Snowbird

Hi all,
Yesterday, I crossed the last cycling goal for 2007 off my list, Little Cottonwood Canyon. This lovely road to the Snowbird and Alta ski resorts is one of the steepest canyon rides in the local area. Just 6.4 miles to Snowbird and 8 miles to Alta, it raises almost 4,000 ft!
Steep is an accurate description. Thank goodness it was an absolutely gorgeous day, and I had my camera, giving me an excuse to stop often and take pictures! Yesterday’s ride will go in the log as quite possibly the most beautiful ride I have had all year. The sky, the fall colors, the snow, the fresh air, simply amazing.

By the way, the descent was thrilling, too!
Enough said, enjoy some pictures.
Jim

Too Nice to Stay Inside

It was the perfect reason to go for a ride. I had been working in the garage, and sort of mindlessly watching the Broncos play mindless football. But, it had become stunningly beautiful outside, and I decided that since football is on every weekend in the fall, and since the Broncos weren’t actually playing football today, that I would go for a ride. After three consecutive Saturday’s with rain mixed with snow, this Sunday afternoon was beautiful. I headed west towards the island to enjoy the clear skies, and the snow covered mountains from a wide perspective, and get around 50 km in the log.

Kathy is in Chicago visiting our grandson, and she took my small Nikon digital camera to take pictures of Brian. This presented as choice. I could just enjoy the scenery and just bear with the fact of not having a camera along, or, I could find a way to carry my Nikon D-50. Usually, I would not have taken the D-50 on the bike, but I was struck by the beauty of the sky, and couldn’t resist the opportunity for great pictures. Ever the adventurer, and not wanting to admit defeat, I wrapped the D-50, and found a safe place in the bag for it to fit securely.

This turned out to be a great decision. I was out on the causeway, taking wide-angle pictures of the island, the mountains, and enjoying the perfect day. As I rode east towards the mainland, I saw in my rear-view mirror what looked to me like an airplane. Now, if you can see an airplane in the rear-view mirror of a recumbent, that airplane would have to be pretty darn low! So, I stopped the bike, looked west, and saw two ultra-lights flying down either side of the causeway!

As quick as I could, I grabbed the camera out of the seat bag and as well taught by my dad, just started “pushing the damn button!” I was rewarded for my efforts. Three years of riding out around the island, and I had never seen these to brave (crazy) pilots. They were flying east along either side of the causeway, and I lost them when they got over land. Don’t know where they came from, don’t know where they landed, but they looked like they were having fun!

Sometimes, you just never know what you'll see on the bike!
Jim

Mill Creek Canyon, the 2007 Edition

Hi all,
Fall is here, and with the advent of fall, comes early snow, fall colors, and canyon hill climbing.
Yesterday, I took the time to enjoy my first canyon hill climb of the season.

Mill Creek Canyon was windy, cool, devoid of many people, and full of fall colors. Now, if we stick to the main subject of this blog and talk about the technical aspects of the ride, this will turn into a very boring post about chain rings, spin rate and the like. But for now, I would rather help you visualize the peace and quiet, the stiff winds, the lovely color, and the joy of being able to be outside on the bike on a nice fall day.

This was one of those days where I really didn’t care about my average speed, didn’t care about my cadence, heart rate, or anything else. I was just out enjoying the day.

Snow. Yes, I even found some snow at the top end of the canyon. Not a lot, but off to the side of the road on the south side that never gets any sun. This weekend’s weather forecast is calling for more, and perhaps the gate at Mill Creek will close for the season. So, I am even happier that I was able to enjoy this ride before the proverbial door closes.

Wind. Yes, there was a lot of wind. Strong from the south, it swirled in the canyon, making for a very interesting descent in the afternoon.

Fall Colors. Beautiful hues of red, gold, green, and layers and layers of color.
Peace and Quiet; Mill Creek is especially peaceful on weekdays, I think I saw no more than 8-10 cars during my 8.5-mile climb.

Time. I spent more time stopping to take pictures, listening to the rushing water in the creek, and breathing the fresh air than I did concentrating on riding the bike.
As it should be.

Happy Fall Riding.
Jim

Skewered in Oakley

Looking west, towards Mt. Timpanagos, and Soldier Hollow

This past Saturday brought the fun and adventure of Heber Century. This was to be a great ride. The Heber and Midway areas are quite scenic, plus the added fun of riding to Soldier Hollow (the Nordic ski venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics) where riders were invited to shoot at the Biathlon range. The forecasted weather was for mild and sunny early, turning stormy, windy and rainy after lunch. The forecast turned about to be very accurate.

Fall colors near Wasatch Mountain St. Park

This ride had the possibility of being very educational, and I was looking for the opportunity to evaluate my level of cycling fitness and skills in certain areas; climbing, and riding in rain and high wind. Of course, if one plans for certain challenges and learning experiences, the ride always seems to result in completely different, spontaneous, and unpredictable learning experiences.

This of course, is what happened. Yes, there were high winds, and yes, there was rain in the afternoon, and of course there were several long climbs during the ride. But what I didn’t plan for was a mechanical issue that brought an early end to the adventure. And the funny thing was that on the surface, it seemed like such a minor issue, but it slowly ended up being a factor in ending my day at 82 miles.

Shooting "clean" at the range
A skewer; the front skewer to be exact. Somehow, sometime, the threads on the front skewer that fastens the wheel to the front fork became ever so slightly stripped. The issue that brought the ride to a halt is that the front wheel would not stay true and straight in the fork. So, I would dog down the skewer, the wheel straight and rolling free. Then, after a few miles I would notice that my pace was very slow, and taking a lot of effort. Checking the front wheel, I would find it rubbing hard against the brake shoe. So, I would repeat the process and start again. 2 miles on, 2 miles off.

The offending Skewer
So then I had the idea that I would unhook the front brake and ride to the finish. But, it occurred to me that there was a huge downhill from the Jordanelle overlook back down to the Heber valley, and that I would be riding 45-50 mph in rain, with only one brake. Ummmm…. Dumb idea. So, after all the wheel issues, 2 flats, helping with another, the wind and rain, I called Kathy from the Oakley rest stop, and said: “Come and get me.”

The new rear fender
I did learn a lot on this ride. First and foremost, the Heber valley is gorgeous with the resplendent fall colors. From a technical standpoint I learned that:
I still can shoot straight at the Biathlon Range at Soldier Hollow.
I can climb big hills, just slowly.
I rocket down big hills – top speed for the day: 48 mph.
I wore the right clothing for the day.
My new rear fender worked great.
I drank plenty of fluids, and ate well.
Mechanical issues suck.

So, what’s next? Getting a new skewer is obviously first. But, what about the rest of the year? I am not sure I am up to the climbing of the Zion 200 km Brevet on December 1st. A fellow rider on the Heber ride mentioned steep switchbacks up to Zion. So, I need to ponder and decide if I will be up to it. After all, long training rides will be few and far between in November. Other than that, it is time for some rest, and then some canyon riding.

Happy Fall Colors!
Snow on the mountains this morning!
Jim

Monday News

Photo from my friend, Dorothy, of the UK.
(Jim, off the designated trail, again)

Happy Monday All.
I am writing this week’s edition while waiting for the sun to come up before my usual Monday ride. Today’s ride is a bit ironic as I am riding down to Farmington to pay my car registration at DMV. Wouldn’t be grand if cars were unlicensed and we had to wait in long lines to get our bikes registered? The rest of this week’s riding will be low miles and low intensity as I am riding the Heber Valley Century this coming Saturday. I have this rare but odd hope of sort being rested before the ride. To that end I spent this past weekend off the bike, eating well, and getting lots of sleep. Hopefully, the rest of the week will be mellow and I can launch off the start line rested and energetic.

In other news, I have been asked to participate on the Davis Bike Advocacy and Advisory Committee. I was contacted my Mark Kennedy, proprietor of Saturday Cycles, a small but very nice custom cyclery shop in Centerville. I had finally made it down one Saturday to visit and ogle some fine bikes in his shop. He also had some nice racks and Arkel saddlebags. The two items that caught my eye the most were the Shimano hub generator, and a lovely Redline 925 single-speed bike. I have toyed with the idea of a mountain bike, or a single-speed for off-season training, cross training, and perhaps to ride a trail or two. The Redline was a lovely little bike with fun mustache handlebars. Luckily for the budget's sake, the Redline was a 54 cm frame, and a bit too small!

Isn't it cute?
After my visit to the shop, Mark wrote me an E-mail asking about DBAAC, and I have accepted his invitation. Bicycle advocacy in Davis County is most definitely necessary, and perhaps I can help in some way. I am open to any and all advice from any readers who are involved in advocacy!


Note the Shimano Hub Generator.
And finally, one of my readers mentioned to me that he reads a lot of blogs just for the pictures! And it occurred to me that writing this blog has always been a challenge to either tell a story using photography, or to paint a picture through language. Perhaps in a later edition I will try both. One post with only photographs, and the next one painting pictures through language. An interesting thought, isn’t it?
Speaking of photographs, enjoy this last photo of some giant peaches we found at the grocery. I bought 5.5 lbs, of peaches and there were only 5 in the bag! Mmmmmm cobbler….


Yummy Peaches!

Have a great week.

Jim

Chasing Numbers

3,000 miles.
Yesterday evening, riding back from the Bridger Bay Campground on Antelope Island, the odometer on the Little Red Bike ticked over 3,000 miles.
It is an amazing number to me, 3,000 miles; roughly the same distance from San Francisco to New York City. In long distance endurance cycling, it is not an especially big number; about 1/3 of a riding season for my friend Pete in Australia. But to me however, it is quite a milestone.

It seems like just yesterday I unwrapped the Little Red Bike (the Barcroft Virginia GT) from its boxes, padding, and bubble wrap. On that exciting November evening, I even took the bike for a short spin in the dark! Who could’ve just put the bike in the garage until the next morning! Now, 115 rides and 22 months later, I find that the bike and I have had quite an adventure. From southern Idaho, to my first 200 Km Brevet to Tropic, Utah, to the top of Emigration Canyon, and of course every inch of asphalt on Antelope Island, the bike has taken me many places. I never even dreamt that I would be writing a blog about my adventures, or that folks as far away as Qatar and Australia have taken the time to read my missives.

I realize that cycling is more than logging miles, and assessing goals. But chasing the numbers seems to be part of my make up. A mileage goal for a year; how many days to retirement (note the ticker to the right!); what is my average speed today? How many miles per month am I riding? Tracking the climb ratio on my GPS, always putting my miles on the header, and entering the miles into the Excel Spreadsheet… it goes on and on.

I sometimes wonder if I would be any faster, more efficient, or perhaps even happier if I had not tracked a single mile, logged a ride, or even never put a cycle computer on the bike; Just to simply ride the bike. Ever watched a child on a bike? They couldn’t care less; just the wind in their faces is enough for them…Hmm, something to ponder, isn’t it?

I wonder what will the next 3,000 miles bring?

Jim

PS: I just added some new links on the right hand side of some great blogs from other Randonneurs. Also, take note of Tandemania's blog, too. He has been a loyal reader, and has left comments here, so the least I could do is add him to my list.....JFR

Why Have Just One?

Hi All,
A few loyal readers have asked about the caption in the previous post regarding one of Utah’s little known treasures; Polygamy Porter. Locally brewed and bottled by Wasatch Brewery, it is a fine dark beer that is perfect for those warm evenings after a 50- mile bike ride.

But where did the term Polygamy Porter come from? What’s the gag? For those of you who may not know, Utah and the early Mormon culture have roots in polygamy. In fact, there are still enclaves of polygamists hiding (?) or at least far, far away in extreme southern Utah. And, even though we have had some legal actions off and on over the years enforcing the obvious laws against polygamy, our reputation of being a pretty weird state is still prevalent.
Over the years, Wasatch Brewery has had a great time marketing their beers; hence the local label: Polygamy Porter and the fun slogans therein: "Bring some home for the wives" and "Why have just one?" They have cool Polygamy Porter T-shirts too. Trust me, they are definitely conversation starters when waiting in long lines! So, that’s where it came from, an ingenious ad slogan, in a funny state, with an odd culture. It’s a perfect fit. Oh yes, by the way, the First Amendment Lager is delicious, too!

If you have been following my blog for a long time, you might notice the dropping water levels of the Great Salt Lake!

In cycling news, this morning I enjoyed a standard 32-mile ride to start the month. It is auspicious only in that today I surpassed 1405 miles, which was my total mileage for 2006. I am still on track for my 2007 goal of 1800 miles.

Some birds, standing in the very shallow water..

In a couple of weeks, I will start my Monday schedule of riding the canyons east of Salt Lake City. Standby for posts from riding City Creek, Emigration, Mill Creek, Big Cottonwood, and the steepest ride; Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Lots of scout groups and families ride the causeway on Saturday...

Happy riding all,

Jim

50 Years, 50 Miles

Mmmmmmmmmmm; Wasatch Ale How about a nice Polygamy Porter!

Hi all,
Well, this past week has been one of milestones. First off, on Friday I ascended to that lofty spot of turning 50! Now, some people might dread this age, but for me, I am darn happy and proud to have made it this far! (It also means I am ever closer to that magical day when I can retire from the FAA) Kathy threw me a nice party with friends, a fine barbeque, and I even received some lovely gifts. It was a great time, I think it was quite possibly the biggest birthday bash I have ever had. One of the bigger surprises of the day was that my friend, Gary, formerly of the USAF and the FAA, who worked with me in California several centuries ago, made the trip from Oklahoma to come and help me celebrate my big day. Now, that’s a best friend!

Gary and I, best friends, 70 years of air traffic control experience between us. I'm the short one!

On Saturday after the bash, Gary and I took a hike above Solitude Nordic Center in the Brighton Circle to Twin Lakes Reservoir. Starting at Solitude at 8,700 ft. we enjoyed a nice steep hike to around 10,000 ft. to Twin Lakes. It always amazes me how privileged we are here on the Wasatch front; Two hours after we left the house, we were at 10,000 ft. in the gorgeous mountains, enjoying the cool breeze and fantastic scenery. I can’t figure out why the mountain trails aren’t packed with people everyday.

Silver Lake, a nice XC track in the winter!

Twin Lakes Reservoir. elevation around 10,000 ft.

Monday, I took the traditional birthday ride, and rode my age. As usual, I rode to the island, where surprisingly the bison were in exactly the same location as last time, standing on the road! I also was treated with several groups of pronghorn antelope also standing on the road. This behavior was out of the norm as they are generally skittish and go dashing away whenever I come by on the bike.

Silly Prongies...

At Buffalo Point

Looking northeast, towards the Visitor's Center.

All in all it was a great day to be riding. I enjoyed the island so much that I really wasn’t interested in riding a “pace” ride and spent more time enjoying the scenery than I did concentrating on cadence or speed. That’s important sometimes, to not train but to enjoy; to relax, and to be able to appreciate being on the bike as the miles stroll by under me. I can train the next time!

Happy riding all.
Jim

Say Hello to Pastor Bob

A nice way to spend a Friday evening; Watching baseball with a good friend. Good baseball, good company. cold beer.
Can you see the ball? Look at the visitor's dugout, you can see the ball right in front of the fella with the black pants.

Hi all,
Just quick note to tell you about events of the past weekend, and to show you a new link in the tab list on the right; Meet Bob Kaylor, the pastor at Park City Community Church. We met Bob during our summer Chrysalis retreats over the past two weekends. PCCC was very gracious in hosting our retreats, and letting the Emmaus/Chrysalis community use the church. It is a lovely facility, in a lovely setting in the mountains of Park City.


PCCC has a lovely sanctuary


I was in Park City for a meeting at PCCC, got time for a ride up near the 2002 Winter Olympics Ski Jumping Venue.

This morning, I was browsing the PCCC website and came across Pastor Bob’s daily blog. Full of news and notes, and text from past sermons, the blog is an easy and enjoyable read. So much so, that I have added it to my tab list on the right. Enjoy it over morning coffee, in the middle of the day, or even at 3 AM when you can’t sleep.

One more note, Bob is an avid mountain biker, and also rides his bike to work. The fact that there is an access to the Mid Mountain MTB trail off the PCCC parking lot doesn’t hurt either! So, if Bob has slipped out of the office, you know where to look!


Thunderstorms are much more enjoyable when I am not at work! This is looking east, towards Parley's Canyon

Happy riding,
Jim

Why I ride the Island

Hi all,

This morning I decided to go for an early sunrise ride in hopes of beating the Saturday traffic, and to be able to enjoy the sunrise out on the island. I left the house around 5:40 AM, still dark but the glow over the mountains told me it wouldn’t be dark for very long. It was lovely riding this morning; quiet, cool, peaceful, the bike running perfectly. The plan was to enjoy a 40-45 mile ride and be home before 9 AM. That way it wouldn’t be too hot, and I would avoid the forecasted south winds.

Out on the causeway I paused to take sunrise pictures. It helped me to remember why I ride out here with the birds, the peace, and the lack of traffic. It was so quiet!

The Pronghorns were not happy to see me!

After I reached the island, I headed southwest up the hill towards Buffalo Point. Riding to the point is beautiful, and allows me the chance to get a good climb in too. Of course today, I had other issues, mainly a 2000-pound road hazard. As I made it over the rise, and rode west, I encountered a small group of bison. They were grazing, and also slowly walking across the road. Now, I don’t know about you, but when something that big is in the way, I wait!

Hm, Decisions, Decisions...

I chose wisely!

As I completed my loop and headed back home, I was struck by why I ride out to the island all the time when there are plenty of other fine loops that I could ride. Heading east on Gentile, I rejoined the population. It was a normal Saturday morning with everyone moving about; big dual axle trucks, dozens of SUV’s crowding the shoulder on the two lane road, construction barriers, and of course diesel exhaust.

A normal ride on Gentile...

See my spot to ride?

Then, I remembered why.

See you down the road.

Jim