KEEP IT STREET LEVEL

OK, got to go now.

2009-03-27T20:32:00.006-05:00

I'm done.

I've banged out my message.

And my message to you is this - one gear conquers all, which is another way of saying faith in equipment replaces faith in oneself.

Thanks everyone for reading KISL.

Ride bikes - climb mountains - skate the big hills - surf the oceans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjFwPNu9-XM

keepitstreetlevel@gmail.com

ps: I left my 83 favorite posts up for your reading enjoyment.

Know When to Hold, Know When to Fold

2009-03-25T06:18:00.002-05:00

"Enthusiasm is the great hill-climber." - Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)

Gelato is geared relatively low (44 x 18, 66"), which is light on the knees, fast on the hills.

When I go riding with my geared buddies, I know I can't attack on the flats, 66" is not a big gear.

So I wait for the hills and then I attack.

Single speeds are faster for sure on the hills as compared to geared bikes (most of the time). This is where I gain time on my buddies.

Of course, they all catch me on the downhill, but that's life on a single speed my friends.

You take what the road gives you, no more, no less.

I Can't Drive 55

2009-03-19T20:16:00.003-05:00

A lot of times, I ride Gelato in the freewheel mode (i.e., single speed), especially if I am going after the big hills.

That means that I'm just riding with one brake, and that would be the front brake.

But that's not really a problem you see.

Fixed gear riding is all about control - speed up or slow down by applying pressure to the pedals.

Single speed is more about momentum - keep your speed up so that you can make it over the next big hill.

So when Gelato and I are freewheeling it, I really don't use the brake except in heavy traffic because braking just slows you down anyways.

Make momentum your friend and ease up on the brake(s).

LoVe for SaLe

2009-03-16T20:25:00.005-05:00

I searched 6 long months for her.

We were perfect together, her & I.

Sadly she passed away in 2007 of a broken frame.

The replacement frame & fork never felt quite right to me.

I don't love the "new" her anymore. In fact, I haven't loved her for the last 2 years.

I'm not sure if I could ever love again, but a new road bike may mend a broken heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG50iU7qTYM

Prison Break

2009-03-07T17:26:00.004-05:00

I wrote a little piece called "Freedom" way back in August 2007. I said fitness is freedom.

Well, due to school, work and being really sick, my fitness is nowhere to be found.

I'm in prison.

But that's OK. I'll do my time, put in the miles and pay my dues to society. I'll suffer thru the painful process of rebuilding oneself.

But when the warden sets me free for good behavior, I'll rip it up for sure.

http://keepitstreetlevel.blogspot.com/2007/08/freedom.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U_S_ffmc6A

be happy, don't worry

2009-03-02T17:22:00.003-05:00

When I was riding Gelato the other day, I suddenly realized why I love one-gear bikes.

It's because I'm content and happy with a single gear. Let me explain further - riding a single speed places certain limits on you.

Based on what gearing you select, you are only going to go so fast, the hills will always be a struggle and you'll spin out on the downhills for sure.

With a multi-gear bike, there is always this need to push oneself faster by shifting up to the next cog and so forth. It's like you have this constant mental pressure on yourself.

Don't get me wrong, I love speed and I can hold my own with the best of them while riding Gelato, but once I reach my cruising speed, I tend to sit back and enjoy the ride.

It's like when you visit some tropical island, after a few days of relaxing, you're on "island time".

Riding a 1-gear bike is a lot like being on "island time", which is not a bad place to be.

Travels with Roman Holiday (or 3 and half days on one jar of peanut butter)

2009-02-16T07:28:00.006-05:00

Airline travel is so common these days, it's like taking the bus. It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when people used to travel across country on the DOG (aka the Greyhound bus).

Here's my story about the DOG.

Roman Holiday boarded the DOG in upstate NY with my climbing gear and a jar of peanut butter, headed West via Rt. 80. About 3.5 days later, I was sleeping next to a river in Yosemite Valley with a nearly empty jar that same peanut butter.

Was it worth the 3.5 days sitting on my butt?

Heck yeah, I saw the land scape of the USA. I ate at truck stops. I met funky people along the way. I took showers in restroom sinks.

It was my own personal "Travels with Charlie".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPNgjA4i6gM

Crash & Burn (bouldering crashpads)

2009-02-12T07:13:00.003-05:00

Crashpad: an expensive piece of form that a climber hopefully lands on if they blow a boulder problem.

Go ahead & grab a beer, & let me take you back to the days before crashpads. First of all, you had to learn how to fall without breaking an ankle. You also had to known how to down climb if you ran into a dead end [editor's note: down climbing is a lost art these days].

In a nutshell, bouldering was a bit more dangerous & you had to be a bit more committed to the boulder problem at hand.

But I guess one could make the argument that with a crashpad, one can do higher problems. And I guess I agree with that to a certain extent, but in my mind, crashpads have soften the sport of bouldering.

Bouldering is the most pure form of rock climbing; it should stay uncluttered.

And yes, I don't own a crashpad.

Should I Stay or Should I Ride my Bike

2009-02-07T08:54:00.004-05:00

(Or should I strap that 12-pack to my bike rack?)

Yeah sure, it's great to go for training rides and do some races here and there, but for me, I like to combine a little adventure with the bike.

Case in point -> Fall 1985: two poor college kids buy tickets to see The Clash. We throw a 12-pack on my bike rack & my buddy, who is missing brakes for his bike, pedal 25 miles to a ferry, cross Lake Champlain to Burlington, VT and watch The Clash in fine form.

Next morning, dragging a bit, we pedal home just in time to miss Calculus class.

The point is: adventure can be had with a bike, a little bit of money and a good outlook on life. You don't need all that fancy stuff to have fun.

And the kicker is, I still have my ticket stub from that concert and that buddy is still a close friend of mine. Priceless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqH21LEmfbQ

Bridge Over Troubled Water

2009-01-13T12:39:00.004-05:00

I've ridden my mt. bike over this foot bridge so many times that it isn't funny.

But during an early morning ride one summer day, I rode right off the bridge and landed in the small creek below on my right hip. It was painful.

Now I tend to walk my mt. bike over most small bridges.

I can't overcome that fear of falling again.

It's funny how certain things mess up your head for life.

"Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind.

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind."

S & G

On a Shoestring Budget (or 3 screws)

2009-01-11T18:29:00.004-05:00

Ice climbing gear is expensive. In 86', I was a poor graduate student. I could only afford to buy 3 ice climbing screws.

So, up I went.

Each belay station only had 1 screw for an anchor. That left me with a single screw for my running protection.

Even though Shoestring Gully is a moderate climb, it was my 1st ice climb that I lead from top to bottom (in full winter conditions), so having a few extra screws would have been nice.

But I learned on that cold, windy day that "faith in equipment replaces faith in oneself".

That mindset has always stuck with me in everything that I do, even to this day.

And the thing is, I still have all of my original ice screws and I still use them because I trust myself more than I trust my equipment.

Shoestring Gully

Mt. Webster, NH

NEI 2

Philadelphia Freedom (or how I got sucker punched in Philly)

2008-12-08T07:11:00.002-05:00

I was hatched in NYC & I love riding my bike in the Big Apple. I also spent some time in Philly.

It took me a while to figure out the traffic flow in the City of Brotherly Love, but once I found my groove, I did enjoy riding my bike on the same streets that our Founding Fathers once rode on.

On the downside though, while I was doing a trackstand at an intersection, waiting for the light to change, some dude just punched me in the chest for no particular reason.

Where's the love bro?

Anyways, there's lots to do in Philly with the bike, so check it out if you got the time.

Just be careful of that sucker punch.

Don't do the climb, if you Can't do the time

2008-11-28T13:07:00.004-05:00

Don't go to bed, with no price on your head

No, no, don't do it.

Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time

Yeah, don't do it.

And keep your eye on the sparrow.

When the going gets narrow.

Don't do it, don't do it.

Where can I go where the cold winds don't blow,

Now. Well, well, well.

Climbing is an unique sport in the sense that you can't take a break from it and then get right back into it.

To do the climb, you need to put in the time. In other words, to be good and more importantly, to be safe, you need to climb lots.

You need to be out there at least 2 - 3 days per week.

You see, climbing is really just a head game.

Sure, you need the muscles. But what you really need is confidence. And confidence only comes by spending time on the rocks. There is really no other way to get it.

With a strong head, you can get up just about anything.

So if climbing is your bag of tricks, invest your time on the rocks and you'll be a better climber without a doubt.

Afterglow

2008-11-25T10:52:00.006-05:00

I lived in NH at one time and most winter weekends found me on Mt Washington. It's always cold and windy up there.

What do I remember most about Mt Washington?

It's the afterglow.

After a long, cold day on the mountain with the wind blowing, we would hike down at full speed and then burst into the warmth of Pinkham Notch.

Within seconds, our faces would burn red, our ears would buzz, our eyes would tear up and our fingers/toes would swell.

That's the afterglow.

It's a hard thing to describe, but if you're a winter person, you know what I mean for sure.

That's what I miss most about Mt Washington.

THE NEED

2008-11-18T07:08:00.003-05:00

the need

by

roman holiday

i have the need
for the single speed.

it's simple; it's fast
and most important, it's a blast.

so forget about all that bling
just hop on the single speed and make it sing.

REPEAT

2008-10-28T06:55:00.003-05:00

An old buddy of 26 years was in NYC for business last week. So I rode my bike (Roman Holiday) to meet him at the train station.

Something popped in my mind.

You see, Roman Holiday is the same exact bike I had in college 26 years ago. Back then, my nightly routine consisted of: study in the library until about 11 pm and then a few "buckets" of beer at the college pub, which was located below the library.

Then around midnight or so, I would hop on Roman Holiday for a quick 5-minute ride home. Unlocking my bike and riding home, while hitting all of the green lights, was the best part of my day.

Back to present.

I get my buddy back on a NYC-bound train and then I unlock my bike. With a few pints in my belly, I saddled up on Roman Holiday and blow through town. I'm home in no time.

As I'm flying through town, I am instantly transported back to my 1980's college days.

Bikes remind you of the past and move you forward at the same time.

HISTORY

2008-10-22T10:30:00.002-05:00

Well I don't care about history
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school
'Cause that's not where I wanna be
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school
I just wanna have some kicks
I just wanna get some chicks
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school - THE RAMONES

The 2 sports that I love, mountaineering & cycling, both have long track records. My house is filled with climbing and bike books.

Knowing your place in history is important.

Without knowing who came before you, it's hard to move forward.

And plus, it keeps you from thinking that you're hot stuff. Lets say you just did a rad first ascent, you may be surprised to find out that your "first ascent" was done 40 years ago using crappy gear.

History keeps you honest.

So read your books & enjoy your sports knowing that you might be making history someday yourself.

The Cut

2008-10-22T10:23:00.002-05:00

i pedal so fast
but i know i can't last.

i'm not sure how long i can hang on
pretty soon they will be gone.

please don't leave me behind
that won't be very kind.

road racing is not fair
but who really cares.

i didn't make the cut
so now i go home and spend time with my mutt.

Sounds of Silence

2008-10-21T10:01:00.004-05:00

Hello darkness, my old friend

I've come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound of silence

Simon & Garfunkel

School is a drag, but Gelato (aka pista) & I managed to slip in an early morning road ride on Sunday.

The sun was coming up & there were no cars on the road.

As I put Gelato through her paces on familiar roads, I heard nothing except my bike moving forward & the wind whipping up the leaves - no shifting, no thinking.

It was my own "private Idaho".

I returned home with my head cleared & ready to hit the books once again.

Mixed or Fixed

2008-10-21T09:50:00.003-05:00

another poem

roman holiday

should i go mixed [climbing]

or should i ride my fixed [gear]?

the summits are far

or should i just stick to the tar?

the cold wind is blowin'

i'm flying down a hill and i'm not slowin'.

hey, you're "on belay" mate

man i wish i had some brakes.

have i cold feet and hands

hey check out that track stand.

should i climb mixed or ride my fixed?

i need to call in a day of sick.

Fall Day

2008-10-14T06:13:00.003-05:00

a poem

roman holiday

should i ride my bike,

or should i go for a hike.

should i climb some rocks,

or should i skate down the block.

snow will be here,

and i'll be there,

facing the fall line,

and i'll be fine.

Skateboarding Through the Ages

2008-09-14T14:05:00.007-05:00

I was there almost from the beginning. My 1st board had clay wheels with loose ball bearings.

I've seen skateboarding go from surf-style to pools/ramps to street. And it's all good. But last week I was reading the Transworld Skateboarding magazine in my local library and I noticed that it was focused 99% on street skating.

This is a shame.

Skating means different things to different people and it would be great if all flavors of skating were represented in this way too glossy magazine.

I also noticed (which was hard to miss) that most of the magazine was filled with one polished advertisement after another selling clothes and shoes (lots of shoes). I thought folks just skated in Puma's, Van's or Chuck Taylor's.

When did skateboarding get so fashionable? Did I forget to buy a ticket for that bus?

Street skating is "in" these days, but everything always comes full circle (i.e., back to their roots). You can sort of see this with more & more longboards out there.

Enjoy it all.

A Life of its Own

2008-09-09T06:52:00.003-05:00

My bike-to-work/school commutes have ranged from about 6 to 50 miles round trip over the past 30 years.

It's a funny thing how each commute takes on a life of its own - same daily routine, same people on the streets, same roads...

My favorite bike commute, which I did for 3 years, was a 12 miler (round trip). It traveled mostly through towns and neighborhood streets with some very minor upgrades thrown in for fun. Since most of the street had lights, I rode this route year round.

Why did I love this one over the many others? Because at the end of the work day, it was a red-line, pedal to the metal 6 mile sprint home - 5 days a week. A great way to end the day for sure.

And plus, commuting the 60 miles per work week was just enough to keep my fitness on the upside for my weekend rides.

Enjoy your ride home.

The Kids Are (not) Alright

2008-08-27T06:55:00.003-05:00

When I ride past my local High School in the morning, I'm amazed how many kids drive to school. And I'm sure most of these kids are within walking, biking and skating distance.

We need to make it cool for kids to arrive at school without a car.

We need to educate the student body so as adults they would be more open to bike to work, and not drive.

Turn the (bike) pedals and don't push the (gas) pedal.

Greater Than One (or less than zero)

2008-08-24T17:50:00.003-05:00

"Won't you be my number 2." - Joe Jackson

For the 1st 30 years of my life, I only owned 1 bike at a time.

During the last 15 years or so, I have added a total of 4 bikes to my shed. I try to spend equal amounts of time with each bike, sort of like one of those guys who lives in UT with multiple wives.

It's fun to spread the love around, but the closeness is missing.

When you just own 1 bike, you're on it almost everyday and as a result, you develop a special bond with that bike. It's a nice feeling for sure.

Lately, I have been longing to own just 1 bike again to regain that 1-bike love that's missing from my life.

Flip Flops

2008-08-13T17:01:00.006-05:00

Note to self: don't race a guy on a tricked out Eddy Merckx bike while wearing flip flops.

Last week I was enjoying the sun & surf in Newport, RI (nice place). I brought my old road single speed bike up with me. This bike is outfitted with some big old BMX platform pedals for everyday "need to run to the store" riding.

On my last day, I was cruising around the southern tip of the island, pedaling with my flip flops on. Then I saw Mr. Eddy Merckx bike dude.

We started to race. Surprisingly, I was going pretty fast with the flip flops. I held him off for about 15 min, but then I lost the battle. That was OK - I mean - how can a flip flop cyclist compete with a bike like that.

Now picture this: I was trying to bridge the gap and out of nowhere, both feet came off the pedals in the forward direction, all 10 toes were dragged hard against the rough pavement, both pedals dug into the backside of my calves & caused some nice punctured wounds and finally, my manhood slammed into the top tube (sort of like what Lance did into 2003 TdF).

Once again- don't race wearing flip flops.

The Joy of Single Speed

2008-08-11T21:02:00.002-05:00

About a week or so ago, I had a single speed moment that makes the suffering all worthwhile.

I came screaming down a short, steep hill. Coasting at maximum speed, sort of like dropping in on a half-pipe with a skateboard.

I hit the flat section and spun out at 32 mph, which was more than enough speed to propel myself up the opposite hill with minimum effort.

The whole experience probably lasted about 1 full minute, but what a minute it was. It was the simple joy of single speeding at its best.

The Constant

2008-08-01T18:38:00.002-05:00

Throughout my life, I've been obsessed with skateboarding, rock climbing, snowboarding, long-distance trail running and so on. But since the age of 5 or so, cycling has always been there for me (except for the moped years - we won't talk about that for now).

The simple act of riding bikes has and hopefully will continue to provide me with transportation, fitness, fun and competition until my body fails me.

Even though I've been at it for about 40 years now, I still look forward to my early morning rides and any excuse to run an errand by bike.

Yes I have lost speed over the years, but I still can go the distance when push comes to shove.

Growing old with the bike is a nice way to age.

I Gave It My All (Part Two)

2008-07-11T19:11:00.002-05:00

Friday - 6:45 am

3 riders - coming up fast on my rear.

This time I play it cool.

I let the 3 rides glide pass me. The last one says to me, "Hop on." I say, "Thanks, but I'm fine."

[It's better to chase than to be chased.]

I lose visual contact, but I pedal hard to stay within striking distance.

As I head into the rollers, I see the 3 guys about 1/4 mile up the road. I decided it's time to take care of business.

I'm flying up and down the rollers on the drops - M. P. style.

I finally catch up after a stout effort; they look surprised since they thought they dropped me miles ago.

I say hi and keep on pedaling hard.

The 3 guys are chasing me like a rabbit on a greyhound track.

I'm in pain; asthma is kicking in; my stomach hurts like heck.

But I kept pushing it. I'm not giving up this time.

They catch me on the last hill & we all hit the traffic light at the same time.

We rode for a bit (really nice guys) & then said our goodbyes.

So, what's the lesson here:

ATTACK where you are the strongest & don't give up the fight.

I Gave It My All

2008-07-09T18:55:00.002-05:00

There's a little Tour de France inside all of us.

Tuesday morning, 7:25 am

I looked behind me & there he was, about half my age, on a nice bike & wearing a full racing kit.

The next 7 miles or so are hills.

I just had a new SURLY Pacer steel fork put on my road bike yesterday, so I give it my all & go.

At one point, I was about 50 yards up on racer boy.

At the start of the first big hill, he was about 30 yards behind me.

We fight it out in the "mountains".

Racer boy finally passes me on the last hill.

He says, "Man, you were flying. Sit on my wheel." But I do a stage 16 Landis & bonk out.

I lost the stage, but it was a good fight until the end.

The late Marco Pantani would have been proud.

Somebody Saved my Life Tonight

2008-05-26T19:47:00.002-05:00

Attached to my key ring is a 30 year old number 4 hex. A hex is a piece of passive rock climbing equipment.

Fall 1985

As I was topping out on a tough 5.8+ crack climb in Keene Valley (Adirondacks), I peeled off and headed towards the ground 75 feet below.

5 pieces of pro were placed in the crack.

Zipper - big time.

4 pieces blew out.

The 5th and last piece (that no. 4 hex) held.

My partner held a strong belay.

I bounced sideways, 2 feet from the ground. I was white as a ghost.

That no. 4 hex saved my life and is never far from me these days as my good luck charm.

Be a Bum

2008-05-16T08:09:00.002-05:00

"Labor is honorable" - I'm all for that stuff. But at least once in your life, be a (climbing, bike, surf, skiing, etc.) bum.

I was a rock climbing bum in 1984. I spent 2 months climbing & living in Yosemite on $3/day.

In 1985, I worked minimal summer hours, which allowed my buddy & I to bike and climb almost every single day in the Adirondacks.

Needless to say, 1984 & 1985 were very good years.

So, if you can swing it, be the bum that you always wanted to be.

"The goal in life is to make enough money so that you can do the things you used to do when you had no money."

Commit to the Move

2008-05-11T19:20:00.003-05:00

In rock climbing we say, commit to the move. It means that once you have decided to do the move / sequence, then cast off and do it without any doubts - no second guessing yourself - mentally and/or physically.

The second you start thinking about failure is usually when you blow the move and fall (hopefully, you're not soloing).

I think commit to the move also applies to cycling, especially while zipping through traffic at high speeds, riding some rough singletrack and definitively racing.

So once you have decided that you are going, then go.

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right

Bob Dylan

Yamaha

2008-05-08T19:58:00.004-05:00

A kid on my street owned one of these bikes in the mid-1970s. It was a heavy bike for a 12 year old to pedal, but it was sure fun to ride. A pre-full suspension mt bike I guess.

Learning to Climb

2008-05-08T19:01:00.002-05:00

"Experience beats youth any day."

Learning to climb is a lot like learning to drive a car. You think you know what you are doing, but the fact is you're clueless and dangerous.

I'm amazed I wasn't killed during my first few years of rock & ice climbing.

It wasn't like I was making stupid mistakes. My partners and I just didn't have the experience under our belts quite yet.

But we survived somehow, mostly by knowing when to back down. Sure, we didn't make it up a lot of climbs in the beginning, but learning to make objective decisions in the mountains goes a long way in saving your butt.

Like most climbers I know, the early years, though dangerous, are the best years of your life. But you don't realize that until much later in life.

Enjoy your early years, but be safe.

Johnny Cash

2008-04-29T20:04:00.008-05:00

I love punk music from the 1970s.

People often ask - who started punk?

Iggy? MC5? Television? May be?

I say Johnny Cash.

That man was pissed off for sure.

As I was driving to school tonight, I heard a punk rock version of "Ring of Fire". I'm not sure who the band was, but it rocked.

This confirmed my belief that Mr. Cash was the founder of punk.

And plus, Johnny wore all black way before Lou Reed did.

ps: here's the link to the song by Social Distortion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i2ESgR0FUM

Speed & Relative Velocity

2008-04-07T06:18:00.008-05:00

"I like to go fast, and use my brakes as little as possible." - Frank McCormack (national cx champion 1996)

I think most cyclists feel the need for speed. I do. First, there's the physical effort to get there, and once you are there, it takes work to maintain that speed.

Oh, but the joy is worth it.

However, for me, time trials (TT) are not really my bag of tricks.

You would think otherwise, right? I mean, TT is about speed.

The thing is, I like speed relative to objects.

What the heck is Roman Holiday talking about?

TT are all about the open road (most of the time); no one is really around you. So, it's difficult to get that sensation of moving fast and plus, there's not much to occupy your mind except pedal hard and keep your head down.

I like flying through tight traffic, with other bikes all around me. You see, blowing by stationary objects puts speed into perspective. You feel like you're going faster. Also, your brain is processing tons of YES/NO decisions along the way, which all adds up to the "speed blur". The same is true for flying through the woods on a mt bike.

I guess its like skiing on a narrow, tree-lined trail as opposed to skiing a big open bowl. Don't you feel faster in the trees?

In physics, this is known as "Relative Velocity". I'm not sure if it was Newton or Einstein that first described this.

In a nutshell, the velocity of a body, like it's position, must be described with reference to the origin of a coordinate system. The origin is fixed.

So, the velocity (i.e., speed) of the bike is relative to the traffic, other bikes, buildings, etc.

Either way, enjoy the rush.

Nova Scotia (New Scotland)

2008-04-02T06:27:00.006-05:00

Years ago when index shifters on the DOWNTUBE were hot and the US $ was worth something in Canada, I & 3 buddies headed North by Northeast towards Nova Scotia. We caught the ferry in Bar Harbour, Maine & 6 hours & a few beers later we landed in Yarmouth.

During the next few days, we rode from Yarmouth to Shelburne, hung a left at Liverpool, traveled across the interior past the Kajimkujik National Park, then hung another left at Digby & rode back towards Yarmouth in a strong headwind. Once in Yarmouth, we hopped on the ferry again and steamed our way back to Maine.

When I wasn't looking at someone's rear wheel, I remember great views of the countryside & relatively quiet roads to bike on. Also, I remember meeting super friendly & easy going people along the way. And of course, there's Schooner Beer.

If you have a few free days this summer, I highly recommend a bike trip to Nova Scotia.

http://novascotia.com/en/home/default.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schooner_Lager

Don't Play it Again Sam (No Replays)

2008-03-31T06:43:00.006-05:00

I've had many fine adventures thus far in my life - be it by bike, foot, climbing, traveling across the USA on $3/day, etc. Some of these trips are firmly engraved in my brain cells for life.

And I have gone back to repeat some of these trips in an effort to re-capture that great, initial experience. I got news for you sir, it can't be done.

Don't try to relive it. Leave it alone.

I am not sure why this is the case. But I think it's due to the fact the you are always comparing the "repeat" experience to the "initial" experience, and that in itself ruins the "repeat" trip.

As they say, "the end of one adventure is the beginning of another adventure."

Trail Running - Lake George Style

2008-03-11T06:25:00.008-05:00

Up for a nice 20 mile or so trail run overlooking The Narrows of Lake George (ADK, NY)?

Sure you are, then check out the Tongue Mountain Range (TMR).

It's a great loop with super views of the lake. The mountains are not real tall, but lots of ups & downs.

But be careful because during the warmer months there's a good chance that you may step on a Timber Rattlesnake.

So hop in your car, drive North & enjoy the trails

p.s. - About 6 yrs ago, my buddy & I hiked this loop during one long, full-moon January night, that was fun - well sort of - until the stove died. At least there were no snakes.

http://www.naturepanoramas.com/03961112.html#top

Grab the Bull by the Horns

2008-03-09T14:45:00.005-05:00

Aero vs. bullhorns

I know that aerobars are faster.

I've tried aerobars in the past & I just can't get used to them. It just doesn't feel right. And plus, aerobars don't look right on the bike either.

So, what's a struggling triathlete supposed to do?

Slap on a pair of narrow bullhorns & ride'em cowboy/cowgirl.

There's something special & traditional about grabbing onto bullhorns as opposed to resting your elbows on the bike. Bullhorns just want you to crank & go.

So for tri's/TT, I get low, stretched out & narrow with my DYI (flipped & clipped) bullhorns. These bars are very narrow (less than 40 cm). My buddy calls them my "goat horns".

I do OK with this setup. I'm sure a wind tunnel test would tell me to go aero, but it wouldn't be the same.

Bullhorns are classics.

May be I'm just a traditionalist (actually I am), but whenever I watch an old film clip of a rider flying on a TT course with bullhorns, I say to myself, "man, that's cool."

Grab life by the horns as they say & enjoy the ride, especially as you pass a cramped up, hunched over triathlete.

Alternatively, riding some narrow track bars on the drops may also do the trick for you.

Helmet Hair

2008-03-02T21:40:00.010-05:00

I did not wear a helmet from age 5 to 22 years old. I only started to wear a helmet when I began to race in 1985.

I know wearing a helmet is the right thing to do, especially on the trails & in the traffic, but lately I find myself leaving the brain bucket home, at least for the short bike trips to town & back.

Remember the 1989 TdF, Greg vs. Laurent? Greg won by 8 seconds. He wore an aero helmet, which helped for sure. But who could forget Laurent flying thru Paris with his ponytail blowing in the wind behind him (note: Laurent did post the 3rd faster time)

Now that was style.

Bike Snob NYC made a good point last week:

"Helmets have pretty much killed style in road cycling anyway. Not that I have anything against helmets, mind you, but let's be honest. Cycling looked better before helmets." (http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/2008/02/burden-of-being-bsnyc.html)

Anyways, wear your helmet for sure, but we can dream about the good old days when your hair cut meant something in road racing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyvwtOQYQ-E

Toe Clips

2008-02-20T07:43:00.006-05:00

I didn't buy my 1st pair of clip-less pedals until 1999. I was late getting into the game because lack of greenbacks, but more importantly, I liked my pedals & toe clips. I know clip-less pedals are the right way to go, but toe clips are just plain cool.

It's like saddling up on a horse and slidding your feet into a nice pair of stirups.

Also, flying by someone who is riding this year's model on one of my low $$$/low tech bikes gives me such great pleasure.

Lately, I've been looking at toe clips once again.

Maybe I'll outfit Gelato with some nice, new toe clips. Ride 'em cowboy.

How (not) to Rate a Boulder Problem

2008-01-21T13:23:00.000-05:00

John Gill Now
John Gill then

Saying that I like bouldering is like saying the Queen enjoys her afternoon cup of tea. Bouldering is like riding a fixed-gear bike on the track - it's the sport boiled to its core.

When John Gill elevated bouldering into an art form back in the 50's & 60's, a very simple rating system existed. It was the "B" system (B1, B2, B3). Pretty easy to use.

Me, I just rate boulders as "easy" or "hard". What else could it be? In fact, I usually don't rate my problems.

Why? Because bouldering is often a solo journey into self-improvement . And you can't (or shouldn't) rate an experience that's so personal. Bouldering is like dancing. You work on the moves throughout your life, aiming for perfection along the way.

A while back, the V rating system (V1, V2, V3, etc.) got started somehow. This open-ended rating system is similar to the 5th class rating system (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, etc.).

Why now the V rating system? Competition and ego.

Joe wants to say that he's better than Jim, and so on. The conversation would go something like this: "Dude, I just climbed a V9, and you can only climbed a V5, you suck".

Look at surfers - they don't rate their waves with numbers. Surfers just go out and ride, and enjoy the water

Bouldering - it's personal. So leave the V rating system in the trash and just focus on the moves, and more importantly, the experience.

Boys' Night Out

2007-12-26T20:14:00.000-05:00

Here was the plan.

Hike into the Great Gulf, camp out, climb up the Great Gulf to the summit of Mt. Washington (NH), slap on the boards & ski down the auto road (~ 6 mile run), then a pint of the good stuff.

Saturday morning: it's real cold.

Mistake no. 1: we have no snowshoes or skins for the boards (we were young & poor).

Lots of snow on the trail. We don't make it to the Great Gulf. We set up the tent along the trail and get into our sleeping bags.

Sunday morning : very cold. The thermometer says - 40 F. Plus the winds are gusting up to 100+ mph.

Mistake no. 2: we head towards the summit/auto road via a steep & seldom used trail (hey, we were young & dumb).

So here how the day goes: walk 5 feet, then sink up to your waist; walk 5 more feet, then get knock down by a 100+ mph gust of wind.

It's now 4 pm. We are still way below the auto road. Decision time - keep going or bivy out.

4:01 pm: We are digging into a snow drift.

The local news station reports that tonight will be a rough one. Our lady friends are worried since we were supposed to home hours ago.

Monday morning: it's a bit warming & no wind. We pack up and make it to the auto road by noon time. The boards are on & pointed down hill. About 2 hours later, 3 of us are eating 2 large pizza pies.

Traveling lighter and snowshoes would have been key.

Don't You Forget About Me

2007-12-22T17:14:00.000-05:00

Ever since Chouinard and Frost revolutionized ice climbing with their tools, the level of difficulty keeps going up and up.

The current level of mixed climbing is way beyond me. It's amazing.

You see, I'm just an old fashion ice climber who loves motoring up moderate snow & ice gullies.

So while all these mixed climbs are totally rad, don't you forget about the ice gullies.

If you are a Northeastern, this means a road trip to Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington, NH.

Trust me on this one, Mt. Washington is the home to the worst weather (http://www.mountwashington.org/). The weather here is down right dangerous. Usually about 1 - 2 people die a year here due to falls and/or exposure.

Bad weather + a long history of accidents + relative remoteness = a recipe for FUN. It's always an adventure on Mt. Washington.

So put away your mono points and leashless tools. Grab your 12-point crampons and curved ice axe. Don't forget your bivy bag, map and compass.

And head towards these historical gullies.

Pinnacle Gully is the classic NEI 3 climb - enjoy it.

There is only one bad thing about climbing in the Mt. Washington Valley. I can never find a decent slice of pizza anywhere. Oh well, you can't have everything in life.

One last thing, if you have some spare time, hit the backside of Wildcat with your backcountry boards.

BODY HEAT

2007-12-11T07:34:00.000-05:00

Your body has a "set point" for weight, i.e., most folks stay within a certain weight most of their lives.

Your body has a set point for happiness. You're happy or you're not.

I have no facts or clinical trials to back this up, but I believe people have a set point for body heat (aka internal body temperature).

For me, it's 45 - 55F. At these temps, my motor hums like a well-tuned Lincoln, be it by bike or foot.

Some of my buddies prefer hot days. Some prefer cold days, and that's all right, too.

So what's the point Roman?

Well, here's the deal: plan your training & races (i.e., your peaking cycles) around your set point for body heat.

The cold folks may do well at CX. The hot people may excel at a summer time road running marathon.

Find your set point and stack the odds in your favor.

There Is Still Hope

2007-10-31T16:51:00.000-05:00

In these days of overprotected kids, there's still hope.

I was walking my dog last week and I looked up a big hill, and saw two boys (~ 13 y.o.) with skateboards. This hill is long & steep with traffic, and a busy intersection at the bottom. The kids had no helmets or pads on (just like the good old days).

The first kid pushes off and comes flying down the hill, carving some big "S" turns. He makes the intersection no problem. The second kid thinks about it for a few minutes, sucks it up and launches down the hill. He has a lot less control, but makes it down without crashing. He also clears the intersection (barely).

I'm all for safety, but it's great to see kids go for it every now and again.

I gave them the thumbs up as I walk away.

100 x 2 = 200 miles

2007-10-29T13:37:00.000-05:00

About 10 years ago, I was seriously thinking about doing a RAAM style / light weight bike ride across the USA. A credit card & fanny pack type of a ride. I even began to train for it.

I signed up for a somewhat hilly double century (200 miles) to test the waters.

Bike: My 1985 triple crank touring rig (now a single speed) - heavy, but reliable as heck.

Well, how did it go?

It took 13 hours & 20 minutes to cover the 200 miles. I was solo for most of the ride.

I broke the 200 miles down into 50-mile segments. For the most part, I felt pretty good up to about 170 miles. Then I met the "Man with the Hammer". The last 30 miles took me over 2 hours to complete. I could barely keep my head up.

I was like, "please someone hit me with a car & put an end to this suffering". It was rough.

After the ride I felt OK, but about 3 weeks later, my right knee blew out during one of my training rides.

Was it worth it?

Yes & No.

Yes - I realized that I'm not a RAAM type of guy. I'm into short & fast type of rides/races.

No - my knee still bothers me every now & again.

Did I learn anything?

Ultra distance events require lots of homework. You need the miles under your belt for sure.

But more importantly, it's one big mental test. If you got the brains, the muscles will follow.

Give ultra distance a try, at least once in your life.

The Beach Boys Revisited or Skateboarding on Eastern Long Island in the 1970's

2007-10-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

I was driving to work one early Monday morning and a string of Beach Boys' songs came on the radio station. If you grew up near the ocean like I did, your first cassette tape was most likely The Beach Boys (or KISS).

I grew up surfing and boogie boarding like a mad dog. I was the first kid on the beach with a boogie board that I ordered from Surfing magazine. And of course, your skating was a reflection of your moves on the waves. This meant you spent tons of hours carving your way down big hills. Then as surfing became more aggressive, we took to the pools & backyard ramps.

Then hardcore punk hit the scene and "skate & destroy" type of skateboarding took to the streets, hell bent on breaking the rules and pissing people off, which is good, I guess.

But I miss the skate - surf connection.

Things are changing though. More long boards are now out there, ripping up the pavement in true surf style.

Snowboarding was the same way. Early snowboarders were just surfers & skaters who couldn't afford to go South in the winter. So, surfers and skaters took to the snow-covered hills in the winter. Then snowboarding got a "screw you" attitude. But like skateboarding, I think, more boarders are moving out of the park/half pipe and experiencing the joy of curving down the fall line.

I love the ocean. I love the waves. I always wanted my skating & snowboarding to have that connection to the water.

Read up on Gerry Lopez (soul surfer). He's the real deal.

Good vibrations everyone.

LiveStrong

2007-10-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

Last week I did my Hospice clinical rotation, a very humbling experience indeed.

I spent about 45 minutes talking to a patient named John, who was a year younger than me and dying of cancer. John will not see November.

John was wearing a LiveStrong bracelet on his left wrist. It's kind of funny. When these bracelets first hit the scene a few years back, I think most people wore them to be fashionable and in their mind, be linked to Lance somehow.

But right in front of me was John, the real deal. A man who lost the fight.

I'll wear my LiveStrong bracelet with a little more thought from now on.

"The ones that you take for granted the most are the ones that you'll miss the most when they are gone."

The Tie that Binds

2007-09-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

The tie that binds; the cord that connects.

Climbing partners are life-long friends, especially one's early partners.

The climbing partners that survived the "apprentice" years with you remain your closest buddies even if you don't climb with them any longer.

People who climb together have a certain connection that's difficult to explain to other folks.

Sure, climbing rock & ice is great fun. Traveling together to the mountains, the first beer after a tough day at the cliffs, seeing a woman on the rocks (in the early days, ~1980's, that was uncommon), all add to a strong friendship.

But it's the tough times that seal the deal.

Holding a long leader fall, surviving a 100+ mph winds/-40F below bivy together, wondering if the belay anchor is going to hold, down climbing in the dark with no headlamps or moon, this is what makes climbing partners stay "roped up" thru life.

So give your old climbing buddy a call sometime.

SLABS

2007-09-26T16:55:00.000-05:00

May 1982 - "Catharsis" - 5.6 - Pok-o-moonhsine - New York

They say that you're a product of your 1st climb.

I love climbing slabs because it's all about technique. Solid technique leads to a strong mind, which needed for the long run-outs (a common feature to most slabs).

In other words, the little (& weak) guy can be a star on the slabs. No big arms needed here, just some strong calves that you already have from cycling.

Technique:

If you lean in and reach high for the holes, your heels will come up and it's "good bye baby, got to go." You'll be in for a nice downward slide for sure.

So it's simple:

1) lean away from the rock

2) heels down

3) don't over reach for the holes - think baby steps.

Also, slab climbing is all about keeping your rhythm.

"Objects in motion, tend to stay in motion."

In order to find your groove, you definitively need to climb with your eyes. Look at your feet & keep motoring upwards. Don't worry about the pro, it just slows you down.

Less Gear!

Another reason why I love slabs is because less gear is needed. Most slabs lack good pro, so just carry a light rack, which is always a good way to travel.

As I always say, "Faith in equipment replaces faith in oneself."

Finally, check out John Long's "Face Climbing" book. John is one of my favorite writers. He's has tons of great stories out there (check him out).

Have fun on the slabs & remember - heels down.

USE IT or LOSE IT (Part 2)

2007-09-12T10:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about slimming down to increase speed.

Here's another tip -> have your bike go on a diet, too. Strip it down to the bare bones and convert it to a one-gear bike (fixed/ss).

More math:

Skinny rider + 1-gear bike = FAST (and cheap, too)

Roger that!

USE IT or LOSE IT

2007-09-11T22:04:00.000-05:00

"I get embarrassed when I see how slim I was." - Eddy Merckx

In search of a light weight bike, some folks may spend $2000, $3000, $4000 or even $5000. If you got the cash and can buy a nice SEVEN or IF, God bless you.

But if you are like me, "baby needs new shoes" and you can't depart with 5 bills from your wallet.

No problem, I got you covered man.

It all comes down to basic math, or New math, depending on when you went to Grade school.

The equation is:

Total weight = wt. of bike + wt. of rider

The weight of the bike is a constant; the weight of the rider is the variable.

So no need to buy that new S-Works, just lose some weight.

This year I made a big effort to drop some pounds. I went from 165 lbs to 152 lbs.

Did my performance improved? Heck, yeah!

I was able to climb hills like I was wearing the polka dot jersey (not really) and run thru the woods like a deer being chased by my dog (not really). But I was faster for sure and felt better, too.

Look at Lance.

Pre-cancer: ~ 170 lbs and some change
Post-cancer: ~ 158 lbs or so

Enough said there.

How did I do it?

Well, I had a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch... (just pulling your leg).

This was (and still is) the plan:

1) I drank lots of water to feel full.

2) I cut back on my weekly intake of Pop Tarts.

3) I eased up on my beloved dark beer.

4) I ate only 1 P&J instead of 2 P&J's for lunch.

5) I swim lots of laps in the pool and rode Gelato (my Pista) most weekends.

You know the story: burn more calories than what you eat.

Output > Input

However, there is one downside to being mean & lean. Since I have yet to buy a wetsuit, I usually exit the swim leg of a tri shaking like Little Richard. But that's OK. I usually catch up to the wetsuit people somewhere on the hills.

Ease up on the ice cream this winter and you'll be 1 step of the pack come Spring time.

It Ain't so Regular (Route)

2007-09-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

Every beginning rock climber needs a great first lead. One that's within their ability, but also has a good "sharp end" factor attached to it.

If you are a Northeaster like me, look towards the Adirondacks (ADK) for such a route.

The Regular Route (5.5, 700 feet, protection OK for a slab) is such a route. It's located on Chapel Pond, Keene Valley, ADK, Upstate NY.

Why?

Well, it's a nice long slab climb that's not too hard for a beginner, but the protection in some places is lacking. So, you get some fun run-outs along the way to keep you on your toes. And getting down from this route takes a little route-finding skills.

Slab climbing is all about technique. No strong arm bull crap climbing here. Keep your heels low and lean away from the rock. And when the pro is not there, keep your head together.

"Free your mind & your ass will follow."

At the height of my climbing ability, which wasn't much, I climbed this route by myself, only dragging a 9 mm rope & some webbing. What a great experience for a young kid that I was at the time. To this day, I still love this "regular" route.

So, pick up a copy of Don Mellor's guidebook (Don was my original climbing instructor way back in 1982) and hit this route, beginner or not. Make sure it's in the Fall when the leaves are bright and the air is crisp. Weekends are a bit crowded these days, so be there on a weekday.

And don't bring a big rack. A small rack of nuts, hexes & some Friends will do. And like any ADK climb, bring lots of webbing.

Towards the top, I recommend you follow the left facing corner.

And if you are not a beginner and have some experience under your chalk belt, this is a great girl friend (or boy friend) route.

Enjoy.

Blurred Vision

2007-09-01T08:09:00.000-05:00

Be it a local mt. bike race or blowing thru rush hour traffic in mid-town on your fixed, racing is a blur. Your little world becomes fuzzy as you are flying thru trees or passing cars. You're not making the best decisions. You're like, "screw this, I'm just going to bomb this hill without hitting my brakes" or "I'm going to past all of this traffic by blowing up the double yellow line." You're taking risks and you just don't care if self-damage occurs.

May be your brain is starved for O2, so it's not functioning properly. Who the hecks knows?

I personally love that "racing blur" sensation. That's why I race.

It's like you are almost in another time zone. You don't remember much about your surroundings. All you remember is the hard, physical effort of pushing yourself.

I'm not sure if this makes sense to most people, but if you race or try to outrun the traffic, you know what I talking about.

Just keep your head up.

Freedom

2007-08-29T12:24:00.000-05:00

One of the great pleasures in life is the joy of being fit.

Fitness is freedom.

It's the freedom of setting the pace during the Sunday morning group ride.

It's the freedom to attack on the hills.

It's the freedom of traveling great distances.

Fitness doesn't cost you a dime, but it don't come cheap my brothers and sisters. You need to invest time and hard labor into your craft in order to soak up the rewards.

The old school of thought was to have an off-season, mostly during Dec. thru Feb. But I say, one should strive to maintain fitness throughout the year. Yes, your fitness levels will be higher during your peaking cycles, but try not to get into that off-season mode of non-training.

"It's better to burn out than to fade away." Neil Y.

Yes, burn out is a real concern. That's why it's important to have many tricks up your sleeve.

What's my favorite sport/activity? It all depends on the season at hand. When the sun is high & bright, I'm on my bikes. In the cool Fall months, I'm running thru the woods & climbing on boulders. And when the snow hits the mountains, the boards are out of the shed. And all throughout the year, I'm swimming endless laps in the pool.

Fitness is a hard fought battle, so don't lose it during the so called off-season. Keep sharp throughout the year and mix it up to avoid burn out.

An Intimate Affair

2007-08-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

I love crashing thru the woods on my Gary Fisher rigid hardtail, but something is missing.

There is not a direct connection to the dirt.

Trail running is an intimate affair. Slow speeds (relative to a mt bike) and feet-to-dirt are the main factors for making trail running a different experience as compared to the mt. bike.

With running, especially on a very technical trail, your mind-to-feet sensors are usually at overload status. Your brain is processing thousands of commands within seconds. But at the same time, your brain is also soaking up all of the smells & sights that surround you.

With big tires & full suspensions, the lay of the land is lost for the mt. biker, but not for the trail runner. Since every grain of soil, rock and root is touched upon by your feet, a greater sense of the environment is realized.

Throw on a pair of running shoes, hit the trails and get closer to the dirt (this may even improve your mt biking). And in the process, have tons of fun while running thru the woods (& rivers, etc.).

Boom Boxes

2007-07-05T14:18:00.000-05:00

iPhones - iPods - MP3 Players - whatever.

Remember the days when big, bad Boom Boxes ruled the streets? That was cool. With a Boom Box, you could stake out your own little space with your music.

People walking by, for good or bad, had to listen to your music. This usually lead to a conversation between strangers. With iPods, people don't talk to each other anymore. They just walk right by with their ears plugged up listening to some downloaded song instead of supporting their local CD store and staring at their cell phones hoping that someone calls them. It's kind of sad in a way. Everyone is in their own little, non-interacting world.

The only social-able group left are smokers.

A few years back before Joe Strummer passed away, someone asked Joe how he would make the world a better place to live. He basically said, "Turn off the fxxking TV, grab a glass of beer and head towards the streets. Talk to your neighbors, talk to strangers, get to know other people." That's good advice by me.

So, turn off your iPods for a while.

Dust off your old Boom Boxes, drop in a good tape, pump up the volume & head to the streets.

Remember Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing"? Now, that was one bad-ass Boom Box.

Mental Toughness

2007-06-23T17:56:00.000-05:00

What separates the contenders from the pretenders?

Mental Toughness.

Training methods, nutrition and equipment all have reached very high levels these days. As a result, there's a lot of good people out there on the starting line. Each time I move up to a new age group, I always say to myself, this is the year that I'm going to bring home some hardware. But then some guy at the top of my age group spanks me so hard that I go home with my tail between my legs.

Years ago, you may be had a handful of people who could put the hammer down. The rest of us were just there for the beer. Now, only a few of us bring beer coolers and the rest of the field is so serious.

Who gets to stand on the podium?

It's the mental toughness (MT) factor.

It's not that mental edge, visualization or "the zone" bullshit. In my mind, MT is all about pain. Physically, most people who train hard are fairly similar in terms of physical output. It's about; "thy who suffers the most, wins" or as high school track coach used to say, "gut it out you wussy". Even if you are in top notched shape, it's still going hurt. As Greg Lemond once said, "It doesn't get any easier, you just get faster."

It all comes down to this: who has the highest pain thershold? Who can endure more pain than the rest of the field?

How to improve?

Learn to accept pain or at the very least, get used to it. And if you happen to enjoy pain, then most likely you'll be putting the hurt on everyone else.

In the past, great mountaineers (e.g., R. M.) used to train for winter ascents by taking ice baths and running bare-handed in the middle of the winter carry snowballs. They were trying to simulate the pain that they would be feeling on the actual climb.

How to perpare for suffering on the bike? Go out for a fast ride with the big boys and try to keep up. Or my personal favorite, go out for a long ride and carry no food. Bonk, but keep pushing through that wall.

"To such an extent that racers include a blowup in their training. I remember Fignon, three days before the World Championships, setting off to do three hundred kilometers alone, with a cereal bar. He went out to meet the Man with the Hammer. If Fignon needs it, just about any clown, like me, can use a blowup too." - Paul Fournel, "The Need for the Bike"

As they say, "what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger".

Feel the burn and push on through.

Get Up, Stand Up for your Hills

2007-05-31T07:33:00.000-05:00

How to get up hills on a 1-gear bike?

Lets talk physics.

You got your potential energy and you got your kinetic energy. Potential energy is really energy based on the position of the object to do work whereas kinetic energy is energy when the object is actually in motion. For example, a large boulder sitting on top of a cliff has the potential to roll down the cliff and cause some serious damage to the climbers below. The rolling boulder itself is the kinetic energy.

Physics was not my strongest subject in school, but you get the general picture of energy.

Getting up hills on a 1-gear bike is all about converting that potential energy into kinetic energy. As you approach any hill, you need to increase or at the very least, maintain your speed as you begin your ascent. In other words, you need to carry your momentum all the way through and attack the hill with speed, which makes sense because momentum is just the product of mass times velocity (p = m x v).

On the road this is pretty easy to do, just crank it up and go after the hill like it’s your long lost girlfriend. Hopefully, you are topped out before oxygen debt kicks in. On the dirt, it’s a different story. It’s not always easy to build up momentum before you attack a hill. That’s why reading the terrain on a 1-gear mt. bike is so important and takes some experience to dial it in. You need to know when to rev it up and when to coast through. This makes riding single speed mt. bikes fun and challenging, too.

Free tip # 1– people talk about weaving your fixed down a hill like a salmon ski racer in order to slow down. But I say, weave your way up a hill to make it easier. Think about hiking up a mountain. Most mountains have switchbacks to make the climb easier. So on a tough hill, cut across the road to reduce the steepness of the climb. Also, practice coming out of the “S” turn at a sharp angle and you’ll pick up a little speed to see you through the next turn (kind of like pumping your skateboard on the flats to maintain speed).

Al Gore is Right

2007-05-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

I was never a big Al Gore fan, but he’s onto something – global warming.

What does a single-speeder like me know about global warming? The answer is lots. I won’t bore you with the details, but I spent ~ 3 years drilling and analyzing ice cores from Greenland and the South Pole (http://www.ccrc.sr.unh.edu/). And the fact is, Earth is heading down a rough road. Throw in the future lack of oil into the mix, and we have a world of trouble ahead of us.

I’ll probably be dead by the time the world implodes, but future generations will have a lot to deal with.

The ice core data show that man is impacting the atmosphere and the planet is slowly warming – no debate there. As that continues to happen, all sorts of shit will hit the fan - Mad Max part II. Water will become more valuable than oil.

What will affect the Earth the most, in my opinion? Well, as the temperature begins to increase, huge amounts of fresh water (from the melting polar ice caps) will be dumped into the world’s oceans. In very simple terms, the oceans affect the global climate. So, you start messing around with the oceans; you’ll change the global climate for sure.

Look at the company Patagonia; they are slowly shifting from an alpine company to a surf company – less ice, more surf (http://www.thecleanestline.com/).

Can “one gear conquers all” save the world? Sure it can. By living simply, you can do a lot to slow down global warming. We are all consumers. The question is how can we each reduce our own footprint?

For me, it’s simple. I live in a modest house, keep my thermostat at 60°F & use no AC in the summer. Yes, I drive a car, but I bike to work about 7 months out of the year. I do other things like try to buy locally, use an old-fashion push lawn mower when possible, etc., but the most important thing that I do is THINK before I buy. It takes lots of energy to make & ship stuff, be it sneakers or CDs. So before I buy something, I say, “do I really need it?”

“Wear it out, make it last, make do or do without it” – An old New England saying.

Does one suffer from the lack of crap? No. By reducing the crap in your life, you become more focused on the things that really matter to you. Reduction is clarity. Think about a fixed gear bike. All the unnecessary parts are stripped away and you just focus on one thing – pedaling. How great is that?

Do your part to prove Al Gore wrong.

Reflections on a Fine Adventure

2007-05-18T06:31:00.000-05:00

About this time last year, I along with two buddies rode our bikes from the Bay Area down to San Diego, CA. Two of us (Casey Shimizu & Roman Holiday) rode our single speed bikes. A few weeks later, I wrote a short story called “Never Pass Up a Clean Bathroom”, which was posted on October 31, 2006. That short piece of literature was a first hand narrative of our travels over five days.

Looking back on that trip after a year has passed me by; I have realized that our bike trip was much more than just pedaling our way down the coast.

Way back in 1984, when I was just 21 years old and obsessed with rock climbing (and pissed off with my ex-girl friend), I stuffed $300 (all of my savings) into my wallet and headed West on a Greyhound bus (sounds like a country song). About 4 days later, I was sleeping on pine needles in Yosemite Valley. I had a photocopy of a map from an old National Geographic magazine & enough oatmeal to last me the summer. I was set for life.

I spent the summer living on about $3 a day (it was easy to skip out on campground fees back in those days when you were a backpacker). Living so simply allowed me to climb, hike and enjoy the mountains everyday – no distractions. That trip drove home my love for the mountains that has been with me my whole life. Yosemite Valley is firmly implanted in my brain forever.

OK, back to present.

Our 2006 “One Gear One Coast” bike trip is also firmly implanted in my brain cells for similar reasons. Casey Shimizu and I decided to stripped away all of the bullshit and just focus on the ride – no distractions.

So, we packed lightly and rode simply.

This allowed us to solely focus on the movement of the bike through some incredible scenery.

Most of those five days of traveling down the coast are really just a blur in my mind, but certain sections of the trip still remain very clear in my memory. Times when work is rough, I often think about us three hammering our way towards San Diego as I also think about my many “sleeping under the stars” nights during my summer in Yosemite.

At the end of the day, only four things really matter in life - family, friends, health and memories. So get on that bike and go. Keep your trips simple. Memories of fine adventures will last you a lifetime.

For Casey Shimizu’s description of his single speed adventure, please read “The Original Ride” - http://straightchain.com/information.php?info_id=5&osCsid=1ed203f12633be1452b2fa9bf80bca96

The Three Kings - Bouldering in NJ

2007-05-11T10:12:00.000-05:00

Forget Cradle Rock in Princeton (NJ). Princeton is full of snobs anyways and spoiled college kids. And plus, Cradle Rock is now closed to climbers.

Morris County (NJ) is the place to be for bouldering in the Garden State (and yes, there are still gardens in NJ). Trust me on this one. I’ve been looking for boulders in NJ for almost 18 years now. And the funny thing is that the three best places to hit are all within ~ 15 minutes or so of each other.

The Three Kings are:

Tourne Park
Pyramid Mountain
Split Rock

I have been bouldering for a long time throughout the Northeast and a little bit out West, and some of these rocks are good as it gets. No need to travel up to the Gunks every weekend and contend with the beanie-wearing kids who probably don’t even know who John Gill is. How can you boulder and not know who John Gill is? Read “John Gill: Master of Rock” by Pat Ament.

All of these boulders are essentially located within the Denville / Boonton town lines.

Maps can be obtained through the Morris County NJ Park Commission and/or just buy a Morris County road map.

Here’s the skinny are each area.

First, some rules to (please) follow:

No. 1: Bouldering is not “officially” allowed in these parks - maintain a low profile bro.
No. 2: Be nice to the hikers and the high school kids making out in the woods.
No. 3: Don’t even think about littering.
No. 4: Keep your group small (2 - 3 people max).
No. 5: Ease up on the chalk.
No. 6: No landscaping around the boulders.
No. 7: Check yourself for ticks, especially for deer ticks.

Tourne Park:

Most of the good boulders are located inside of the “loop” trail. The rocks are very easy to find. This is a great place to get a lot of hang time without burning too much daylight as most of the boulders are close to each other. Have fun. Afterwards, hit the Denville Diary for a vanilla milk shake (the original power drink).

Pyramid Mountain:

This is my favorite place to trail run & explore in NJ. Check out my Dec. 20th (2006) posting for the low down on the boulders. Lots to do here – enjoy the area.

Split Rock:

This is my newest area to explore. I have scouted out some nice boulders during some of my hikes here. The hike around the lake is a great trail run. Also, this is a great place to practice open water swimming even though swimming is not allowed here. But again, keep a low profile and you should be OK. Just stay away from the dam; otherwise you’ll be sucked over the falls. I’ll report more on the bouldering once I fully check out the rocks here, but there appears to be lots to do.

To sum it all up, 3 of the best places to boulder in NJ, in my opinion, are all located in beautiful and expensive Morris County NJ. Like most of my posted “guides”, I purposefully leave out the details so that individuals can explore and make some mistakes along the way.

In today’s world of GPS, OnStar, www, etc., there’s not much out there to discover on your own. So roam through the woods, get dirty, figure things out on your own & climb as many rocks as you can, and may be I’ll see you out there.

http://www.morrisparks.net/index.asp

Respect Your Elders

2007-05-10T08:05:00.000-05:00

“Experience beats youth every time.”

Let me set the stage for you. I am older than 40, but younger than 45, and consider myself to be in decent shape with the amount of training that I can squeeze in between work and life.

As I was cycling home yesterday from work (~ 25 miles one way), I hooked up with another cyclist with about 9 miles to go. I am guessing that this guy was about 55 or so.

The cat and mouse game begins.

I pass him; he passes me. Every time that I think I dropped him, he’s right back on my wheel. As we come upon a red light, I slow down in order to stop. I turned to my left and this guy blows right through the red light. I’m like, shit, this guy is serious. So, I pushed hard and passed him again.

I start feeling sick to my stomach, which means that I am at or near my max heart rate. Anyways, this guy is giving me a true run for my money.

As we slow down and approach town together, he reaches out and shakes my hand and says, “Hello, I’m Johnny D.” I’m still in a race haze, so I am not sure if I caught his name correctly. We talked for a bit, a real friendly guy.

Then I said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but how old are you?” Johnny D. says, “67.” Damn, you’re 20 years older than me and you taught me a lesson out there on the road. “Well, I try to ride 25 miles everyday” says Mr. D.

As we went our separate ways, I said, “You’re a true inspiration to me, 67 and still schooling the youngsters. God bless you.”

I vowed to push my training a bit harder next time.

Heaven

2007-04-27T07:15:00.000-05:00

“Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.” – Talking Heads

Riding a one-gear bike takes effort, especially when hills are involved. And sometimes it’s a real struggle out there. But every so often, Heaven is reached on the road. The grade of the road, the selected gear ratio and leg strength all come together at once to form Heaven on Earth. And then at this point, you are effortlessly flying down the road, like you are being towed up a ski slope, passing anyone who stands in your way.

For me it typically happens, but not always, on a long, slight uphill. But you can never truly predict when you’ll reach Heaven, but you’ll know for sure once you are there. There’s no denying it. And as soon as it happens, it’s over. Don’t try to hang on to it. Let it go brother; walk away from it. Too much of a good thing is bad. Look what happened to Adam & Eve.

The funny thing is that I don’t reach Heaven on my geared bikes. Yeah sure, I get into a nice groove on my racing machine, but it’s not the same thing. I’m not sure why? May be we (i.e., one-gear riders) are being rewarded for all of our suffering.

Unless you have experienced Heaven on a one-gear bike (fixed or single speed), it’s hard to explain to someone who has not been to the Promise Land. And this my brothers and sisters is why riding a one-gear bike is so special – we can taste a little bit of Heaven on Earth without selling our souls to Mr. Shimano.

Amen to that.

Gearing Down

2007-04-25T07:19:00.000-05:00

Let me say up front, I could never push a big gear. I’m a spinning, not a masher.

For my one gear road and dirt bikes, I have tried them all. 48 x 16, 48 x 18, 46 x 18, 42 x 16, 42 x 17, 42 x 18 and 40 x 18. Keep in mind, I live in a hilly area and I enjoy riding the hills.

After experimenting with a wide range of gear ratios (81 – 60”), I’m convinced that going low is the way to go except if you ride in a totally flat area. Gearing down is good for your knees. Gelato (my fixed/single speed Pista) is geared at 69” for the roads and Roman Holiday (my single speed cyclo-cross rig) is geared at 60” for the trails.

Rule number one in life – protect thy knees. Trust me on this one. If you cycle, run, ski, hike, etc., your knees will bark back one day, some sooner than others. But by taking good care of your knees now, you can remain active & fit until you are 6 feet under. So going light on the gears is the right thing to do.

When cranking on a big gear, especially on a hill, fluid is displaced out from under the patella (i.e., knee cap). No fluid equals bone on bone. Then the underside of the knee cap begins to wear down and this will lead to chromdromalacia – pain and loss of some mobility. By staying light on the gears, one spins with great ease on the flats and the hills now become bearable (i.e., less pressure on the knees, which is a good thing). No doubt you’ll lose some of your speed on the flats, but you’ll thank me in 20 years from now for your healthy knees. And plus, spinning fast looks cool.

Here’s another tip: keep thy knees warm. I wear knee warmers up to 70F. A warm knee is a happy knee. And now you have an excuse to wear those hip knickers.

Note: I am an EMT, and not a doctor (I don’t even play one on TV), but I have lots of experience dealing with all types of acute and chronic injuries. The key to remaining active is treat your body parts nicely at a young age and you’ll be on the go for a very long time until cancer or something else kills you. Unless you’re a professional cyclist, why hurt yourself? We are just trying to add a few more years to our lives.

There is one good piece of news to report on my so-called damaged knees. I can tell you, with a great amount of certainty, if it is going to rain or snow up to 3 days in advance.

Bike Commuters

2007-04-18T06:37:00.000-05:00

Bike Commuters – the forgotten class.

Right now, it’s hip to be a bike messenger (or at least someone who dresses like one). And to those messengers who are in it for the long term, hats off to you guys (and girls). It’s a rough gig for sure.

But how about us bike commuters?

We are also out there everyday, dealing with the same dumb ass, Starbucks drinking, cell phone talking, MapQuest directions reading SUV drivers. And plus we don’t even paid for riding our bikes, at least not directly (i.e., we do save money on gas). The big bonus is that we are helping Al Gore to reduce CO2 and slow down global warming by leaving the car at home.

Even though most bike commuters do not usually have tats and other various forms of body art, most of us do have a bit of a punk attitude under our 3-piece suits. I mean riding a bike to work, especially in a crowded traffic area, is all about taking a stand against the status quo. Yes, we are rebels too.

So for all you bike messengers out there, give us a nod the next time you pass one of us (or when we pass you). We are brothers and sisters of the cog.

Escarpment Trail Run

2007-04-06T08:05:00.000-05:00

Escarpment Trail Run

Catskills, NY

Last Sunday in July

30 km (~ 19 miles)

10,000 ft up & down

West to East

Start on Rt. 23, Windham High Peak (~4 miles), Blackhead (~10 miles), Stoppel Point (~15 miles) & Finish at North Lake

The Escarpment Trail Run is THE classic Northeast trail race. I ran this race a few years back and had a blast.

The Adirondacks and the Whites get all of the attention, but the forgotten Catskills, in some ways, are a better deal. First of all, the place is empty, especially in the winter. Even though these mountains are only about 2.5 hours north of NYC, there is much wilderness to be had if one is up for a little exploration. Also, the Catskills have great ice to climb. Not much rock, but the Gunks are just down the road – so no problem there. And one last thing, most of the trails in the Catskills tend to go straight up, no western switchbacks here. So, these small peaks are a great cardio-training ground. The Slide Mt. Loop (~ 19 miles or so) is my favorite training route.

Here’s the scoop on the Escarpment Trail Run. The race starts on Rt. 23 and goes west to east. The first major peak is Windham at ~ 4 miles, no big deal. This is an easy cruise to the top. Next at ~ 10 miles is Blackhead. It takes a stout effort to reach the top here. Dropping down on the backside is a bit rough on the knees. The last big peak is Stoppel Point (~ 15 miles). After that, it’s a downhill cruise to North Lake.

The question that every Escarpment virgin asks, “Is it hard?”

The application paints a grim picture and the qualifications are a bit steep in order to run the race, but I personally thought that the race wasn’t too difficult.

Here’s why.

Sure, if you’re coming strictly from a road running background, you’ll suffer. But if you have spent much time in hiking boots, you’ll be fine. For me, the Escarpment was only my second long distance trail run, but for the last 30 years or so, I’ve been roaming the mountains of the Northeast. And when I hike, it’s usually at a fast pace. I come from a family of fast walkers. When I was in 6th grade, my brothers and I did the March of Dimes Walk-a-thon in 5 hours flat (that's 20 miles). I was speed hiking before speed hiking was hip. Trail running, at least on very technical trails, is just speed hiking.

So, I approached the Escarpment Trail Run as just another speed hike. I carried a small pack with 100 oz water (heat is always the X-factor for this race), some P&Js and corn chips (great for salt replacement). Throughout the race, I drank and pissed like a racehorse. I crossed the finish line just under 5 hours and felt great at the end. My time was about 1 hour below the 6-hour cut-off mark. The winning times are about 3 hours, but considering that the only training I did was walking my dog, riding my bike and some long day hikes, my time of less than 5 hours was not too shabby. And plus, I took my time on the down hills to preserve my knees (why wreak your knees when you’re a middle-of-the-packer?).

Yes, the Escarpment has a well-deserved reputation as a tough race, but if you spend lots of time hiking in the mountains and approach race day as just another speed hike adventure, you’ll do fine.

Sign up and run it. And watch for the bees.

http://escarpmenttrail.com/

Saturday Morning Ride

2007-04-02T07:20:00.000-05:00

Gelato (my beloved Pista) and I were out for our usually Saturday morning training ride when I looked behind me and pace line of four riders were gaining on us. I’m still recovering from a left knee injury, so my legs are a bit weak at the moment. But I have been swimming like damn AquaMan all winter – doing endless laps and intervals – so my lungs are super strong.

Anyways, I hold off the pace line for about 5 minutes or so, but then I looked to my left and there they were. As the third guy passes me, he looks at Gelato and then he looks at me, and says with a smart ass tone in his voice – “Oh, a traditionalist.” I smiled and say, “Just enjoying the ride.” But deep down inside I’m thinking, “Screw you pretty boy.”

So, I slipped in behind the pace line. Gelato is so quite that I don’t think they realized that I was back there. After a few minutes, I am rested and ready to put the hammer down. As we approach a tight left bend in the road with an upcoming car, I jumped left onto the double yellow and sprinted past the pace line. I red-lined it for about a minute. Then I ease back into the saddle, get low on the ball horns and get down to business. I never looked back; I just spin like a madman. My lungs hurt and I feel sick to my stomach. When I finally eased up and looked around, the pace line is way behind me. I’m hurting, but at the same time, I feel good.

Yeah, I’m a traditionalist. I have a tradition of kicking your butt when you make a dumb ass comment at Gelato and me.

Towards the end of my ride, I chased down a rider on the last big hill, which took a stout effort to do. When I finally pulled up to the rider, I discovered that the rider was an older woman out on her Bike Friday – just enjoying the ride. We had a nice talk as we headed into town.

Dressing the Part

2007-03-30T09:45:00.000-05:00

Know what bugs me? People who dress the part, but when you call their bluff, they know Jack.

For example, truck driver hat wearing, PBR drinking hipsters who think they’re bike messengers, 50 year old MBA guys riding Hogs who think they’re bad boys, North Face jacket Blue-Tooth yuppies who think they’re hardcore climbers, etc.

Case in point, I was walking down a hill yesterday with my dog Scout and we ran into 2 kids with skateboards walking up. Yeah, they were dressed the part with their “skateboard clothes”.

So I said to them, “You guys going run the hill from the top?” Then one of the skaters said, “That’s sick, dude”. I reply, “When I was your age, we used to bomb hills like this all the time. Just point it straight and ride it out.” They gave me a nasty look like shut up old man. My departing words were, “You guys are wussies and you’re a disagree to the Z-boys.” They said, “Z who?” I just lowered my head and walked away in disgust.

When I started to skateboard in the early 1970’s, there were no “image clothes”; except for some local surfing t-shirts. You just wore whatever clothes you had, which were pretty much hand-me-downs from the older brothers. We just wanted to skate as much as possible. Clothes were secondary.

Now image, via heavy-duty marketing, drives everything (e.g., brand named clothes, iPods, flip-flops, etc.). Image is more important than the actual activity itself. In my upper-middle class neighborhood, I see tons of kids walking around while holding their boards like a damn prop. I just want to yell, “Drop the board and skate.”

Just go out and do it. And don’t worry so much about your looks.

Labor is Honorable

2007-03-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

“Lord, give me work that’s open to the sky and that’s honest as the horse between my knees.” - Johnny Cash (the original punk rocker)

There’s a statue of E.J. Johnson (as in shoes) on the west side of Binghamton (NY) in Rec. Park that says, “Labor is Honorable”. That statue was a gift from the townspeople to Mr. Johnson, who at one time had most of the Triple Cities’ residents on the payroll.

Hard work keeps you honest.

Hard work is good for the soul.

It’s good to see more and more folks riding one gear bikes because Americans are getting way too fat, lazy and soft. (Why hasn’t a US runner won a major marathon in years? Please see previous sentence for answer.) We, as a country, want everything so easy and guaranteed.

Just look at our immigration mess in the US. Why can’t our government come up with a fair and legal immigration system? It shouldn’t be that difficult? Right?

Know why our government hasn’t come up with an immigration solution? Who else would dig our ditches? Who else would cut our lawns? When I grew up, we all spent time at the end of a shovel. Middle class Americans don’t dig holes any more. And me, I’m probably the only guy in my neighborhood that still cuts his own lawn.

OK. Focus (sorry).

With a geared bike, you know that you can make it over any hill. The only question is, how fast? On a one gear bike, it takes a stout effort to get over any hill and the outcome isn’t always certain. The “walk of shame” is always a possibility. It takes good, old hard work to ride hills on a one gear bike.

So, get on that one gear bike and earn your hills (or as they say in backcountry skiing, “earn your turns”). And don’t be afraid of a little hard work, it’s good for you.

More Years, Less Gear

2007-02-12T08:41:00.000-05:00

When I first started to cycle and climb seriously in my early 20’s, I was obsessed with gear.

This was pre-Internet days. So like most people, I spent a lot of time skimming catalogs and reading magazines like Climbing. Also, many hours were spent in the local bike and climbing shops talking to the owners and other customers while eyeing and touching the new gear.

(Please support your local bike and mountain shops.)

I guess gear is important in the beginning because everything in the sport is new and success is often proportional to the amount of gear one has their pack.

“If I had lighter wheels, I could be faster.”

“If I had a no. 4 Friend, I could lead that crack.”

Plus gear is fun. It makes you part of a community. It provides you with an identity. How many times have you seen a biner clipped to a pack?

Anyways, gear is important as one learns their craft and gains experience. But as one gets more proficient, less gear is needed.

Watch a solid climber climb; they hardly place any gear as compared to a beginner who sews up a 5.5 crack. And the truly great ones (e.g., John B.) just solo.

This also applies to bikes. A talented cyclist on a DYI single speed can put the hammer down and beat most people to the line. There’s no greater joy in life than a single speed passing a $5000 Seven.

More experience allows one to travel with less gear, but I think there’s more to it than that.

As one grows older, I think most people just don’t want to deal with all that crap. As I head into the mountains these days, I tend to take less and less. I just want to get moving and enjoy my time.

And when comes to cycling, that’s the beauty of one gear bikes - less parts to break, more time to ride.

This all comes back to “one gear conquers all”, which is another way of saying that you really don’t need all that gear in life if you have the skills to get the job done.

How to Snowboard - RELAX

2007-02-05T08:20:00.000-05:00

In climbing they say, “relax your mind and your ass will follow.”

In snowboarding I say, “relax your body and mind, and your board will follow.”

If you think of the snow slope as a giant ocean wave, then your boarding will approach a new level. And by relaxing your body and mind, you’ll get to that level sooner.

Go out to the ocean or rent a surfing flick, and watch how surfers surf. They don’t fight the waves because they can’t. You can’t fight the ocean. Nature always wins.

Good surfers relax and ride with the flow of the wave.

So the next time you start carving your way down the slope, relax and just ride the contours of the hill.

I have an old climbing t-shirt from 1986 that says, “Fight Gravity.” In snowboarding, your t-shirt shirt should say, “Don’t Fight Gravity.”

Once you get into this mindset, your riding will improve along with your enjoyment.

Go with the flow of the slope and enjoy the ride.

Surf’s up.

Snowboarding Roots

2007-02-02T08:10:00.000-05:00

Roots – I’m not talking about the ABC mini-series.

As the title of the book written by Keith David Hamm says, I’m “Scarred for Life”.

I love skiing and for the last two winters, I’ve been working on my tele-turn. However, it’s hard to ignore your roots.

I skateboarded non-stop for about 10 years (1972 – 1982). I was heavily influenced by the Dogtown and Z-boys era. (Lately, I’ve been looking at buying a new long board.)

During the winters, we snurfed. For you younger kids out there, a snurfer was a small yellow wooden board, no metal edges, no bindings (except for the bike tubes that you nailed on) and a rope connected to the bow of the board.

No steering and limited turns only, just point it straight and ride it out.

Next came Burton boards. Early on, Burton boards meant the same thing as snowboards to us.

Throughout college, I skied (alpine, x-c & telemark), but in the mid-1990s, I started to snowboard again (on a real board, hey where’s the rope?). I snowboarded hard for 10 years and then switched back to tele-skiing.

But on last Wednesday, due to sore knees and an inner force to re-connect, I was back on the board. What a blast. It felt great. I just love cruising down the groomers, carving wide-open turns. It brings me back to my early skating days where we were just interested in walking up the biggest hills and enjoying the long/fast ride down.

Yeah, we spent time in pools and backyard ramps, but most of our skating was spent on the asphalt hills and that’s why I just love the slopes and not the park.

In climbing, they say that you are a product of your first climb. I guess this also applies to skating and snowboarding.

Once you’re in, you’re in.

I will always love skiing, but my heart and soul is with the snow surfing. It’s always a nice feeling going back to your roots.

p.s. My beloved snurfer snapped in two as I was trying to ride some bumps on a steep hillside (behind my favorite bar) during my college days. Rest in peace little snurfer girl.

The Classics - Trap Dyke & Eagle Slide

2007-01-22T08:48:00.000-05:00

The Classics

Trap Dyke (Colden) & Eagle Slide (Giant)

The two best climbs in the Adirondacks (ADK), without a doubt, are Trap Dyke on Colden and Eagle Slide on Giant. Both of these climbs are “only” rated class 3 with a few class 4 moves here and there, but at the end of the day, there are no two better climbs in the Northeast. They have everything – route finding, bushwhacking, exploration, beautiful locations, exposure, tall summits and fun descents. If experience means more to you than ratings and competition, then head towards Colden and Giant.

- Trap Dyke (Colden)

This is a great scramble in both summer and wintertime. Start by hiking in from the ADK Loj, pass Marcy Dam (home of the newbie campers) and head towards Avalanche Lake. The hike (or ski) into Avalanche Lake itself is a worthwhile trip. Hike around the lake, pass a large boulder at the top of the lake and then make your way towards the start of the climb.

The first part of the climb is a fun scramble up an often wet gully. Don’t forget to look down at the lake. As one reaches the small waterfall (i.e., top of the gully), climb the wall to the right. Most folks rope up for this small section.

Once above the waterfall, hike for a bit until you can exit to the slide on your right. Don’t exit too early because the summit slides are quite steep here. More than one person has gotten hurt here. There should be a faint herd path to follow that leads to the correct exit route.

Once on the summit slides (don’t forget to look down at the lake again), head straight up to the summit of Colden. The rock here is fantastic, so trust your feet and enjoy the ride up. The views and exposure from these slides are worth the efforts to get here.

After you top out, relax on the summit and enjoy the views of the High Peaks. Remember; please don’t step on the alpine plants.

There are two options for heading down. No. 1 – hike down the backside of Colden and head back towards the ADK Loj. No. 2 – scramble down the back slide for a complete traverse of Colden (highly recommended). The initial section is a bit steep, but after that, it’s easy street. At the bottom of this slide, hang a left and hike back towards the ADK Loj. If your tele-skills are solid, then strap on your boards and tear this bad boy up in the winter.

- Eagle Slide (Giant)

Giant Mountain has great slides on both its eastern and western sides; Eagle Slide is located on the west side of town. Start hiking in from the parking lot. Pretty soon, you’ll come across a large stream. Hang a left and follow the stream upwards. When in doubt, always follow the largest branch of the stream. After a nice bushwhack, you’ll reach the base of Eagle Slide. The beginning and end of the climb are relatively steep, so watch your step. Again, the rock here is great, so just motor on up. A little rope work here and there may come in handy for some people. At the end of the climb, just follow the path to the summit of Giant, which is right there.

After some snacks and a nap, just head down the hiking trail back to your car. Again, if your backcountry skiing skills are up to snuff, ski the mighty Eagle in the winter when the conditions are right just as the “Ski to Die” boys did years ago on crappy gear (leather boots and skinny skis).

- Final Thoughts

Climbing, hiking and skiing in the ADK should be about how to figure things out on your own. And because of that, I purposely left out many details so that everyone can truly explore and enjoy these two classic climbs.

A Feel for the Road - One Gear Riding

2007-01-09T08:34:00.000-05:00

A lot has been written about one gear riding (i.e., fixed gear / single speed). People talk about the purity, the simplicity, the coolness factor, etc.

For me, riding a one gear bike is all about the “feel for the road”.

Don’t get me wrong; I love riding my single crank geared bike (42 x 12-25), especially if I am planning on traveling fast and far over big hills. But on a geared bike, you really do not feel the road. As the road rises or falls, one automatically shifts to more or less maintain the same pedal cadence throughout the ride.

But on a one gear bike, it’s a different story.

As the road goes up, your cadence slows down and the effort is more pronounced. One the backside of a hard fought hill, you start to spin until you feel no more resistance and then you spin some more. Once you have “spun out”, you coast and enjoy the ride. Unless you are on a fixed, then you are still spinning like crazy.

With a one gear bike, the rider becomes much more aware of the contours of the land and the ride is that much sweeter.

The One-Two Punch

2007-01-04T10:59:00.000-05:00

Mt. Algonquin and Mt. Marcy in One Long Winter Day

January 2001

Tom and I drive five hours North.

11 pm - ADK Loj parking lot

Midnight - hiking towards Algonquin.

We are traveling super light for a winter trek above treeline - stove and summer sleeping bags only. Less weight - more speed.

3 am - We fall asleep somewhere along the trail. Of course, we are freezing in seconds.

5 am - Get up, take a piss and push onwards.

We hit the top of Algonquin around 6 am. Amazing pink alpenglow everywhere. We are filled with energy. We run down the steep backside of Algonquin and dump into Lake Colden.

My right knee is killing me. I throw down 800 mg of vitamin I.

I'm going to pay for this later on in life.

Find a lean-to, eat, drink and take a short rest.

Decision time - head home via Avalanche Lake or stick with the original plan and head towards Marcy?

Tom votes for Marcy. I roger that.

Somewhere along the way, I bonk. I am totally spent.

Tom starts feeding me packets of GU. If I had a needle, I would have cooked that shit up and put it into my veins like a Basketball Diary junkie.

I'm moving once again. We head up.

The backside of Marcy is still a wild place, at least in the winter. We pass Lake Tear of the Clouds, the source of the mighty Hudson River. It starts so pure and ends so polluted. It's a shame.

I think it's early afternoon when we pop onto the summit of Marcy. Tons of people are there (who came up the frontside). Someone asked me where did we come from? I pointed towards Algonquin and said over there. And then I said, really.

There's a point in every adventure where you know that you are home free. As we headed down the frontside of Marcy, I knew we made it.

We were back in the ADK Loj parking lot around 6 pm.

Sleep, wake up, eat and drive home.

18 hours - 2 big peaks - light packs.

Hiking across the Great Range during winter in one long solo push enters my mind. I wonder if it's possible?

No Bike Taxis in NYC

2007-01-02T08:47:00.000-05:00

I just got back from the city and I noticed for the first time, lots of bike taxis in and around Times Square (remember when Times Square was just triple X theaters and hookers? Man, I miss those days.).

These oversized tricycles don’t belong on the city streets of New York. To survive on a bike in NYC, one needs to be quick (as in making decisions), fast (as in speed) and nimble (as in Jack jumped over the candle stick and missed getting doored by some dumb ass SUV).

These bike taxis clog up the streets, piss off the real cab drivers and take business away from the horse and buggies working Central Park South.

I know some cities, like San Diego, have a bunch of these bike taxis working the tourist trade down at the harbor. But New York isn’t San Diego. New York isn’t sunny, clean, healthy or happy. New York is black as a GAP t-shirt. Listen to Lou Reed’s “New York” and you’ll understand why bike taxis don’t belong here.

Keep NYC street level, the gear one and the wheels two.

Bouldering at Pyramid Mountain Park

2006-12-20T16:10:00.000-05:00

Pyramid Mt. Park is in Morris County, New Jersey, as is Tourne Park. In Paul Nick's guidebook, he gave Pyramid Mt. little press. I guess because the boulders at Tourne are much easier to get to and they are much closer to each other. The boulders are more spread out at Pyramid and a little more hidden. I usually run between the boulders for a great work out.

Here are the main rocks. Some of the boulders are listed in Paul's book. You can also pick up a free map at the visitor's center, call Morris County Parks Dept. or buy Paul's guidebook. There are lots of rocks in this park; just keep your eyes open (especially in the winter). Please be low key about your climbing (i.e., no ropes, pick up trash and be nice to the hikers).

As one hikes up towards the power lines, there is an obvious boulder on your right. The trail then splits; take the White Trail on your left (it dips down) towards Bear Rock (largest boulder in NJ, I think). You will see a small slab on your left (they sometimes ice up in the winter). Bear Rock will be obvious. Next to Bear Rock is a great, smaller boulder I call Baby Bear.

Baby Bear:

1. Climb the left corner if one is facing the overhanging face.
2. Climb the finger crack and exit right on the overhanging face.
3. Climb the overhanging face left of the finger crack.

Cat Rocks:

Walk across the wooden bridge and left into the woods. This area is known as Cat Rocks. Lots of small rocks here; however, look for a tall boulder with a crack in the middle. I have not done this yet (may need a rope). Also, the right face looks great.

Pyramid Slabs:

Go back over the bridge (towards Bear Rock), hang a right onto the Blue Trail. After about 5 min or so, look for a small (10-12 ft) slab on your right. Good practice for the feet.

Whaletail Boulder (or Whalehead, I can't remember):

Hang a right onto the Red Trail, go through the swamp and up the other side (steep). As one crests the trail, you will see a egg shaped boulder. There is a good finger traverse (which I have not done yet).

Eagle Rock:

Continue towards the Eagle Cliffs. The trail heads down and you will see a good size boulder.

1. Climb the left outside corner (near the tree).
2. Climb the middle of the dark face.
3. Climb the right outside corner, great.
4. Also there is a great looking crack/mantel on this boulder and the bulging face looks great.

The Best Boulder Problem in NJ:

Continue on the trail towards Pyramid Rock. If no crowds are present, stop and boulder. Otherwise, it's best to avoid this rock. When the trail forks later on, take the Yellow Trail (go left). As the trail becomes level, you will see a soccer field on your left. Start looking up the hill on your right for a small roof area (there a big, dirty boulder close by, it's your marker to start hiking up the hill). With some luck, you will come across a roof with a right slanting crack leading to an exit crack.

Training with Scout

2006-12-01T08:11:00.001-05:00

When I turned 40, something special came into my life. That something special was a dog named Scout. Scout is a lean black lab/greyhound mix that we adopted when he was 9 months at the time. He loves to roam. I also bought a 10 year old pick-up truck at the same time, but that’s another story.

What have I learned from Scout so far?

1. Have a single-track mind – Scout just cares about one thing when he’s out on the trails and that would be deer. He’s 100% focused on tracking and at least in his dreams, chasing deer. For me, it’s taught me to stay totally focused on the task at hand. Competing at long distances is all about mental toughness and focus, nothing more. Don’t get side tracked.

2. Trot – Dogs can trot all day long. So the next time you are out on the trails or roads, think about adopting a nice, relaxing pace that you can maintain for long periods of time. Be sure to let your tongue hang out.

3. Eat and Sleep – Between workouts and races, learn to eat and sleep well. As we are know: rest = recovery = improvement.

4. Play – Most of all, have fun in life. Chase a stick or lick your balls.

Adopt a dog and you’ll be faster.

2006-10-31T12:44:00.000-05:00

Never Pass Up a Clean Bathroom

The Beginning

The seed was planted in the summer of 2005. E-mails back & forth. Where to go? Across the country? Sure, but who has 4 - 6 weeks to kill?

Tour de California pops up on the radar screen. Landis kicks ass. Great photos on VeloNews.com. Light bulb goes on. One Gear One Coast. San Francisco to San Diego. Scratch that. Los Gatos to San Diego on our single speeds. Airline tickets bought in March 2006. All systems go.

June 2006 (six months later)

The team - Kelly, Tom & Chris. Tom is on a triple crank, but we still like the guy. And plus, he's one heck of a navigator. Kelly & Chris are on single speeds. Kelly rides a 44 x 16 & Chris saddles up to a 42 x 16. We all meet in Los Gatos, crash at DT's house. DT has 6 bikes & 4 sets of skis & thighs like the mighty Redwoods.

Monday

Chilly temps blow in from the Bay. DT leads the boys out of Los Gatos for the first 30 miles or so. We pass a pissed-off bike messenger. He must have flunked out of art school, too bad.

DT turns left & is homeward bound – he’ll meet us later for lunch.

The team cruises through fields of veggies. People working the land - rough life.

Need to eat - find a roadside roach coach.

Come across a large troop of Boy Scouts cycling towards Disney Land. God bless them. However, we had to teach them the lessons of the road at a young age as we blow by them.

Coast into Monterey Bay. Long live John Steinbeck. DT shows back up in his Ford F350 monster truck. Eat lunch surrounded by fat tourists. Talk about cycling. Stand & jam our way out of the bay.

Ocean on the right, sun is shining and the boys are turning the cranks. Meet a charity ride sag wagon parked along aside of the road. Of course, we eat their food - always hungry.

You're riding single speeds? Yes. Are you nuts? Yes. Where's your stuff? I point to small backpack. That's it? Yes.

Hey, ho, lets go.

Reach Big Sur Lodge. Ice cream, beer, shower, dinner, beer & sleep.

Tuesday

Spring classics weather prevails – dense fog -can't really see much. Up the big hill. Stop at a road side shack. Eat breakfast burritos. Burrito power forever. Up another big hill. Burgers at Ragged Point.

Next, we dump into the coastal plains - nice rollers.

Chris bonks in SLO. Eats a pizza pie, blood sugar levels are back up and then hammers to the next motel.

Shower, Mexican dinner, beer & sleep.

Wednesday

A real honest breakfast at Mary B's. The Mexican dinner from last night decides to re-visit us for a second, third & forth time. Thank God for a clean and well-ventilated bathroom at Mary B’s.

More farm land & a few more hills. The team is maintaining a nice pace line.

We fight our way over the last big hill against a nasty head wind. This sucks - low point of the trip.

We finally break free of the wind and mountains and head out to the sea. Beach time - bike paths - single speed heaven. Sand, ocean & girls in bikinis.

I love LA.

We put down the landing gear in Ventura & crash a friend's house. Shower, home cooked meal, beer, wine, massage & sleep.

Thursday

Sun shine, sun screen & dark sunglasses. Ride along the ocean. Surfers & beachcombers are all about. Expensive houses falling into the road side. Malibu is so over rated.

We enter the heart of LA. Urban. Cars. Our single speeds dart in & out of traffic. Man, I wish I was a bike messenger. The team is now drinking ice chi lattés in order to fit into the Southern Cal crowd.

We meet another buddy in LA. He has a beer cooler in the trunk of his car. Of course, we slam some beers in a parking lot next to West Coast Chopper - feels good. Eat 7-layers bars & push on thru to the Best Western.

Buddy with beer cooler meets us again at the hotel. Swim, beer, hot tub, shower, 4 deluxe pizzas & sleep.

Friday

Homeward bound - summit fever.

Breakfast at Denny's. The team is now hammering its way towards San Diego. No maps needed here. The sticky buns are kicking in, the pace line is flying.

We come across two Lance Armstrong wannabes. They accelerate, thinking they’re hot shit. The single speeds dig deep & hammer them. Don’t screw with us pretty boys. We spanked them so hard that they were crying for their mammas.

It’s all a blur at this point.

Trying to make the 2 pm ferry. Flying thru traffic at + 20 mph, spinning like mad men.

Urban bike rule number one - never look back.

Missed the boat by 10 minutes. Shit, so close. Relax for a bit. Hop the 3 pm ferry. Cruise the Strand.

Arrive at home. Loves ones (including the dog) are jumping up and down for joy as the team heads to the refrigerator for a frosty one.

550 miles - 5 days – 1 speed.

Keep it street level.