Pre-Thanksgiving Ride

Normally during the week of Thanksgiving, I'm trying to decide what route to ski. I can't believe how dry it is this year. Today is Nov 21 and it's cold but the trails are still in great shape.

I snuck out of work for a lunch ride and tried to burn a few calories before the big feast tomorrow . Check out the trails:

I saw a few light snow flurries in the air but the sun was out and on the climb, I was working up a pretty good sweat.

From my office, there is a good 15 min of straight up jeep road climbing before I hit the single track. I found myself looking at my top tube most of the jeep road section. It has some great words of motivation plastered on it:

I couldn't ask for a better location for my office. We are right smack at the base of the trails in Provo Canyon. I can be on dirt in a few minutes from my office and from my house, I can access an ever growing network of killer single track. How cool is that?

11:28

I've been traveling the past 2 weeks and have not been able to ride much at all. (By the way, it really sucks to be in the airport and see an email thread from the group arranging times and routes for a ride). And with travel comes poor eating patterns. Now that I am finally home, Rachelle is out of town for 4 days so I have been sitting around the house with the kids. Not exactly a great schedule for riding. I'm pretty sure I've been eating every 10 minutes for the past 10 days. Which means I'm up 10 lbs from my prime riding weight. In fact, as I write this, I have managed to polish off a half sleeve of cookies.


Before Rachelle left on her trip, she had arranged for a babysitter to come over on Sat for a couple of hours so I could get a ride in (Rachelle rules). The problem is, Sage has been sick and has been super grumpy. Almost as grumpy as me. You see, if 3 days go by and I have not gotten a ride in, I am not a very fun person to be around. I've been looking forward to Sat morning all week. Finally a chance to get back on my home turf for some mountain biking.

I knew that if the weather continued to stay mild and dry that I would eventually have to take a crack at the time trial up Clarks and this Sat seemed like my last shot at doing this before the snow comes. I also knew that based on the past 2 weeks, I was not going to be in good form to try for a PR.

After 5 hours of sleep (most of it interupted with Sage crying and wanting to be held), the morning came. Maddie was coming over at 8:15 am and I was going to have 2 hours to ride.

Sage had different plans. She woke up as the devil and there was no way I was going to let Maddie be the outlet of her rath. I sent Dug a text to tell him I was not able to ride and to let Maddie know it was off.

I tried to blow off the fact that my ride had just been sabatoged. Instead, I spent most of the day playing with Seth and holding Sage. At about 2pm, I could tell Sage was wasted. I managed to get her and Seth to take a nap and sent Dug another text saying that if Maddie was still up for babysitting that I was willing to pay her a good rate for being such a short notice.

By 3:15, I was riding. I dropped down Clarks and without any warm up, turned around and started the climb. As I rolled off the bridge I hit start on my watch and went for it. My lungs felt like they were full of battery acid. I was hurting and was only 2 minutes into the climb. I knew it was going to be a painful effort. I passed 4 other riders and 2 stray dogs and rolled through the 2nd sign at 11:28. Not a great time but based on the circumstances, I couldn't be mad. Afterall, I was finally out on the bike again.

I'm hoping I have one more chance to improve my time before the trail closes this winter. Based on the forecast, I don't think it's going to happen.

By the way, Brad K. posted a 10:30 up Clarks on Saturday. Do you realize how fast that is? Do you?

Time Trial - Clarks

I've been hearing a lot of talk out there about who can post the fastest time up Clarks. The 11:28 time was replaced by 11:16, then 11:15 and now I am hearing that Jamie and Brad P have broken the 11 minute mark and are posting times like 10:50ish? Is this true?

I get that pre-race pit in my stomach just thinking about this but I think it's time we had an all out time trial competition up Clarks to see where the core group ranks.

After all, it's the local climb. Most of us ride this 3+ times a week and know every corner and exactly where it kicks up in grade. It's about time we determine who the Alpha male is around these parts.

Here is my prediction for the top 3:
Brad P.
Brad K.
Jamie
(what is it with the name Brad? I'm seriously considering changing my name to Brad S. It should shave at least 30 seconds off my time).

Maybe we could attract some of the Utah County contenders like Kenny Jones and the Brothers Gibson?

Until then, I'll be busy designing a belt buckle for anyone who can break the 10 min mark.

Post your time as a comment.

My Locker

I've mentioned this before but I typically leave all my cycling gear in my truck. I like the idea that I can ride at any time if the opportunity presents itself and the timing is right with my work schedule.

The problem is, my truck has started to look and smell like a science experiment. Everything from a soggy helmet (still wet from last night's night ride), damp mountain bikes shoes, to my cycling vest hanging over the passenger seat. But the real source of the odor seems to be from my gloves. I admit my gloves don't make it into the wash as often as they should but who remembers to wash their gloves every week? I have a post ride routine which includes stuffing my gloves, lever, CO2, and glasses back into the side pocket of my bag. This means I only wash my gloves when I remember to which is like 4 times a year at best.

It's weird that I feel comfortable wearing these gloves but if anyone ever needed to borrow a pair, I'd be way too embarrassed to lend them out. They have salt rings and dried snot on the fingers and only fit my hands. If anyone else tried to put these on, they would crack and fall apart. It's the closest analogy i can think of to Cinderalla's glass slipper.

The Lunch Ride

I work for a very intense software company in Utah county. The kind of company that expects you to be in the office early and stay late. Not a great situation for a cyclist who likes to ride 4-5 days a week.

So when we moved our clocks back an hour over the weekend, it messed with my post work ride schedule. The mornings are way too cold for lycra and the late afternoons are too dark. My only options are lunch rides or night rides.

About a year ago, I had a great idea. I decided to pitch to the Marketing and HR teams here at work that it was about time we had a Corp cycling team. When I say team, I mean cycling group (Team just sounds better). So I had Seth help me design a kit with our company logos plastered all over the jersey and bib shorts. I managed to get about 30 people here at work commit to training and riding the MS-150 this year as a company charity event. Anyone who signed up for the MS-150 ride got a free jersey and shorts compliments of the CEO.

To my surprise, we had several Directors, Sr. VP's, the President of World Wide Sales, the CFO, and many high level Engineers sign up. riding during the work week was now acceptable because I could call it training for the MS-150 ride.

Now when I sneak out for that long lunch ride at work, I try and wear the company kit so I am viewed as a good Corp. citizen trying to respresent my company in the community. It's a brillant plan and, so far, has worked out great.

Today was perfect. mid 60's, sunny and dry. The trails down here in Provo are in great shape.
I am so much more effective at work if I'm able to get a ride in. I come back happy, my mind is clear and I don't feel like I have to sneak out of work eary to get a ride in.

Priorities

This morning as I was putting on my shoes, heading out the door for work, I realized something. I have no style. It's not that I don't know what's hip or what jeans go with what shirt, it's just that I don't care nor want to spend the money to stay current.

Every now and then Rachelle will pick up a shirt or some jeans for me (if it's on "sale") but I never ask her to and she usually only does it when she notices I am wearing the same thing over and over again.

I've had the same 2 pairs of shoes for the past 2 years. They still have years of life in them (after all, i spend 8 hours a day in a cube at work). I really could use a new more updated pair of shoes but I don't want them. Why? I'll tell you why.

If I had $100 to spend, I'd much rather spend it on cycling gear. In fact, I can tell you 10 things off the top of my head that I could totally justify buying and all 10 of those things could be purchased at my local bike shop.

Elden (http://www.fatcyclist.com/) had a great idea a couple of years ago and published a christmas list for a cyclist. I swear, I'm the easiest person to shop for. I'd be happy with a stocking full of 29" tubes and air cartridges (and some new socks).

If I owned a bike shop, i would offer a direct deposit program where cyclists could take a percentage of their monthly income and have a store account. How cool would that be? It would be the ultimate bike slush fund. And if money ever got a little tight, I could cash in for some food. Power bars and a cold glass of cytomax for lunch....Mnnnnm.

1st Annual DNA Halloween Night Ride

After fueling up on Halloween candy all day, we met at the EQ in Draper for a Halloween night ride. Tony was in full Halloween spirit and showed up wearing a tutu and wings. We spent the next 5 minutes arguring who got to ride behind him on the ride.

Tony set the pace up Clarks (i ended up behind him and had to tell him every 5 minutes if his wings were straight). It's not always easy to follow a SS up a climb. Especially when Jamie is behind me buzzing my wheel.

After we got the top, we went down Ghost and stayed right which eventually connects into some new single track (The Draper trail guys rock), and then over to the jeep road.

About half way up the jeep road, someone decided to make a move (not me) and all of a sudden, I found myself with Tony, Jamie, and Justin racing to the top. Even with gears, I couldn't catch Jamie but managed to keep him in sight.

We went back down Ghost but this time we stayed left and ended with a new section of trail that connects to the old race course.

2000 ft of climbing, 11 miles, 1.5 hours and a lot of cool single track.

The Group (from left to right):

Sam- Somewhat new to mountain biking but you wouldn't know it. We all fear Sam for next year. He has the cycling bug, has a nice new Niner Air 9 ,and has a hard core winter training plan in place which includes cyclo-cross. We expect him to dominate in 2008.

Rick (me)- Wishing I had a diet coke in this picture.

Joey- Nicest guy in the World, master mechanic, most stylish of the group, the guy with all the hook ups and mad bike skills.

Jamie- Alpha male, sick fast on a rigid SS, also a master mechanic, is the pimp of bikes and can get you anything you need. Just hint that you are thinking of a new bike and you will get an email with 50 links to bike sites you never knew existed complete with pros and cons of every option available.

Tony- Climbs like a mountain goat, lives off bagels & peanut butter, always up for a ride, likes to dress up like a fairy, and is the cleanest member of the group.

Adam- Never loses his fitness or cycling legs, can do it all- climb, clear moves, and downhill.

Seth- The guy behind DNA who makes us look good. Can drop you hard on a road bike, is the Utah champion in his category for cyclo-cross, has a uterus (or doesn't like to be cold).

Justin- (not pictured)- He took a different route home after the ride. We hope he made it back home. The dude is super strong and can suffer through any type of pain. Goes downhill like it aint no thing.

I think we may have started a tradition with this ride. Next year, I hope we can get the rest of the group out.

Check out the post ride chill in Joe's hot tub: