Happy Woodle-day!

Count Basie turns 12 today! Happy B-day Woodle! We're very lucky to have you in our life. Celebrated Basie's life with a couple of sniffy hikes and lots of pizza crust for his desert. Today also has a melancholy feel though because it's Monkey's Birth-celebration-day too (we don't know their actual birthdays). These two were such good buddies that it's hard to see one without the other.

There's something about listening to surf tunes with 3 feet of snow on
the ground. (ok, almost 3 feet). It just fits somehow.

A big October snowstorm changed the face of this fall. Trails are
officially shut down and I'm pretty sure they ain't gonna be clear
till April or May.
Heading out to try out the rock skis this weekend behind the house...I
can't even believe it?!

The pic below was taken yesterday morning and it hasn't stopped
snowing since then.

Cold and Colic

Snapdragon - almost 6 months old now

A bit of a stressful weekend overall. Little baby Snapdragon had a bout of colic and had to be driven down to get watched, and eventually get surgery, to remove the obstruction that was making her colic. Friday afternoon and all of Saturday she was up and down, writhing in pain on the barn floor most of the time. For those of you who don't know about colic in horses, it has a good chance of killing them if not acted on and this one wasn't going away so surgery was the last option. She has to stay at the vet until next weekend when she will hopefully be coming home to DVR. Horses are certainly MUCH more delicate than they look...I never would've guessed. Cross your fingers for little Snapdragon, she's not out of the woods yet.

This weekend hit a bit of a cold front, especially Sunday. Because of poor Snapdragon's situation, I chose to abandon the cross race at the Res and instead stayed local for a short little singlespeed ride in the hood in the afternoon. Possibly my inaugural 'last singletrack' ride of the year here. Last year, this occurred on Thanksgiving Day - a full month later!

Snow-lined singletrack at 5pm

Snow-covered singletrack a bit later on

The mandatory Hunter picture

Who knows though, it will probably dry out a bit in the coming weeks here so I can get up higher again to ride another day. But this year seems like it's going to be a big winter...forecasted snow all week so this may have been the last time of this year. I didn't head out until 4:30 so by the time I got back I had the headlamp on, carefully navigating the singletrack into the house. Stoked a fire to warm up the digits and again wished that either my hands would learn to warm themselves, or that I could find a pair of gloves that was waterproof, warm down to 20 degrees, and with enough dexterity to ride comfortably and under control. Not possible I fear.

Valmont Park Groundbreaking Cyclocross Race

Valmont Bike Park. I'm sure you've heard all about it by now if you're living in the Colorado Front Range. A full-service "bike park" in the fullest sense. There will be a pump track, dual slalom course, dirt jumps, full UCI cyclocross course, and more than I even know. It's taken around 10 years and a lot of work from a ton of people but The Pilot has been primary in designing the park, a full time job when you include the public process that's involved. I'm usually not one for "development" but when it's a City Park within City Limits, it's a great use of land and will be an amazing resource for such a cycling-centric community.

Ten years ago, the Pilot and I created a cross course for a Supercup Cyclocross series race - he designed it, i helped put it on the ground. I was a Waiter on Wheels at the time trying to figure out what to do with my life after a not-so-successful (in terms of making a living) racing career on the MTB circuit. I was hired by local race promoter CG to cut the course and make a bridge over the ditch to connect the two sides of the park. (The bridge still stands today! But needed some help some years ago.) So coming back here to do a race after the community has helped contribute over $400,000 to the cause is pretty inspiring. Just like with the Ned skatepark, a few people can change a community for a lifetime.

The race was October 17th and it was a typical fall day in Boulder - sunny and warm. T-shirt weather so I donned my cotton Boulder Cyclesport 'jersey' and headed down the hill for the race. Last year I had decided i was going to upgrade and race the Open category for this year of racing. After 2 wins and rumblings of some in the 35+ crew wondering why I was in their category...well I just thought it best to go back to the Opens even if it meant I was going to get my ass kicked. And, I WAS GOING TO GET MY ASS KICKED!...no doubt about it. My training involved bike tours and singlespeed rides, and no high intensity intervals or workouts to speak of, except for one or two Wednesday morning cross rides with the group. I was truly on the Pilot training program - race yourself into shape. So it was, I lined up with all the other mopes in the Open and was happy to see many familiar faces that are still there 10 years later. I wouldn't be in the top 5 with them this race this time around but I did feel at home here - Dubba, the Pilot, JHK, Paco, and the Flemish Wonder to name a few. I did miss seeing and mixing it up with BHlud, the WB, DrCross of M&C, and JC though!

The 20 top riders got called up and then i squeaked in just after them as I had been a donor for the park. I took the wheel of the Pilot. But not for long.

BANG!
We were off.

The start was a loose dirt "path" that hit a right turn 300ft or so later up a hill and back down to a huge bermed turn to a left and run-up next to the beer garden then down and left to an offcamber loose dirt doubletrack of sorts. So to say the start was a bit crazy because of the loose dusty conditions would be an understatement. I bobbled, almost went down after I almost hit a Mafia racer who would soon pass me like i was going still, and all the while inhaled more dust than I'd ever like to inhale in a year again. Not a good start but I was in the top half still. I passed a few and a few dropped off and eventually settled in near some guys I've never met before but took the wheel of the Flemish Wonder. We were sitting in around 15th place as a group. My power isn't all that, but on the wavy curvy sections I'd gain time or rest a bit more than some of the rest i felt. Eventually, the Flemish Wonder dropped me (with no thanks to Bobby on the mic! hah!) and the other 3 in our chase group. We dueled back and forth and eventually they got the best of me. I passed one dude on the last tech section and then he passed me in the last 20 feet of the race as I'm certainly no sprinter. I ended up 17th and reached my goal of top 20 for my first race of the year in the Open cat. There was some attrition on this very very rough 'mountain-bikey' course as about 49 started and only 36 or so finished. I almost wished I had the Hunter 29er for this course with 1.8" tires as I could've hopped some barriers and just RAILED the corners better. But hey, it's cross after all and that's part of the challenge of the sport, and why I love it - you're riding what is basically a road bike OFF-road.

I have no pictures from the day, and everybody is charging to buy their pictures of the day, so we'll have to go picture-less for this post. I apologize but check out Mud and Cowbells for more.

Rain and snow in Boulder

A post-work run on Towhee Trail.

These days are full. Full of preparing for the true onset of winter where certain things just shut down and have to wait for the springtime. Full of errands, chores, that spending $ we don't have just to get ready. Full of trepidation on a new work project that will last one year from today and has the opportunity to be historical or a complete frustration and waste of time. Full of experiencing the open spaces all around us, solo or with the ones we love, makes it all worthwhile.

Too old to die young

That was the text on drummer John Wright's shirt of NoMeansNo.

Too old to die young.

Such a funny quote if you know the punk world. Circle Jerks with "Live fast, Die young", 7 Seconds with "Young till I die" and the many other bands making such statements in their song titles or lyrics, mostly written when they were young punks. To see Victims Family and NoMeansNo in 2009, when these guys are older and greying is just amazing. NMN hasn't stopped touring or making albums for the 30 years they've been around. Their energy is persistent and infective...a true working man's band. With Rob Wright being 55 now, I don't know when they'll STOP so I make every effort to see their shows.

I decided to fly out to see family, and also sneak in a show while the band was in the Bay Area. Met up with SpeedRacer and stayed at the Soulcraft abode. (One thing I know is the next frame I buy will likely be a Soulcraft.) Anyways, after dinner and a pint or two of the local brewmaster's Lagunitas IPA, we headed to the historic Phoenix Theater. The surrounding scene was of old 'retired' punks first at the old speakeasy bar across the street and then with some young punks added into the mix at the show. I was one of the younger people there (at 36) if you can imagine that.

You wouldn't expect it, but Petaluma is home to some very cool things: Lagunitas Brewery, Soulcraft cycles (Salsa Cycles too when Ross was still making bike stuff), and Victims Family. Victims Family are one of, if not my favorite, bands so getting to see them WITH NoMeansNo is unheard of if not impossible. It's kinda absurd really. The last time it happened was over 20 years ago I believe. When VF came on stage i didn't know what to expect. The last time I saw them was at this very hometown theater 7 years ago...and they haven't toured since. Let's just say they have been practicing and they rocked the theater. It felt like a reunion with the local crowd being friends with the band and truly respecting them coming back to play this show, for one night only. The other bands were watching too - it was an historic event. They played a long set, with many tunes off White Bread Blues. I don't understand how Ralph can sing and play some of that stuff at the same time. Larry's bass work is incredible, no pick, just slapping at those strings like the best of them. If you don't know VF, they're a 3-piece band that is the punk version of Rush with pieces of Van Halen crossed with the Chili Peppers. They don't even fit that description though as they created their own genre like the Minutemen.

But simply, it was a night to remember. And I even got a steel toe to the ankle to make sure I remember. Yes, it still hurts a week later.

War wounds

Running hurts

I truly don't understand how Brother Wolfe can do this.
While out in the Sunshine State (CA) last weekend, I toured norcal - Tahoe specifically - before heading back to the Marin area to see family. I don't run...well. I love to run though, I just don't do it enough. But when I get extremely sore and painful from a 4 mile run in the woods around Pollock Pines, well i cannot express my intense appreciation for those who run, and run very long distances especially. There's something so simple about running. All you need is your running shoes and you're off. I really find that appetizing, especially compared to the gear intensive backcountry skiing and even mountain biking. Anyway, be sure to read the link to our friend in Eugene's epic adventure on the Western States 100.

XC boarding

This is classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w7sVSMbjyM&feature=youtube_gdata

Monday

Boulder Creek looking at Elephant Buttress.

It sprinkled on me the entire commute and of course I left my rain jacket at the office. For once, it was drier at the house on leaving than on the rest of the ride. Tank handled it all in stride. Full fenders are awesome. Don't know how I lived without (well, it doesn't rain much here so that's how).

Brooks update. I'm calling the Brooks saddle break-in period at 15 hours. Maybe 20. I've lost track at what hour I'm at but I can tell you I don't see any difference between 15 and 30 hours. It started to feel 'comfortable' at 15 and the comfort-increments are becoming increasingly un-noticeable. Maybe in a year it'll be a different story when it REALLY has broken in. It's definitely a different vibe and ride than a new-school saddle. You sit back on the seat more, butt bones on the platform with less weight on the middle 'nose' of the saddle. It's more slippery still, I almost have to push myself back as I slide forward while riding on flat terrain. I wonder if they get less slippery over time? I notice my butt bones are creating indentations in the leather, it's slowly taking the form of my arse. Apparently, my pelvis tilts to the right side as the dent on the right is bigger than the dent on the left by a lot. Weird what you learn about yourself sometimes.

6pm outside my office. I saw a few deer grazing which is not a normal occurrence as we're sandwiched between a major highway and another busy road but as you can see (other than the office and roads being cropped out of the picture) it's a pretty natural setting. It's nice to see deer sneaking in to graze the hayfields instead of cows.

SSWC09 footage

A very small taste of SSWC09 here.

Fall wind

This year has been a year of extremes in weather. We had a very mild summer with zero days above 100 degrees and very few above 90 and lots of moisture. We now appear to be skipping fall. Sadly all the leaves have been BLOWN off to Kansas in the last few days with what seems to be the windiest fall I can recall. I didn't have to pedal today on my ride to work as the tailwind was so strong! It snowed a little, but it was all blowing sideways simulating warp speed in Star Wars. Get out leaf-peeping while you can people, it's goin quick.