happy holidaze!

glen onoko

imagery

fire on the mountain into a velvet sea. can't wait for that set!

damn elves!!!

First off, Mr. Bacastow gets the inaugural "crazy'r than the Dutch" award for commuting from Walnutport to my place in Jim Thorpe to ride on Friday morning. He set out on his mountain bike roughly around 8:30 after his wife dropped him off in Walnutport. He negotiated vicious head winds and very cold morning temps along 248. Then, continued along the Lehigh Canal Rail Trail into Jim Thorpe meeting us at the 903 bridge just in time for the ride. The Dutch Eagle came in a close second by putting up for the night atop of Mt. Pisgah in the cabin with only a wool blanket and a few warm rocks from the fire in 20 degree temps.

A tough ride insued riding mostly singletrack and very little of anything else. North Pisgah had it's revenge on me. That is one narly trail! After resting up after the ride, I made my way to the local watering hole to find Mad Elf's for $3! Can't just have one at that price. Maybe six...

happy turkey day!

Happy Halloween!!!

Night Life!


Day Life!

beauty

The Dutch Eagle's survival water.

going deep, cigarettes and pennsyltucky

Only in the deep forests of Pennsyltucky can one have a glorious fall weekend with mountain bikers toking on cancer sticks. Friday was traveling to Noxen with Wychok to pedal on Saturday with a great crew of riders. Enjoying some really real backcountry trail, too many beers, and a pre-Thanksgiving feast. Saturday proved to be a good day. With Sunday lurking in the distance, we will rendevous in the morn for a JT ride.

Well hydrated from Saturday's beers, bikes and sausage party.

This group size is more like it! With only two flats and a hazey Eagle we capitalized on the seasonal forecast.

Born and bred to rip and shred the technical Pennsyltucky terrain. Usually I like my forks like I like my women, with two legs.

A sweet overlook from a hidden gem of a trail. I think I can see where we stashed the beers for halftime.

The Dutch Eagle prepares for flight. In the latter part of the ride he would show off his full plumage for a few damsels in distress only to narrowly escape his ultimate demise!

Easy Ridin' for sure on the Tin Roof Sundae!

Until then...ride n' smile!

new life

After a campaign to raise the bar during my summer of not working since I was in high school, my body, knees, were rendered useless. I got some much needed rest for a few weeks, missing one key race that I should have been at, before jumping back into the woods. I took the old SS out on a night jaunt with the Dutch Eagle and everyting seemed to be working fine. Another woods ride in Mountain Top two days later would prove to be a total blow to my self-esteem and almost put me back to square one with my troubles. Damn! It's fall! The best time for riding trails is here and I might be f'd! I would trade in any of the good races I had this year to ride right now. Some more time off the bike, some light road spinning, and a lot of thinking over a few weeks. I think I have an answer, gears!? I haven't owned a geared mountain bike in a few years and haven't ridden one in about five years! How do they work? Which kind do I buy? Obviously I should get the best I can for the cash I have. So I made some calls and rolled out to check out some rides. Of course I got a new bike, and it has some weird shit hangin' off it in various places, but what impressed me was that it weighed in less than a pound more than my singlespeed! Old friends come through in big ways when you really need it, and I would like to thank Jay and Mark at Sickler's for getting me back in the woods during the best time of the year. SS is not dead, just on vacation! As for what I'm riding...see ya on the trails!

Happy Birthday!

This blog is one year old! Happy birthday to this blog! I think I figured this thing out, now it's time to figure out how to get back in the woods to enjoy some soul. Fall riding! The colder months are upon us for sure after viewing "orions belt" in the southern sky at about 3 o'clock in the morn. The winds of change were blowing the clouds fast across a recent full moon. I love the country. It is part of my life blood, to read the patterns of nature and partake in the metamorphosis of the seasons. Give it about two weeks for the peak of the foliage. I will be riding that day regardless! If anybody needs some singlespeed parts drop me an email and I'll let you know what's gonna go before I put the stuff on the black market.

passion

spectating...again!

Wishing to represent on the finale of the Michaux Endurance Series, but my body is rejecting. Michaux embodies the purest form of technical mountain terrain and grassroots racing. I love that! Good luck to all!

rest, recovery, and rehabilitation!?

It is what it is! Mandatory time off the wheels, for not so fun reasons, had me spectating all weekend. I did get to check out some fun events though! The Laurel Classic mountain bike race and the first, hoping to be annual, Tour de Brew. A fat tire crit through the recently opened Allentown Brew Works. At least the winner, Mr. Snyder, was flashing a mullet and actually had mountain bike tires on his bike.

Saddle up!

Deep in the forest

There goes easy...easy riders

Wun speed is all ya need!

Wychok the pseudobeast

Emma Freyman

Damn G! Nice steed!

Pretty bird

Racin' for beers!

Tour de Brew

The winner

2 smokin' j's

Two Jamie's converged on the 24 Hours of Seven Springs on this labor day weekend to battle in the Duo Open class. Strategy was estranged in the wee hours of the night, but it worked! The Bean's D Bags put up a fight like Apollo Creed vs. Rocky. Congrats to all that percerveared through the day and night to finish the race, and to Meinrod for takin' one for the team in the middle of the night. Also, droppin' the hammer was the Down and Dirty Devas spankin' the asses of the Dirty School Girls. I love those names! It was one hell of a fun weekend!

i'll tell you about that driver

My drive has been minimal this last week.5. I felt beat down last weekend, so I had to bag on riding with folks I really wanted to ride with. Then the rain rolled in with some cold temps for my last few days before the beginning of the school year. It feels kind of funny rolling out on the road bike in August with leg and arm warmers on, but it's better than sweating before you throw your leg over it! It seems that the chill has been coming from many directions as of late and I have been assessing myself and my goals. Past, present, and future. Thinking about those phone calls from friends that are loading up the wagons for adventure! Could it be a sign of what needs to be done on my part? "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work," says Thomas Edison. Venturing is work, but well worth the effort. Success never was achieved by not sticking it out there. It's soon time to hang up the number plate and toss some new strings on an old friend I got from a friend, and do some thinking. Sometimes the grass is bluer on the other side!

jam sandwich

Top O' The Gunks!

Mighty Glen Onoko

Soaring like an eagle!

Got parking?

Boulderdash!

Washington

Assategue

True Believers!

What about Willace?

wun "O" wun

I'd have to say it was a good day. This was a first for me, racing/riding the Wilderness 101, and I was partially interested to see how I would hold up considering this year was the most I have ever turned my cranks in competition. Driving to Coburn by my lonesome had me strategizing gear and goodies to take on the trail, and in my droppity bags. Although my travels were solo, I did have a new friend along for the journey. The ride was epic, on trails and roads that I have traveled before thanks to Griz, and my time was not to shabby rolling in in 9hrs. 1min. At one point, at the bottom of the Greenlee Rd. climb, I envisioned a cold, hops infused, bottle of refreshment. Turning my head towards an upcoming cabin I noticed a secret feed station with a sign that read "Free Beer," I think? Anyway, it was some swill Keystone Light, but it will have to do till the end of this ride. The post race party/cookout was ragin' with keg stands and all good things! Thanks to Chris Scott for putting together events such as the 101. I'll be back!

short but sweeeeet!

It's been good to just hit some trails as of late and sway from the competition. I go out for fun either way. Hit up some Michaux with a good crew last week for a long day. Rolled out to a race to hand out these with Buck. Some folks were appreciative and some should have never said "I'll get one next time!" The real winner of the event was Mr. Lange for making a maintenance stop before reeling in some competitors for a decent finish. Hitting up the Wilderness 101 this weekend before this whole summer comes to an end and I must return to the grind. I might have some tricks up my sleeve for this ride, but only the Dutch Eagle holds the secret microfilm that could infiltrate my plan! If anyone is heading to Coburn drop me a something, or I'll see you there.

the curse!

What can one say about riding in the Michaux Sate Forest. Probably that it will be some of the toughest terrain one has ridden. How about racing a 100K event on those trails? It will probably test your very limits of endurance and stamina upon your two wheeled vehicle. Yesterday was the second installment of the Michaux Endurance Series, The Curse of the Dark Hollow, a 100K race through the forest. The race start was at 7 am so camping was, is the only option, plus it is always a good time hanging out with others the night before the race. Seeing how it was a 100K, I started with a decent pace to get warmed up, but still stayed ahead of the traffic before hitting the tight-n-twisty. Working my way through some folks, I found myself with a group that I could ride a ways with, Buck, Topher and Old Man Withers. We rode for a while, passed a huge timber rattlesnake, before the Old Man had a flat. Bummer! The three of us pressed on riding and actually stayed together for 45 miles. That was the longest I have ever ridden with the same people in a race. On to the last 20 miles, the course was more fire road than we had hit before and I was feeling good, so I pushed it on the climb to three mile trail. In three mile trail is where I felt like I have never ridden technical before in my life. Buck ended up catching and passing me, and the last time we chatted was at the 50 mile aid station. Keeping a decent form, I pressed on to the sweet decent of dead womans to grave's ridge. Rolling at the bottom of grave's I saw another huge rattlesnake. This time I was just turning the pedals and didn't really notice that it was right next to my foot! Cruising through the last aid station it was hot as hell with a two mile climb between myself and the finish. Back up on the flats, I rolled through the parking lot to see people from the 10 and 25 mile races looking fresh. Every beer in their hands looked like the elixir I needed, but I made some turns and ended my day in 2nd place for the SS class and 8th overall with a time of 6 hrs 48 mins. Props to Harlan for putting it to Eatough with the fastest time of the day. It is definitely sad to here the misfortunes that others had throughout the day when everything seemed to go well for yourself, but that's the way it seems to be served up at Michaux. You never know!

BSC!

I have organized group rides in Jim Thorpe in the past that were based more on a small group of folks getting together to ride some trail and get a history lesson from the Dutch Eagle. This time I kind of just flowed some emails to see what would happen. What did happen was the largest, I counted 37 riders, group ride I have ever been on, let alone try and keep organized. If Def Leppard's tour bus rolled into the meeting spot with a one armed freeride bike on the rack I wouldn't have been surprised. The cast was allstar. The loop was epic. The overall mission was accomplished. To ride some trail in the summer heat. Thanks to everyone that showed, rode, and had a few cold ones. Did anyone ask Dean how he figured out how to use that cell phone? Hope to see some folks here this weekend.

thorpe -> lgp -> thorpe

There is no shortage of beauty in Northeastern Pennsylvania!