Bikes make me happy even if I'm not on one.

I'm on my second week long business trip since I started this job in September. They send me out for training to get more knowledgeable on firetrucks. First I went to Minneapolis, Minnesota last month. I went to a Waterous to learn about Fire Pumps. I tried talking to as many locals as I could, I was really hoping I could engage someone about my love of "The Minneapolis Sound."

Alas, no one I spoke with understood the magnitude of the musical genius that hailed from their town. This was music that had a huge influence on me as I was growing up and help shape the way I am. It would be pretty cool if I meant Prince, but I don't, I am speaking about The Replacements, and to a slightly lesser extent Husker DU.

These are two of the greatest 80's post punk Alt bands that ever existed and they came from the same town! I serious considered buying an Uber ride to go visit an iconic house. But it was raining.

Now I am here in the lovely town of Gilbert, Arizona. I like to buy t-shirts from local bike shops, so I started walking three miles towards one. Sadly, I find that these little shops often don't offer t-shirts with their logo. This was the situation at Intercourse Cycles in Intercourse, PA and also here at Bike Masters in Gilbert.

Oh well, I shrugged as the sun began to set over the desert town.

I cracked open a Forty of OE and started staggering around an abandoned lot. I kept looking for glowing scorpions, but they must all be hibernating. I stayed out in the dirt until I had created an art piece.

By the time I walked back to the Inn my toes were bleeding from callouses in my Vans. I posted my Strava and scrolled down through posts others had made. I saw that so many friends and friends I haven't met in person had gotten out to ride my favorite trails. It was like I can't ride but I'm happy others are out riding. I know social media is pretty bad, but Strava is the only one I have and it just makes me happy. I scroll through it and all I feel is joy.

I'm even happy when someone beats my record!

This was my first KOM, I worked so hard to get it! I thought my heart was going to explode. Then Dwight rolled by in the middle of a 65 mile road ride and figured he'd just buzz this loop as a cool down. He probably didn't even know it was a segment. This falls under the same philosophy I apply to my dirt jumping. You only have to be the best until the best show up

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The White Room (a short story)

FRIDAY After a short struggle I located Cliff at the airport. It was good to see him again. I had my bag packed and my skis on the rack of my Audi. Instead of going back to my house, we blew past the exit and cruised through Denver. We made a quick stop at a dispensary, then started climbing into the mountains. Five hours later we rolled into the town of Crested Butte. Matt had driven out from Arkansas the day before and we all converged on Kevin’s house. This was a reunion almost thirty years in the making. We pulled into Kevin’s driveway, kid’s bikes and other toys were poking out from the snow in the yard. A master bedroom had been added to the house, but it still lacked siding, leaving the insulation exposed. Kevin came out to greet us wearing slippers, jeans and a tee shirt. He gave us each a hug. Nice addition Kev, that’s new since the last time I was here. Cliff said. Yeah I started it four years ago, maybe in another four I’ll finish it. Kevin’s just doing what he can...

Spectator Sports

I’m not good at ball-sports, or really, team-sports all together. In little league I once tried throwing the ball from right field to first base. Instead I threw the ball out of the park and hit a guy sitting in the bleachers. As a high school freshman I tried out for soccer and qualified for the sub-sub-JV team. The cross country team needed runners, so I quit soccer after a week and I ran. I ran in the fall, and then I ran again in the spring for track. I wasn’t good, but I could do it. All that really mattered was that I crossed the finish line. Running helped me develop the mental state that I use nowadays when I’m tackling a long climb. I don’t need to enjoy it, I just need to zone out and keep putting one foot, or pedal, in front of the other. My state had one professional sports team, a hockey team called the Whalers. But they broke up, or moved on a few years after I moved to Colorado. I love the atmosphere of a Rockies game or watching the Eagles. But I h...

Lucky or Good?

The darkness comes quickly after work, the mornings are really cold. I think it's time to look back and say that was an awesome mountain bike season. I get a little banged up every year, some more than others. This is my fourth crash of the 2023 season and the first one to bring some pain. Maybe I can learn something if I run through them and try to determine if I'm getting good or just lucky. The frequent heavy rain kept trails at Left Hand constantly changing. This led to my first debiking incident. I was taking some friends down Ginger Booty. We had sessioned the big booter and were riding out the rest of the single track. Cody came up fast behind me right as I reached a section of deep rut, filled with loose fist size rocks. My brain analyzed the possible line choices and came up empty as my front tire wedged against a rock. With the front tire stopped my mass started a slow motion arc over the bars. I'd like to think that I tucked my chin and pulled my hands into my c...

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