tried it, it is an easy way to cook some chicken that tastes great. The chicken was the third component of the trifecta. We hit up some pork ribs on Friday night. It is good to have a grill again (my father's day gift).

Two weeks to go to STP. Time to ride...

Two weeks of fun

The last two weeks have been a blur. Not a mile was ridden in the first week but 115 miles over three days are in the books for this last week. Too much other stuff going on to get in the miles.

The high points:

Baseball tourney - we ended the regular season in 6th place and had a tough row to hoe to get to the top. I was hoping to play well, play three games, lose two games, and be done with the tourney by Tuesday. The boys had a different idea. We played Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We beat the #1 and #3 seeded teams, lost to the #2 and #4 seeded teams by a combined two runs, and ended up in 4th place for the tourney. The highlight of the season for me as the coach was the huge improvement of the boys over the course of the season. We went from having issues hitting, fielding, pitching, and base running to being able to put runs on the board, get 3 outs without allowing runs, and finding many natural pitchers in the process that would shut other teams down. The team showed its heart in the tourney, leaving it all on the field. As a father, I saw Craig go from "please don't make me play" to "let's get the cleats on and throw the ball around." My father's highlight is a combination of things: him being aggresive at the plate, hitting the ball hard; him standing on the mound pitching with velocity, letting it go not aiming; and finally, him fielding his position and understanding the game and the game situation. We will do it again next year.

Moving - Part of my desire to play three and be done was because we closed on our house and wanted to move. Actually, we wanted to be out so the rental company could get the house rented before we had to pay rent for July (the house was rented - no July rent!!). On June 7th, Christine's birthday, we got the keys and the fun started. We moved some items on Thursday and after picking up the U-haul on Friday afternoon, we moved a whole bunch more on Friday night. Remember the baseball tourney, we'd make a few trips, go to the game, and come home each night/day and continue to move household items. Saturday was the heavy day. Without the help of my parents and Scott from work, we'd never had made it. I am extremely grateful for their support and willingness to help out. We'd never had made it without y'all. Thanks. I was disappointed that my brothers did not come down to help out. I will leave that at that and say we got it all done with other's help. By Sunday night, we had the garage done and we able to park our cars in the garage. By Monday night, we were 95% done with the moving in portion. All that is left is to hang up the pictures on the walls. I am sure we'd have been done if not for our vacation that started on Tuesday night. We love our new house and can't wait to get back to it.

Vacation - I left work early on Tuesday and we loaded up the car and headed out to Boise. Seven hours later we stopped in for the night. The next morning, we headed South to St. George, UT for the Putnam Family Reunion. The family had rented a large house with two pools, a hot tub, a ping pong table, an air hockey table, a fusball table, several TVs and DVD players, and lots of space. We have spent the last four days riding through the hills of Southern Utah, BBQing, taking pictures, swimming, tanning, spending money, eating out, eating in, talking, a talent show, paying tribute, and enjoying each others company. To share something about what I have learned this trip is understanding the moment and acting accordingly. This has made all the difference this trip. Sometimes, it is not about "me." Thanks to Christine for all of her hard work and for being so dedicated to the cause. You have made a difference. Thanks to the entire Putnam family for their hospitality and good times.

The Rides - Christine and I aquainted ourselves with the area and the local bike routes. We put in 115 miles of fun through and over the red rocks. Thursday was Snow Canyon and 35 miles of hills. Friday was 26 miles of more hills, shortened by Colin's upheaval. Saturday I rode solo for 50 miles of more hills. The fun about the hills was coming down them, hitting almost 50 MPH in some areas. Over the next few weeks, the C and I will have to get ready for the next big ride, the STP in July. My quest for my June century this week was postponed due to time constraints. Next weekend will be prime time to get it done, right after I get back from Detroit.

Stay tuned for more fun and pictures from our rides in Snow Canyon. Tomorrow, we will get in our last day of riding here in SoUtah - one more trip up the canyon and some hill fun.

Nothing but riding

Not much to comment on this week. 110 miles logged on the bike to include a half century on Saturday, record time up Coral Creek, tournament coaching, and sleeping outside in tents for two nights.

The weather has been great this week. It is not bad when wanting to do things outside. It just takes a while to cool the house off at night after the sun goes down with no A/C. Craig had to complete a few Webelo requirements so we set up the tents. It was nice and cool outside after the sun went down. Perfect for dealing with a hot house.

This next week will be exciting. We close on the house and start the move in process. In fact, this is all I can think of. By Saturday night, the plan is to have most of the stuff at the new house. I'll fill all in by next Sunday.

We remember

Memorial Day 2007 will be remembered for visiting three cementeries and two rides.The day started with the intent of taking Bald Peak and the West side of the river. Plans change. We ended taking Cassie on our 10 mile loop in the cold. After being in the 70's on Saturday, 50's on Sunday, this morning was in the mid 40's and there was no way I wanted to climb into freezing temperatures.

We got home and got on the road. Our first stop was Willamette National Cementery to put flowers and flags on the graves of my o'pa and grandfather. It was amazing to see all of the flags out on the graves, some 129,000+. The next stop was across the street at Lincoln Memorial Park to lay a flower and visit the grave of my grandmother and her parents. We found that the head stone has not yet been placed. After a lunch break at Chipotle downtown, our final stop was at the graves of my great grandmother, other grandfather, and my younger sister. At every stop, I was amazed that the kids would stand motionless and listen to me tell stories. Craig said at one point, with tears in his eyes, "I didn't even get to know him." This is one of those times when I am thankful for the plan of happiness and the opportunity to share my testimony with Craig. Great moments!

After the round trip around Portland, we got home, readied the bikes, changed, and hit the road. By this time, it is in the 70's and clear skies. Great riding weather! We hit the road to Bald Peak. This time up the Peak was a stark contrast to our first trip up together. There was no stopping, no pushing, all riding. We beat our previous time up and down the hill. It felt good and we even got to see all five peaks at the top today.

Finally, the Spurs win, going up 3 -1 over Utah. It was an amazing day.

Wheatland 52

The last two weeks have been a blur. After a week in Sacramento for Kaizen training, Reach the Beach last Saturday, busy church filled Sunday, and another full week of work, baseball, three nights at the church for Eagle scout stuff and pack meeting, and a little bit of riding. Wow!

So, the instructions for the day was no riding before 7 AM. It was good to sleep in till 6:30. We got out at 7:30 and rode down to the Wheatland Ferry and Willamette Mission State Park. It was a great day to ride. The weather in the mid 60's, no rain, and no cougar sightings since May 7th. We lifted our pace and rode hard for stretches. We had our fastest combined day of riding yet. All told it was 3 hours 21 minutes for 52 miles of riding. For the week, we hit racked up 80 plus miles. Not bad for not having much time to get on the bike.

C is worried that she will never catch up and carry the pace long term. I am worried that all of her running, riding, and eating right will put her over the top and I will be trying to hold her wheel. Monday is another ride - maybe Bald Peak again. We'll see what the day holds...

Incredible Christine...

Reach the Beach 2007 was a good ride. It was even more inspiring to see Christine fight to get it done. To the story - 2old and I started from Beaverton at about 7:30 AM and took on 2100 feet of climbing (out of the 3200 feet) in the first 25 miles. The climbing was not extremely instense but steady. It helped that I had ridden most of these roads before and knew where to push - flying down the hill at 35 MPH, blowing by other cyclists.

We picked up Christine at the elementary school stop. The original plan was for her to start at Amity, only 55 miles to the beach. Now, it was going to be a 75 mile ride for her, almost double here current max. To put this in perspective for me, I'd have to ride almost 400 miles to double my current maximum one time ride.

At mile 71, after riding into a stiff breeze and on the very busy highway to the coast with little room to pass due to a narrow shoulder, rumble marks, and plenty of cars, we stopped for a break. Christine is now entering no man's land, that time between suffering and knowing what time it is - with 30 miles to go. I call my mom to tell her to meet us at the next rest stop. Christine says something to the effect - I am finishing, not quitting, no matter how long it takes. Wow! Cool! I know this defiance. "Pain is only temporary, quitting lasts forever." I got a front row seat to see her fight all the way to the finish. Inspiring!

What a sight the beach was!

Thanks to 2old and the C for a great ride.

Pain Train Schedule

The Pain Train is scheduled for another run tomorrow. 100 miles to the coast from Portland. There are just currently two passengers - 2OLD and one who does not have a nickname yet - could be Blue Max but I don't know if that fits into any nickname realm that we currently have. We'll have to work on one. Who knows, organized rides seem to have a way to give people nicknames. It might be the case tomorrow.

Although this is a Pain Train run, it will be more like a little pain. The target for the 5 hour century is for my August century. August will be a local event due to all of the craziness this summer with moving again and work related absences. So, anyone out there wanting to get on the bus and do a 5 hour century, give me a call and I will let you know when. The Beecher Hotel currently has vacancies.

After traveling this week, I have only got in 20 miles and that was going no where - in the hotel exercise room. The legs feel good and after a few miles tonight, the train will be ready to roll.

Editior's Note: To all the Suns fan out there, get over it! Don't blame David Stern and the NBA. Blame the '97 Knicks and Heat for getting the rule instituted - leave the bench area and get suspended. Granted it is instinct to protect your own as Amore and Boris did. I would have left the bench area as well but there are consequences. On another note, what ever happened to hard playoff fouls? No easy shots or fast breaks? Get over it! Have we all forgot about this guy named Newton and three of his laws? I'll give you a hint: f=m*a. How much does Nash weigh in relation to Horry? With Nash's higher than average flop rating, it looked much worse than it was. Game 6 is on...Are you ready to rumble? But don't leave the bench or you'll get suspended.

Go Spurs Go!

Editor's Note

Correction: In a previous post, I stated ambiguity over which team I'd like to see win the NBA championship. I'd like to set the record straight. I have an addiction, to blogging, saying anything to get people to read my posts of streaming thoughts, to view pictures that might not be of me or anyone I know, and to find their favorite haircut. Have no fear, I have checked myself into BA - Bloggers Anonymous. I am committed to the thirteen step process in order to find peace in this world of words and information.

With this being said, please remember, I am and will always be a SPURS fan.

GO Spurs GO!!!

On the bike

Saturday finally came. It has been a long week - a high level of stress due a number of issues. It didn't help that we had three baseball games and an Eagle project to work through after work as well. Even with all this going on, we got in over 90 miles on the bike this week in preparation for the May century which is next Saturday, the 19th.

We set some new records for Christine this week: most miles in a week and most miles in a single ride. We started early Saturday morning with OB12Old to get the later done. It was cold. I have come to believe that the warm mornings that I am used to from Texas and California will not happen here in Oregon. After getting warm, 2OLD flatted but this was the only real incident of the day. We did get chased a few times by dogs but no bites, no kicks, no errors. All told, it was 42 miles around the southern portion of Yamhill county.

I am excited for next Saturday. New records will be set as we ride to the beach together. My challenge for this next week is to get through the week as I will be out, learning Kaizen.

I know JD watched the game tonight. The Suns are playing inspired ball but the Spurs were one step better. This is the series to watch. I just hope that the Eastern Conference does not win it this year. Miami was bad enough last year. Spurs or Suns - I am fine with either but I still say:

Go Spurs Go!!

Bald Peak Part Deaux: The Unforgiven

Friday-

After finding a torque wrench to properly torque the crank on, I took the bike out for a test ride to see if it worked to fix my loose crank. I put it through the ropes for 15 miles and it stayed tight. I had been hearing about this ride up the back side of Bald Peak. During the ride, I am thinking it is time to get on up this hill. I have never seen a hill I did not like or could not get up. Even after the drive up it, I was not intimidated. But it was steep...

Saturday-

It is 36 degrees when I roll out of the garage at 6:30 AM. I must be carrying 10 extra pounds of clothing to keep warm and still feel the chill coming down the hill from the house to start the ride. It is 18 miles to the base of the climb. Before starting, I pause at the Laurelwood school to get myself together and check the crank - all still good.

The sign said curves, next 1 mile. Sure - it should have said "Pain." There is no easing into the climb. It goes from no grade to 14% and then up to 20% for a mile. It was tough. I stopped at the top to regroup for the second half of the climb. My heart was pound at 170+ bpm. After the quick recovery, another sign, curves, next 3/4 mile. It was part two of the climb and equal to the first. In fact, my GPS stopped registering grade. Once at the top, it was still another 1.5 miles to the park and down hill. For this section, 1.5 miles with 1400 feet of climbing - that is an average of 13.3% grade. The hill got me this time - it will not be as lucky the next time we meet. All told, it was 37 miles of riding with a week's worth of pain. Next century is in two weeks for the "Reach the Beach" ride.

Sunday-

Drove to Tacoma after our baseball game and hung out with my family - parents and my two brothers and their families. Matt blessed his new daughter, Cate, today and we got to stand in the circle. Awesome. Thanks to Matt and his family for their hospitality.

Time to relax.

Like a Glove

With all the crank problems on the Specialized, I put it on temporary ride hold till I can get it fixed or fix it myself. Tonight, I rode my Trek for the first time in about 6 months. After all of the miles spent on it over the last several years, it was a very familiar ride. It is definitely different than the carbon frame of the Specialized, not as fast but still very comfortable. After the century on Saturday, tonight was a 13 mile ride around Crater, our normal loop, to get the legs back into it.

Next century is only two and a half weeks away on May 19. Christine has signed up to ride the 55 mile portion of it. She'll be able to pull me home to the beach. Let's go, we're deep into the spring rides getting ready for the big one in July.

Crank, Don't Fail Me Now!

The rooster wasn't even awake when I rolled out of the garage yesterday morning. I knew it was going to be a busy day even without trying to get in a century. This meant wrestling the mattress monster so I could get out of bed and riding before the sun had its first cup. I am glad I did. I got out a bit before 6 AM and had 60 in by 9:25 AM. All this fun was not without troubles or concern from my crank. At mile 6, I look down and the keeper for the crank bolt is sticking out. I take my tunes out of one ear in time to hear it bounce on the asphalt. Ping! I turn around and luckily, it is right in the middle of the road, easy to find. Call it luck, maybe. To me, its a make-up call 7 days later. This time, I could do something about it. I had bought the night before an Alien II (see picture) just in case. As many of you know, I have been lobbying against hauling tools around just in case. In fact, I have made jokes about hauling toolboxes under seats and have made it a point to only carrying the bare bones with me on rides. Just in case never had come for me until last Thursday when I am one-legging it up the hill to my house. I tightened the crank bolt, put the keeper back on, got back into the saddle, and headed down the road. I was not to be denied today!

In Keizer, about 30 miles from home, I stopped again to tighten the crank bolt. The ride home was eventless but fast. I averaged right at 18 MPH. The Oregon countryside was beautiful. Springtime and everything is blooming, growing, and colorful. April century part 1 complete.

Now in the house, I got showered, grabbed two cookies and glass of milk, and out the door to meet with a realtor about some homes. We saw several we really liked and if all goes well, we will be putting an offer on one soon. Patience! More news to follow. House-hunting complete.

Back to the house, load up the car, get some real breakfast, and off to Dundee for opening day of Baseball season - game at noon. The No Name Newberg Minor team proved to be too tough for its oponents, winning 12-6 on some excellent pitching and timely hitting (it is always timely with runners in scoring positions). It has been fun so far this year coaching. Challenging, definitely, but to see how it all came together yesterday, incredible. We have a slew of games over the next month and a crazy schedule but it will be fun. Before we know it, the season will be over and we will be left wanting for more. Baseball game complete.

On the way home, all I can think about is getting the ride done and spending time with Christine. How to balance it? I am seriously slow at time. Here is an excellent example. I am driving, mulling this over, thinking: take her downtown after the ride, restaurant, shopping, some quality time. She must have smelt the rubber burning and asks, "Do you have something against me riding with you?" Sure, great! BRILLANT! Then she asks, "Aren't you hungry?" I was so focused on getting the ride in and all the other activities, I wasn't even thinking about food. We stopped and got some lunch.

We got home and Rob had called as well saying he had a window to ride. Changed, prepped the bikes, and off we went. Other than the occasion hill, Christine did well and put down a personal best of 40 miles. She also helped me complete my century. April century part 2 complete.

What is a century without the traditional Mexican food? Every century, with the exception of Solvang where we tried the post ride BBQ and should not have, Mexican food has been the reward for the suffering. Today was no different. After washing my dirt laden car and sending Cassie off to work (babysitting), we rolled over to Beaverton and sank our teeth into some burritos, chips, and salsa. Mexican food reward complete.

It is good to have a rest day. I am worn out from all the excitement from yesterday.

Gett'in on Up with no Crank

I finally found some time this week to get back on the bike. Between coaching baseball, working with the Young Men and teaching them how to cook some easy meals (with Christine's help of course), and my Six Sigma project, it has been hard to get time on the bike. So when last night I had a little time, I got on the bike for a double dime. After hitting 19 1/2 miles on the home stretch, I was a man without a crank and no SAG. So, I picked up the crank arm and coasted down the hill to the entrance to our subdivision and one legged it up the little hill to the garage.

Tomorrow is my last opportunity in April to get my century in. Between looking for a house and a baseball game. I have my challenge before me. Time to "get 'er dun!"

Sidelined by the Head

It was all planned. The bikes were lubed and prepped. The water bottles were filled and the gels in the pockets. The weather was cooperating and then, BAM! Colin's excitement got the best of him as he decided to see who would win between his head and "the white thing by the window." The "white thing", the window sill, won causing a nice gash that required two stitches. Cassie and Christine were at "water pillow" so the ride was delayed by several hours so we could go to the emergency room.

After returning from the emergency room, we figured we had a few hours to ride still so we took off. Now the rain is coming down pretty good (we are soaked in a matter of minutes) but I am determined to get in at least 50. About a mile into it I flat. I stop, get off the bike, and start to change the flat. My dad says I'll go get Mom to come get you. As he rides away, I stop and in a moment of realization in the rain standing on the side of the road, ask myself "isn't that two strikes?" Time to do what I need to do and get to the "water pillow" tournament. That is exactly what we did after got changed and ran an errand.

Time to start a new this week. Got in 22 last night - called it good tonight due to the flu but will be back on it to get my April century in this weekend.

Coral Creek Rd

Today was like SoCal sunshine in the winter. Perfect for getting on the bike. It was just a short 20 miles and a ride up Coral Creek Road. Everytime up I have gotten faster. Today was again the case, only 10:01 to get to the top, that's a 33% improvement since the first time up. This is partly due to getting to know the road and the hill and motivation being the other half.

It is going to be an exciting weekend with water polo, baseball, and cycling. Time for the century.

Parable of the Bald Peak Bike Ride

Christine so inspired me, I am posting her talk here for all.

"Recently, I pushed myself to a position where I wanted to give up & quit.

A few weeks ago, we had a taste of early spring with warm sunshine & blue skies much like these past few days. As many people took to the outdoors, my husband Chris & I were no exception & took advantage of a prime opportunity to ride our bikes up to Bald Peak. Chris had done the ride once before & cautioned me that it was a challenging climb, but had confidence in my ability to make the uphill passage to the peak. Awaiting at the top, he described, was a breath-taking, scenic view of the Willamette Valley & 5 snowcapped Cascade peaks. That was enough incentive for me to decide this was a ride I wanted to undertake. We had a nice steady ride from our house over to highway 219. The traffic was a bit heavy due to rush hour & other motorists I’m sure who were out for a scenic drive taking advantage of the weather condition. As we approached the intersection of the 219 & turn-off to Bald Peak Road I hesitated about how to make the left turn across the 2-lane road with busy traffic. Chris advised me to go ahead & head out towards the middle of the road next to a van that was already stopped & signaling ot turn left as well. As I came up towards the van, the uphill grade of the road stole away my momentum & before I could clip out of my pedals, I crashed right there in the middle of the road behind the van. Instinctively, I promptly hopped up & ran back to the right side of the highway. After assessing my minor scrapes, we waited for a break in traffic & ran our bike to the opposite side of the intersection. From there we commenced our 5 mile ascent up Bald Peak Road. At this point we had probably only been riding for about 20 minutes. But the constant rise in elevation & powering up & over one hill after another provoked quick fatigue to my body & introduced me to the meaning of lactic threshold. Knowing that I only had a couple of miles to go & that this spectacular view awaited me I kept pedaling. One curve after another the hills kept coming. I decided to stop & get off the bike. The mental game began playing in my mind. I digested the situation of my exhaustion, the difficulty of the ride, my crash on the road & the hills still to come. I considered that maybe it was time to turn around & head back home…downhill. It was an easy solution to my predicament. But I also knew that it would be such a personal disappointment to have worked so hard & come to this point only to give up & forego the reach to the peak. With much encouragement from my riding partner, I decided to endure the physical drain & to keep going. It was so hard after stopping on an uphill grade to get the momentum going again. So, Chris put his hand on my back & started pushing me up the hill as he continued to pedal as well. The last ½ mile up to the summit was the steepest part of the ride & with his help I was able to reach the point. The reward was truly worth the rigorous bike ride. I was overcome with emotions of relief, deliverance & gratitude all at the same time. I deeply appreciated the support of my riding partner throughout the entire experience. He was right-on when he told me the view was breath taking. I ran out of breath a bunch of times just to be able to get up to the view point!

Let me read Christ’s words from 3rd Nephi:

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.
And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me
And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

The resurrection is the center of every Christian’s faith. It is the greatest of all miracles. It is the gift that will be given to all mankind. 1 Corinthians chapter 15:22 assures us that every living thing will be resurrected. 'As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.' But it is our responsibility to do the work which is required of each of us to achieve eternal life & exaltation. The Lord’s ultimate concern is for the salvation & exaltation of each individual soul. Only those who endure to the end will receive eternal glory.

Using excerpts from John chapter 6, Elder Russell M. Nelson poises a couple of questions to ponder on quote:

What if the Apostle Paul’s conversion had not been enduring? He never would have testified as he did at the end of his ministry: 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.'

What if Jesus had wavered in His commitment to do His Father’s will? His Atonement would not have been accomplished. The dead would not be resurrected. The blessings of immortality and eternal life would not be. But Jesus did endure. During His final hour, Jesus prayed to His Father, saying, 'I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.'

Early in His mortal ministry, Jesus became concerned about the commitment of His followers. He had just fed the 5,000, then had taught them the doctrines of the kingdom. But some had murmured, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” Even after He had fed them, many lacked the faith to endure with Him. He turned to the Twelve and said, “Will ye also go away?
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord … thou hast the words of eternal life.
“And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter’s answer defines the real core of commitment. When we know without a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, we will want to stay with Him. When we are surely converted, the power to endure is ours.”

Sometimes the need to endure comes when we face a physical challenge & is often accompanied with spiritual trials as well. Heavenly Father did not intend for us to fail or give up. He sent His Son to Earth to walk with men & to show us the pathway back to heaven in every way.

Throughout our lives we may find ourselves in situations that will cause us to doubt our abilities, our testimonies, our faith or even our purpose. These road blocks may cause us to fall & stop along our journey towards eternal progression. Problems often arise that are not of your own making. Some of you may suffer disappointment at the hand of someone close to you. But you will never be forsaken by your Redeemer, who said, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say.”

Satan will try to steal away our momentum on our pathway to eternal glory. He will try to get us to pause & hesitate in decisions that we must make during our lives. We must remember that it harder to get going again in the right direction once we have decided to stop our progress. It is essential to our success that we stay the course in our commitments to our families & marriages, our church attendance, fulfilling our church callings, acquiring strong testimonies & building the kingdom of God. In hindsight, many of us have seen how giving up on finishing goals was a lost opportunity & are left with the feelings of, "If only I would have kept going & finished!" Those of us who have experienced those moments now push our own children over those climbs in hopes they will enjoy the satisfaction of completing goals & see the blessings manifest.

It is my testimony that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer and that through Him we can endure all things. Heavenly Father has poured out his blessings upon me personally & upon my family when I have chosen to follow the teachings of His latter-day prophets, when I have committed to keep my temple covenants, when I have obeyed the commandments & chose to be Christ-like in my actions towards others. I have felt His hand in my life, pushing me up & over life’s hills I’ve encountered. I am so grateful for the example of my brother Jesus Christ & how he did not shun responsibility or waver in completing his mission here on earth. He was promised the beauty of eternal life & exaltation upon fulfilling his Father’s will. We too can earn this wonderful blessing.

The Lord said, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” The Prophet Joseph included this concept of endurance in the thirteenth article of faith: “We have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.”

It is my hope that the Spirit has brought the Savior’s love & peace to you this Easter.

Biking Easter

Happy Easter to all! Christine and I spoke in church today. Quite a task to speak on Easter, not only because of the task to speak in public but also the larger congregation and importance of the subject. Christine surprised me and used our ride up Bald Peak to frame her talk about the role of Christ in our lives and our dealing with and overcoming life's challenges. She really inspired me.

It was a good week of riding for me. I was on the bike 5 days this week for over 100 miles of riding. According to the Garmin, all told was over 5000 feet of climbing. I met the goal of climbing over 1000 feet every time on the bike. I even rode next to Christine for her three miles of running. Yoda would have cringed and would have told me to get off the bike and run. I am just not there yet to be able to run. Once I am under 200 I think I'll give it a try. Christine will then get a chance to take me on a "Bald Peak" run.

I'll need to ride in the morning this week for two days since I will be in Tacoma for the majority of the week at an Operations meeting. Bib Poppy and I will be riding the century this coming weekend. JD is doing his spring century at the same time so we can suffer together, only a few hundred miles apart. Good Luck JD, may the wind be at your back all day long.

My seat in the wrong groove

"This was the hardest things I've ever done except for child birth!" This was what Christine said after we got to the top of Bald Peak on her inaugural ride on the Pain Train.

The days are getting longer - only for the better. The riding, if I can stay at home for a while, is going to be furious and fun over the next few months. The next century will be of the home grown variety in a few weeks. Probably down to Dallas (OR) and back. There will not be too much climbing involved but I plan on making it intense for the first 50 and then trying to hold on for the next 50. I think in three weeks will be the best time to get it 'er done this month. Plus, it will be perfect timing for me and my training plan. Bib Poppy better be gett'in something done because "da rizzle" is on.

There is a nice little hill behind our home here in Newberg. One of the riders from church told me about it. It is about 1.75 miles long and almost 600 feet of climbing. It is not extremely challenging but a good workout to do climbing repeats on. The first time up Coral Creek road it took over 15 minutes. I have got my time down to less than 12 on two consecutive attempts. The goal is to do this on four consecutive attempts and get my time down below 11 minutes. The eye is on the one day effort of STP. With JD riding all of the big climbs in SJ, I need all the leg strength I can muster to just hold his wheel in July. If the fish grows any bigger, I will be in trouble.

Bib Poppy and I had a nice ride around the homestead. It was almost 23 miles with 1200+ of climbing. Nothing to brag about except that it was sub 50 degress and wet. Both not ideal conditions to be riding in. It was just nice to be out with him. Solvang was good to him.

Solvang 2007 picture - In the blurry foreground is JD. Obviously, I was not buying what the Hogg was cooking. But as always, what goes around, comes around.

Stay Tuned as the riding only intensifies from here.

The new riding partner

On our travels to Cali last week, Christine and I had an opportunity to talk about a lot of things. One was here desire to join the club, the cycling club. She figured that if you can't beat them, join them.

This was the first full week of riding for her. I'd say she rode substantially more this first week than I did when I first started. I got in almost 80 miles over 5 days of riding while she bested over 60 over 4. Of the 60, 11 miles was up to Bald Peak State Park. All told for the day was over 1800 feet of climbing and a gambit of emotions. At the top of the climb, we sat a stared at the 5 peaks visible. Wow! What a view, again. It was nice to have her there with me. It was a hard climb, a whole lot harder than riding 1604 or Scenic Loop in SA. I didn't even find those rides till Jens started riding with me some 6 months later. Way to go Christine - welcome to the pain train.

The goal is to ride Reach the Beach in mid May together. I have no doubt that both of us will be ready. STP is only four months away. There needs to be three centuries between than and now. We'll get some more riding in this week.

#1: Solvang

What a ride! I now understand why the pro teams practice in the Solvang area. There are the flats, the slow hills, the decent climbs, and the warm weather of SoCal.

We left Thursday night after work. We drove to Ashland, about four hours away. Bob let us crash at his place. Thanks for letting us stay at your Ashland home. Ashland is definitely an area we'll have to return to and ride as well. We got up Friday morning and drove the six hours to San Jose where Jens and I loaded up the truck and headed three and half hours to Solvang.

My parents had a time share right at the starting line. It was great. My mom cooked up some pasta and dad grilled some chops. Now that was a good pre-ride meal. After a little brain dump, we hit the hay.

The nice thing about being so close was no riding to get there. No having to sit around after not being able to shower. Thanks to my mom and dad as well for sharing their space with Jens and I. It only enhanced the overall Solvang experience.

The ride: Jens took the King of the Mountain, my dad won his age group, and I took the pain. All three stayed together until about mile 40. There we parted ways for the day. Jens and I worked well together until the long hill that started about mile 72. Jens dropped me like I was "hot." In fact, I was. The morning had been cold and so I wore tights. By the afternoon, the sun had burned off the fog and was beating us down. The long black pants were not helping. I didn't see Jens for about 15 miles. After getting over the top of the climb, I hussled down the backside and caught Jens at the mile 87 rest stop. I was able to keep him in my sights from there. The ride finished like all centuries should, downhill for the last five to bring it home. All told, over 6 hours of riding with about 5500+ worth of climbing over some tough roads in need of some asphalt.

OB1-2OLD came in about an hour after us. I was concerned. I knew how hard I had to work to get it done. Hey, when you've been riding for 10+ years you pull things out like he did. Way to go "Big Poppy!"

The ride back to San Jose was nice to relax and hang with Jens, talking about whatever. The kids and Christine had a great time with their friends. We do cherish our friends. Thanks.

Stay tuned for more riding - the fun has only begun. One down, 7 more to go...

Strolling and Rolling

Saturday's ride was a three hour slow grind through the Oregon countryside. No bands played, no flowers tossed, no stuffed animals, no team cars, no extra bikes. Just the last bit of preparation before the first century of the year. I figure this weekend will be just another weekend ride, just a couple hours longer - all part of the 2007 master plan, working towards the 5 hour century mark at HHH.

I have not done all of the climbing I would have liked but all will be well. I get to see the Hogg and Big Poppa, that is good enough for me. Nothing like spending a day riding...

Into the rain

I missed the Saturday post due to our getting turned around in downtown Portland and crossing five of the seven bridges across the Willamette River. It was fun to see so much of downtown, revisiting places I can remember walking with my dad as a boy and with friends from when I worked for Willamette Industries.

Before heading for downtwon, we hung out at Washington Square Mall and found Chipotle for lunch. After going to Washington Square, we drove up the 217 to the 26 and headed towards downtown. Right after we got on the 26, I recognized the area in Beaverton. We stopped in at the cemetery where my sister was buried. It had been some years since I had been there and the first time for Cassie, Craig, and Colin. It was a moving experience for all of us. Maybe it is seeing your last name on a headstone that cause some deep reflection.

On another note, I am in Accounting on Wednesday and my phone rings. It is the Hogg who is on the climb up Sierra Road for the TdC. Yes, jealousy, sing it. Then, on Saturday I watch stage 6 up Balcolm Canyon and through Moorpark, right where I would have been if we were still in Cali. It was a great Tour. Stage 6 was incredible with all of the attacks and intensity. Watching Stage 5, the time trial in Solvang, I could only think about the ride in two weeks. It is going to be an experience. Here are the roads that the pros rode on in the TdC and Team Discovery rides on. Challenging, yes. Rewarding, definitely.

With all of this cycling, I have been motivated to be on the bike. It has been a lot more time in the garage due to the rains but tonight, I got out ... in the rain. Although it was only an hour, it was an intense hour of up and rain. The up was great. The down was white knuckles. I hope I am ready in two weeks for Solvang, the first century of the eight for this year. There will be no 5 hour century this time but it is coming. It is all in due time and Solvang is part of this goal.

Until the sun shines again, it will be into the rain...and on to Solvang.

Heartland Ferry

After a week of being in the garage, doing the U2 pain tour, it was nice to be out on the open road. My dad and I met two guys (one I knew from work and his friend) 10 miles from the house in Newberg to the small town of Donald. We rode down to the Heartland Ferry on the Willamette River to find the ferry closed due to high water. So we stopped at the State Park, had a bite, and rode home. All told, 51+ miles in 3 1/2 hours. It wasn't a blistering pace but good enough to get a good work out. It was all about tempo and leg strength building today. I now know my own century route - ride south through Salem to Albany and back. It should be a good ride whenever I get it done.

Solvang is in three weeks. This means that next week, more miles and time on the bike.

It is good to have the Hogg back in the USA. I was really looking forward to being on the TdC route this year like I was last year. With the change, no can do. I will just have to catch it on Versus and see if I can see the Hogg at the top of Sierra Road. With all of his climbing, keeping up with him at Solvang will be a challenge. I'll just keep calling him at 4 AM to get him out of rhythm.

I think Yoda is lost to the Jedi world. Probably hanging out on Dagobah in some swamp, eating bugs and drinking green junk. Don't worry Yoda, your fellow Jedis will save you but you'll have to wait till August when HHH rolls around.

What was I thinking?

I'm sitting in the house on Friday night thinking about my Saturday ride and I say, "hey, Rick (a cyclist from work) said the Bald Peak ride was a good one." Well, it was a challenging ride with about 1600 feet of climbing over 8 miles. It felt a lot like a day I've described earlier when Jens and I went for a "7" type of ride day up Mulholland. I made it work though and plan on riding it again this coming week. Something I learned is that it might be 40+ in the valley but after 1600 feet of climbing, the temperature is quite different. The view from the top was incredible. I could see four snow covered mountains. In consulting with the experts, they must have been Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Mt. Bachelor, and Mt. Rainer. It is hard to put into words the beauty of the scene. These snow covered mountains with a little clouds, some blue sky, evergreen trees all over, looking down on farmlands in the valleys. I would have hung out a bit longer but it was too cold. I started my descent, pedaling only to stay warm but really cruising.



Although the ride this week was great, there was two other things that were much better. First, we drove out to Lincoln City yesterday to have lunch. Lincoln City has a special place with Christine and I since we spent our honeymoon there. We ate lunch across the street from the hotel where we stayed after our marriage. The food was great and the ambiance better. I could not help think about how different the circumstances were yesterday than they were some 15 years ago: two college students with no kids and an unknown future. After lunch, we drove to see the "Spruce Goose" at the Evergreen Aviation Museum. It was a nice day.



The highlight of the week was going to the Portland Temple with Christine, revisiting the spot where her and I got married. It was a magical night then in 1992 and it was again this last Tuesday night.



Portland is proving to be all we had hoped it to be.

Out on the road

Nothing like a wet and cold ride to get the blood moving a bit faster. OB1-2OLD and I hit the road today for a 2+ hours ride of 32+ miles. It was a fast first hour and then a slower, more deliberate second hour. We rode from Newberg to Woodburn and back again. Rolling hills, tree farms, hops hangers, rivers, and countryside with few cars. Once the legs got warmed it, it was a good ride. It took some time to get the body feeling good but it when it did, it was like riding a bike.

This first week in the house has been fun. Christine has done most of the work unpacking everything and putting it in order. I come home and have a few projects to complete. Give us another week or so and we will be ready for visitors. To our friends and family, feel free to stop by and spend some time with us. It is good to be here. Time to hang with the family and get ready for Solvang. With 4K+ worth of climbing, I'd better hit them hills.

About the picture, it is from a coffee shop here in Portland. No cars allowed, bikes only. Check out the special in the window...

No words, just riding

Although the last month I have not been active in writing on the blog does not mean that I have not been active on the bike. In fact, I have been on the bike at least four days a week. The only lacking has been the long Saturday rides that I have been used to for the last two years. Between moving and well, moving, I have been traveling every weekend for the last six weeks it seems. That is okay. We move into our house tomorrow and it will be back to being normal and I can prepare for Solvang with a big bang! Only six weeks till the first century of the year. The Hogg, OB1-2OLD, and I will hit the 4000+ of vertical gain that the Solvang claims. It should prove to be a fun warm-up. This also tells me that I need to ride the Mt. Hood climb a few times to get my climbing legs back. I have spotted several hills around our new neighborhood to do the same. Sometimes you must do what sucks because, well, it sucks - cold weather, hill climbing, power sprints, hours on the saddle - all suck but you got to do them.

One last shout out, to Yoda! Way to go boooyyyyyy on the bounce out of Bates. May you live long and proper in a real J-O-B!

Portland

It has been a busy and long first week. So busy and long that I have not been on the bike at all. March 10th is approaching and I need to start preparing. No worries, this next week I will start getting into the mix better and have found more time. With two months, I need to be spending time on the bike to prepare.

This first week in Portland can be described as information overload. The first two days in the office I didn't leave till 8:30 PM each day. It would have been the same yesterday except for my parents came down so I only worked till 5:45 PM. Without Christine and the kids, I have no reason to sit in the apartment and do nothing, maybe I could have been riding, but work got done and it is making it easier to transition by getting more done and up to speed on Portland. The time invested and the guidance I received from the Simi Valley team has been a huge benefit to me here. They really treated me well.

Other than that, the only downside has been the 13 hour drive here and not having the right lockbox code to get the key out after I got here. Sure, drive 13 hours to get to an apartment and not be able to get in. At least they were available by phone to get the right code.

Christine and the kids will be here on 1/26. We have identified an area and a home to rent for the first six months. I am grateful that Christine is handling the arrangements for the move. She makes it so easy and I appreaciate here support. Fun, fun, fun in the, well, kind of sun.

California - Arizona Connection

It has been a busy several days since Christmas. Between friends coming over, travel, and visiting friends, I have had the opportunity to put in some serious miles over a couple of great rides. The 21 with Cassie, 55 on Christmas over some of my favorite SoCal rides, 15 for a recovery, 50 with Jens and Dan up to McDowell State Park, and 15 in Goodyear by our old house in 40 degree weather. I took today off and am hoping Christine will get out for a little bit tomorrow. Then it is time to clean and pack the 4Runner for the trip to Portland. Talk about stress! It is just hard leaving the family.

The legs are feeling stronger with each ride. I just need to start working on core and cardio in order to get my weight down. The first ride is in March in Solvang. This won't be the 5 hour century but it will be a good indication of where to work for the next several months to prepare for the rides in July and August.

Check out www.javapolitan.blogspot.com to see our family activities this holiday season.

Double Nickle Christmas

It was another beautiful day in SoCal – perfect Christmas weather. The kids let us sleep in till after 8 AM. Santa helped us out by leaving some gifts that took a little extra time to assemble/build/figure out. This was a wonderful Christmas and I am so thankful for our friends and family that made it so special. These types of days are the ones you think about and they bring a smile to your face.

I got out on the bike for 55 miles of riding with a lot of up. It was in the neighborhood of 3K worth of climbing. I combined a few of my favorite rides for this my last ride in the area for a while. The weather was perfect for the ride and the scenery gorgeous. With fewer cars on the road due to Christmas, the ride was less stressful than normal. It felt good to be out on the road.

Changing gears…

A Christmas memory: In 1988, with my parents still in Germany, I spent Christmas with my grandparents in Portland. Two notable “lasts” occurred that Christmas season. This was the last time I saw my Grandpa Permann and my O’Pa Permann. I can remember sitting at breakfast with Grandpa, having fried eggs, bacon, and crab salad. Grandma telling him it wasn’t good for him and then he’d let Grandma know what he thought about the doctor’s dietary recommendation. “All I want to do is have some good food with my Grandson,” he’d say. Sadly, I don’t have any pictures of this time with him, although I got a nice Canon camera that Christmas.

Another memory of that same Christmas was a morning at O’Pa’s house. O’Pa was in his early 90’s. We sat and talked about school, sports, and other things. Then he asked if I wanted some Egg Nog. Sure I said. He made it old school style – more like Egg ‘N Grog. O’Pa was born in the old country, the Crimean Peninsula in Russia. He had fought in WWI. A different time than 1988 but he got this great kick out sitting talking to his great grandson and having an Egg Nog. The picture here is from that day. So, with every Christmas, I remember my O’Pa by getting some Egg Nog and having a glass, regular style.

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.” -Jefferson

Way to go Alex!

Just wanted to offer up Congratulations! to my nephew - he is now a Ranger. Way to go Alex. It was rough, it was tough but you had the stuff to make it through. Wear that tab with pride and remember what you learned. Good on ya!!

Cruis'in with Cassie

Yesterday morning I got up to ride and to my surprise, a few minutes later Cassie came down stairs saying she could not sleep. So, what the heck, I invited her to go for a ride. After she decided that it wasn't too cold, she had some breakfast and out we went. It is always nice to have a partner to ride with. It gets old just hammering all alone in the cold and dark wilderness. We had a great time together. We ended up going over 21 miles in about two hours. We rode from one side of Simi to the other and back. There were some hills and she pulled them nicely. Heck, she was riding in bigger gears than I normally ride up the hills! I am going to have to keep her on the bike.

While we are riding, I remember a conversation with JD about triathlons. She likes to swim and run. If I could get her on the bike, maybe, just maybe, well have to see. I need to talk to her more about it and get her more time on the bike.

We, well, I am looking forward to this week. Not only is it Christmas, the Dunfords are coming to visit and we are going out to Phoenix for a wedding and to visit some more friends. It will be like a whirlwind tour before I leave for Portland. I haven't decided yet when I am leaving. It will be either later in the day on the 1st or early AM on the 2nd. It really all depends on how much I get done before the Phoenix trip. A lot to do and not much time is left. Ooh well, it will all work out.

Back to being BYU

The headline at www.espn.com reads "BYU rocks Oregon in Las Vegas Bowl." It was more like an artillery barrage than a stoning. The first quarter was the feeling out and figuring out period. At the beginning of the second, the die had been cast. It started with a field goal and ended with the games MVP diving at the pylon for 6.

The last BYU bowl win came in the 1997 Cotton Bowl against Kansas State. We were in LA, watching it with Jack and Charlene. BYU was ranked #5 then and the game a bit more nail biting. What made this so sweet was the wait and the pain of the last few years. Kudos to Bronco Mendenhall for bringing back the traditions at the Y: the uniforms, the passing game, the bend but done break 3 - 4 defense, and the MWC conference championship.

So all y'all Cougars out there, please join me.

"Rise and shout, the Cougars are out..."

Tis the start of the season...

With December comes the start of two seasons - the Christmas season and my cycling season. We put the tree up today to kick off the Christmas season and this week will mark the beginning of the cycling season. I have a few goals for the upcoming season. Let me put these on paper for all to see:

• Sub 5 hour century
• Eight century rides this year (don't all have to be organized rides)
• STP in less than 11 hours
• Get to 195 pounds
• Ride the "Hotter 'N Hell Hundred" with Hogg and Trickle - all of us under 5 hours

The last one is a teamwork goal. I know if we all prepare well for the ride, working together we can get to sub 5 hours on the century. We probably could have done it last year but we all got carried away in backing up our yaba da doo's. Let's get it done together this year. Don't get me wrong, this won't diminish the amount of trash talking, um, excuse me, the motivational literature posted on the various blogs. Let's go.

I got my other laptop back, finally! I was looking through the files and saw some pictures. I need to copy all the personal stuff off so I can get the hard drive sanitized before selling the laptop. So, if any are interested in a Dell Inspirion 5150 Laptop with a mobile Intel Pentium 4 - 2 Ghz processor with 512 of RAM and a 40 Gig hard drive, let me know because I plan on selling it.

Here are a few pictures from the last little bit I thought to post, mostly of family.

Christine with some of her friends before leaving Texas.

Us and the Dunfords before our treks West!

The kids at Bob's house in January.

Ride for the Roses in Austin, October 2005.

The new J - O - B.

Trickle's first ride.