Update Plus How To Go To The Gym As A Cyclist. Check It Out.

Quick Update

Not a lot going on. With the current weather (snow, the cold kind) I've been spending a lot of time on the trainer and/or hiking. Additionally, I've been frequenting the gym a few times a week. More on that below. 

A Few Pictures With Explanations

From Tuesday to Friday I rode the trainer at Fascat. It sounds horrible. However, other riders and sweet trainers made it tolerable. 

A few excellent songs that played during those days:

Can I Kick It? - A Tribe Called Quest

Good Times - Styles P

Ready Or Not - Fugees

Still - Geto Boys 

Then I went for some hikes. 

This is the view from the top of Fern Canyon. I.e. the saddle right before Bear Peak summit. 

Longs Peak in the distance. 

View from the top of Bear Peak. The middle right shows David Bobka summiting the mountain. 

Exciting times. 

Even better is that I live in South Boulder (New Mexico) so I can hike Bear Peak from my house. 

Good stuff. 

View on the way down. 

Motivational Book For Early Season Training 

Running Away - Robert Powell 

A book about a confused man during the running boom. While the character is a lying and/or degenerate asshole, it's easy to relate to the setting of the memoir, beautiful Boulder, CO. The book follows the usual inspirational plot line. I.E. person makes mistakes in life and then he/she becomes a better person through exercise. Powell separates himself from similar books with a complete openness to his life and actions.  Overall a good read. 

How To Go To The Gym As A Cyclist

Fun Fact: Cyclist don't fit in at the gym. Especially the CU gym where crossfit is king and everybody is secretly listening to Taylor Swift's new album. Follow along for a few tips on how to fit in. 

Step 1: Be confident

Just be like Harry Potter and go for it.

Walk in and immediately complete a full lap of the gym. While walking make awkward eye contact with everyone in the room. Once completed you have nothing to lose. If people stare back give them the evil eye. 

Step 2: Stick To Your Strengths

Hang out near the leg machines and yoga mats. This is a recommendation not a requirement. However, be aware that you will be asked to *spot* someone if you stray too near to the bench press.

*Spot* Definition: To stand over a large mammal while they lift weights below you. This usually involves eye contact and grunting. Just Say No. 

Would you *spot* a dolphin? If the answer is no, don't spot at all. 

Quick Tangent, How To Say No. In Case you were wondering. I'm not sure if the strength in numbers (#8) approach will come as useful. 

Step 3: Keep out during peak hours

As introverted, mostly selfish, and maniacal individuals cyclists enjoy training alone. Therefore, avoid the attending the gym immediately before 9:00 a.m. and after 5:00p.m. Not only is the gym floor more crowded but it also possible to smell, breath, and take in the stress (dermal absorption) emanating from those around you. The gym corners are filled with people emailing, texting, tweeting, answering work calls, and overall just looking incredibly depressed. Duck that. 

It's very easy for a gym to feel like an extension of work. 

An even worse time to attend the gym is directly after the first of January. It's difficult to move, there is a lot of out of shape breathing (distinctly different from in shape breathing), and there are never any cardio machines available. 

Meet Jim (ha!) and Cheryl. Gym owners from Albuquerque after the "New Year Resolutions" boom of 2006.  

Step 4: Get Out While You Are Up

The gym is a great place to build strength leading into a new and promising cycling season. However, it has been known to change and in some cases, irreparably disfigure, members of the cycling community.  Be smart and more importantly, be aware of your upper body muscles. Don't be that guy that bike races with big arms. Nobody likes that guy. 

That's it. Check in next week for tips on how to spend the holidays with family.  Included are excuses so you can ride, how to "ride" with family, and surviving new cycling roads. 

By the way...

I have no idea. 

Off Season Fun Times Great Excited

Hey. Apologies for the gap in correspondence. Now that I'm riding again I'll be updating about once a week. Below are details of my off-season, a "how to" on reintegrating into work, and a trip I took to Memphis/Arkansas.

Off Season

After getting back from my bike trip I took about two weeks completely off the bike. Apart from losing my reason to live, riding bikes, I also started working again. Not the best combo. Still, I was able to eat and lay around for a couple weeks. In my opinion, a well deserved and necessary break. 

It's pretty easy to feel like a slob. 

So I did that for a little. 

Riding Again 

After settling back into work I started riding bikes again. I waited until I wanted to get on my bike. Then I waited for another week. November 1st, the date I would start riding again, approached like Christmas to a six year old. 

Buddy The Elf

After putting in a solid 2500 miles in a month riding felt pretty easy. So I got that going for me. I'm excited to see how the late season mileage will affect early season racing. 

 How To Work After A Month Of Bike Riding 

Step 1: Accept Defeat 

Shit, it's obvious that work in any form is not going to be as fun as biking all day everyday. Therefore it is necessary to lay down and die in the name of capitalism.  Eventually, (it feels like forever) work will be over and you can once again ride bikes. 

Good Form

Step 2: Maintain A Consistent Level Of Activity

Going from six or more hours of exercise per day to zero is a bad idea. I tried it and it did not work. That natural endorphin high I was riding for a month, a year if you count racing season, was pulled out from me all too suddenly. Walking to work or parking further away at the grocery store is enough to maintain sanity. 

Jack The Endorphin Laden Giraffe

Step 3: Re-Learn How To Work

After being gone for over a month actions that were once easy will become excruciatingly difficult. Watch your co-workers and do as they do. Answer questions vaguely and try not to freak out. After about a week it will start to feel normal again. 

Don't Know What To Do With Your Hands? Wait A Week. 

Step 4: Realize It Will All Be Okay

Yeah it sucks but at least it isn't forced labor as a POW in a foreign country. Count your lucky stars and get on with it. Good luck with the reintegration! 

Trip To Memphis/Arkansas

Lastly, I took trip to Memphis this past week to meet up with friends and do some hiking. Below are some badass Arkansas hiking/camping photos. 

After spending a night in Memphis we drove five hours to Blanchard Springs in Arkansas. The area is full of caves, quaint hiking trails, and a meandering rivers. The worst. 

The campsite site had everything. A river, a cliff in the background, a big fire pit, and a level place to sleep. Seen below are five cold people sleeping on a single tarp. 

In sharp contrast to Colorado water was omnipresent. Four lane highways had tree canopies and most of the trees were in full fall colors. 

More Rocks. 

Group Picture. 

How to execute a Thoreaudown. 

Step 1: Find a picturesque setting. 

Step 2: Pick up Portable Thoreau

Step 3: Read random passage to large audience.

An exemplary Thoreaudown setting. 

River crossing. 

Group family photo.  

Thanks for Reading. Check back in later to learn about gym behavior for a cyclist as well as getting your bike ready for winter training. 

Good Work. 

We Got Home. I Did Other Activities.

Brett and I got back to Boulder Thursday afternoon. Exactly one month after leaving Portland. It was pouring rain. I could not have been happier. 

(Read Dumbasses)

The Trip In Numbers 

Miles - 2542

Elevations Gain - 70,889ft. (A real pain in the ass)

Days - 30 

Caffeine - Constantly

Longest Day - 167 Miles 

Shortest Day - 26 Miles 

Rest Days - 1

Flats - 10+(Brett) 1(Me)

Chamois Creme - Not a lot. 

Rain all day - 3 Days

The best day - 30 days

The worst day - 30 days

Thanks Bill

I Am Thankful That 

1) We are in perfect (sort of) health.

2) We were not threatened nor struck by a vehicle.

3) Somehow Brett and I are still friends. 

Brett and I at the CU Buffalo. 

It was pouring. (did I say that yet?)

It took a while to find someone that could/would take our picture. 

Then we bro hugged got the hell out of there. 

But first we said, "good job. For real." (Pretty emotional stuff) 

Then I got home. 

My roommates made me dinner. Eternally grateful for that. 

I sat down at my table and drank beer. 

I've never been more content. 

A Couple More Things I Am Thankful For

1) Friends. 

2) My bed. 

3) A really great shower. I can shower there whenever I want. 

4) The entire internet. All the time. 

5) Food that stays where it is. 

6) Familiar roads. 

7) Knowing where I am going to sleep at night. 

What I have Learned About Colorado

1) Eastern Colorado is Nebraska

2) How to get to Boulder = Go west - See Mountains - Find bike path - Follow it to town.

3) I really only know about a small part of the state. 

Some Photos 

In my modest opinion this is the best photo ever taken. 

Brett and I dropping down the Eastern Plains to get to Fort Morgan, CO. 

The last three days of the trip in miles 167, 98, 98. 

We needed to be home. 

After stopping three times we finally got into Boulder. 

This intersection, Valmont and 75th, was the first road I could identify in a very very long time. 

I want to avoid the word "surreal" but shit, it was surreal. 

We didn't need to check a map. We knew where we were. 

(That's my finger in the bottom of the photo)

Bike paths going to Boulder. As you can see it really started to rain. 

(That's my finger again)

And then we got to Boulder. 

Usually we sprint for the town line. 

I think we were a little too fatigued for that behavior. 

Boulder Creek Path. That's when we knew it was real. 

The next day life went on as normal. 

Which seemed completely messed up. 

I didn't ride bikes, wash clothing in a shower, or wear bike clothes. 

Reintegration into society so far has been difficult. 

After not owning keys for the trip I locked myself out of the house. 

(Keys are bad by the way. More keys more problems.)

I went to the grocery store and bought some perishables (pictured above).

I had no choice but to eat all the ice cream in one sitting. 

It's a hard life. 

I enjoyed celebrating with my first beer ever on Friday night.

On Saturday I decided to go on a camping trip above Eldora Ski Resort.  

The Rockies are excellent. 

Then we woke up and there was snow. 

Bummer. 

But the hike out was amazing. 

Proof of the hike out being amazing. 

Then we came across a jackass stuck on a hiking trail. 

He/she was a jackass. 

Lessons Learned So Far

1) I need some time to think about it. 

2) Normal is whatever you make it normal. 

3) If you observe rather than participate in society you can learn a lot. 

4) Cars are wayyyyy too fast. All you have to do is sit there. 

5) If you walk into a grocery store with bike clothing on people will give you looks of surprise/hide their kids. It's best to stare back with the same expression. 

The next couple of weeks I plan on remaining stagnant and/or supine. 

I'll be posting soon about something. 

Probably breakfast. 

Thanks for following along. 

This blog has kept me (somewhat) sane. 

Real Quick Photo Essay Update

We made it to Colorado! We spent the night in Wray, CO and couldn't be happier.  There's mountain time, Colorado cows (much better than Nebraska cows), buildings, and pick up trucks. Actually Eastern Colorado feels a lot like Nebraska. Luckily we'll be in the front range in two days. 

Things That Are In The Front Range Of Colorado

1) My bed

2) A refrigerator where I can store food stuffs for up to a week

3) A place where I can earn money

4) Good coffee

5) Good bike shops

6) My bed

The Last Few Days

Out of Lincoln we followed the Mopac Multi-Use Trail. The cinder path went more or less straight west. There weren't any cars. Just some trees and the occasional road crossing. 

Pedestrian bridge over the Platte River. Were back into wide open sky territory. 

The Mopac trail and Nebraska had a lot of cylindrical objects near towns.  

This is a bike trail out of Lincoln Nebraska. Perfect for zoning out and letting the miles go by. 

This is Brett after the 115 mile ride from Lincoln, NE to Hastings, NE. 

We had headwinds, bad roads, and a lack of quality caffeine. However, we had to make it to Hastings in order to stay with Lisa Smith, our warmshowers host. 

As soon as we got there Lisa handed us a cold blue moon. The beer never stood a chance. 

*When it's necessary to sit down to take off your shoes you know it's been a long day.*

The next day we traveled only 55 miles into Holdredge, Nebraska. We pedaled our hearts out. The headwind was just too bad. We spent the remaining afternoon in town feeling bad for ourselves. 

Then we ate real Mexican. That's 

2 Burritos

Rice

Beans

1 Taco

1 Fried Pepper

Guacamole

It Was Beautiful

Sulking about the wind/day on a porch. 

Those are my feet again. 

Then we rode 167 miles the next day. We are in Colorado but absolutely knackered. 

Pictured above is the only turn we made. 

How yesterday went..

1) Pedal for an hour

2) See a town 6 miles away

3) Get to town

4) Grain elevator on left. Casey's general store on right. 

5) Go to Casey's

6) Find yourself in some sort of loop and question reality

7) Get to Colorado and yell with pure happiness

8) Raid Grocery Store

9) Collapse in bed while watching Say Yes To The Dress. 

In the morning it felt like my body had aged sixty years. Everything ached. 

And then we got to Wray! The state signs here are very welcoming. 

Signs That We're Close To Home

1) We're in Colorado

2) We are climbing 

3) There's recycling

4) People here are from Colorado

Only Two Days Until Home. 

And then hiking season....