the skinny chicken

free your heel, free the internet

2012-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

click here to act now!

think snow!

2012-01-13T07:57:00.001-08:00

daily necessities

2011-10-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

Pray
Meditate
Be aware/Stay awake
Bow
Practise yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Create/Envision
Let Go/Forgive/Accept
Walk/Exercise/Move
Work/Serve/Contribute
Listen/Learn/Enquire
Consider/Reflect
Cultivate oneself/Enhance competencies
Cultivate contentment
Cultivate flexibility
Cultivate friendship and collaboration
Lighten up
Celebrate and appreciate
Dream
Give thanks
Evolve
Love
Share/Give/Receive
Walk softly/Live gently
Expand/Radiate/Dissolve
Simplify
Surrender/Trust
Be born anew

live from your local trails!

2011-08-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to get to a promo video for my friend Tom's services. JTX

high tide, low tide

2011-05-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

this is an amendment to a post i made about hydraulic fracturing and the contamination of water ways in the state of PA. click the link, the cleanest line, to the right and scroll down to read about what Patagonia is considering one of America's endangered rivers. it is a very sad state to put the words endangered and rivers in the same sentence. the only consumable water is fresh water, and the only way to turn a renewable resource into a non-renewable resource is by polluting that resource. our country is very much heading into a severe state of disrepair and it all stems from our greed as a population. we need everything under the sun to keep our lives "connected," when in fact we are becoming more disconnected from what should matter the most. fresh water and going green can not be bought at Walmart. those things are priceless.

check out what other folks are doing to prolong our existence, care for the health of the Earth and bridge the gap between farm to fashion at billabong: wear a shirt, save an ocean.

take the pledge

2011-05-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

the only way to a better world is to change!

If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention!

2011-03-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

while some countries flee to stores to obtain clean, radiation free drinking water due to natural disaster, Japan, our "land of the free" adds the radiation for us: Hydraulic Fracturing 101! Please attend the viewing of "Gasland" on April 28th, 7 p.m. at the Mauch Chunk Museum and Cultural Center, at 41 West Broadway, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

shhh, don't tell!

2011-01-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

the return of the coal cracker!

2010-08-26T13:32:00.001-07:00

howdy to all blog readers, trail riders, earth lovers and whoever else made it here. i am helping to promote the return of a mountain bike event that lost it's wings, but is in resurgence with the momentum of some young guns on the trail scene. the event is the Coal Cracker Classic. in the past, the event was being run, i think, by a local tamaqua, pa bike shop. since, the shop has dissipated and the event was lost in the pages of coal cracker history. enter 2010, and a group of ambitious local riders are dusting off those pages and ressurecting one of the coal regions premier mountain biking events. check out the promo video, register, and help bring mountain biking back to the mountains! it's more fun their anyway...

la familia

2010-06-25T05:36:00.000-07:00

i haven't posted anything on this site for a while, and with all that is going on in the world right now, it could be easy to get all environmental on some asses. instead, i have chosen to highlight a great person who has recently left us in order to be with his sweetheart once again. this man is named tom hart. even though he was not an actual part of my immediate family, he was family. i remember as a child, growing up with tom and his with dot at family functions, summer outings in the poconos, jersey, and at the shore. they were staples in the family. dot left us some time ago, and then it was good'ol tom with his thick "jersey" accent. one of my favorite words he used was "bakels." the word was really bagels, but who cares, that's what we loved. even with his thick jersey lingo, tom would mingle with the best of the coal region, saying that everybody else talked funny. he once said that i was the only person he had ever met from northeastern pa that did not have the coal region way of communication, and that he enjoyed our conversations. tom stood strong and lived young until last week when he moved onto the next life, and he will be missed, but never forgotten.

vonnegut

2010-04-17T05:16:00.000-07:00

requiem

The crucified planet Earth,
should it find a voice
and a sense of irony,
might now well say
of our abuse of it,
"Forgive them, Father,
They know not what they do."

The irony would be
that we know what
we are doing.

When the last living thing
has died on account of us,
how poetical it would be
if Earth could say,
in a voice floating up
perhaps
from the floor
of the Grand Canyon,
"It is done."
People did not like it here.

celebrate the earth

2010-04-15T04:18:00.000-07:00

looking for great music, good vibes and awareness for a healthy planet, then look no further than the Jim Thorpe Earth Day Festival. The festival has been hosted for more than 10 years with the beautiful lehigh gorge as it's backdrop. check out the various events at the festival website and don't forget to check out local rastaman George Wesley in concert on saturday night!

show your support

2010-03-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

if you were, are, or aspiring to be the next grom to gleam the cube, swing on over and cast your vote for the Bethlehem Skateplaza. this project is long over due for the lehigh valley skate scene and is trying to get the final phase of the plaza funded by pepsi's good idea campaign. cast your vote here as many times as you can!

also, if anyone is looking for an EWR OWB 29 frame, i have a size medium for sale. it was used for about 3-4 months. leave a comment with your email address if interested.

Lack of a Better Post

2010-02-18T19:43:00.000-08:00

My potential energy is building as I sit and watch the paint dry. I have so much to give and aspire to be just a tad further down the road, but my wheels are stuck in this continuously growing puddle mud on this bumpy path. I must have made a wrong turn somewhere when I stopped to get directions. Damn! I knew I should have relied on a more prominent individual for information, instead I put my faith into a stranger along the way. Not a perfect stranger, just someone I confided in for a few moments before getting started on this voyage. I have also found that my vessel is now being piloted by some unexplainable force that is distinguishing itself as a burden.

I thought I'd be settled in by now, with my loves. Acquiring some new loves from old curiosities, bringing more enrichment into my life that is my choice. On the contrary, I am leaving my loves behind with no hope of replacing them with fresh ones. Convincing myself that it is soulful and will be worth it in the long run. Soulful it is not, but worth it in the long run, I'm sure it will be. All for the sake of saying, "Hey look, I am finished. Can I have my totally environmentally taxing certificate of entitlement please."

Some say it's always darkest before the dawn and in some cases, I am finding this to be true. I am grateful for the light I do have in my life right now and I assure you that I want that light to shine forever.

the most wonderful time of the year

2009-12-29T08:14:00.001-08:00

when taking pictures under a waterfall is probably not the best idea,

but the pictures from on top of the falls are just as sweet!

when the fridge is stocked with plenty of nourishing delights,

and smiling faces greet you in the morning light!

happy new year to you and yours

enjoy the tune!

2009-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

my world...current

2009-11-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

inspiration
rigid soul
feel the good
the SS will always set you free!

smart shopper

2009-11-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

in this day and age when people are losing their careers and the students in our elementary schools can not recognize why the United States celebrates the 4th of July, we have man. adapting to this downfall of society, utilizing the ways and means to continue to put food on the table of his family.

until next...

2009-09-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

...summertime

let's go dancing...

2009-09-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

...came across the ipod as i cruised on my mountain bike for one of the first times in the past week. it feels good to be back in the woods! i have spend the last six weeks pounding the pavement on the road bike, cyclocross riding (not in the euro sense, but in the nepa sense), and riding my retro schwinn to and fro various parties, destinations, and work. yay! work. it is here for now as i finish my dreams of graduate school to become an educator and to have summers off. i have solidified the fact that teaching comes natural to me and when you discover your talents, you should embrace and scurry away to enjoy life. besides, who wants to work all-year-round anyway. life is for living, not working. let's go dancing is a drivin' n cryin' song, but in this case it was a solo acoustic performance by kevin kinney. until next time...

healing, breathing, searching

2009-08-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

after a disheartening start to the summer, losing my job, i have been relegated to deciphering my future career options. continue on my current path of education or start something new. i am still working through this. looking forward to more positive aspects of my current situation, i was totally stoked for some racing this season, until i broke/fractured/cracked some of my ribs while cruising around the marsh creek trails one afternoon. i new i had done some damage that day, but tried to race the fair hill endurance race anyway in a somewhat compromised position. feeling good and pushing the pace i rounded a corner and twisted my bod a little funny. that was all it took to roll out to the road and search out i much needed ice pack, chair and beer, and come to the conclusion that my racing season is now on a major break if not ended for the season.

that was a few weeks back and now i am at the point where i can breathe deep without pain, and i can sleep through the night without a mandatory mid-afternoon nap to catch up on some z's. my summer has manifested into something that i had not expected, but as always, i keep a positive outlook on the future, and continue to focus on the present in order to enjoy what i love. living and experiencing the world around me. with mountian biking out of the picture for a while, i have brought some of my other hobbies to the forefront of my days: road riding, guitars and concert going. hopefully some folks have checked out some of the road loops i have mapped out on probably one of the smoothest running websites in the world, map my ride, just kidding. that website takes forever to map a ride, but it gets the job done. i have several other rides mapped. most are more than 50 miles in length and rock out on some of the best roads, climbs and descents in the region. if anyone wants hook up for a road loop, feel free to get in touch.

in between tornados!

2009-07-31T06:07:00.000-07:00

Stage 2
Find more Bike Rides in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

map my fun!

2009-07-28T06:20:00.001-07:00

Stage 1
Find more Bike Rides in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

down, not out

2009-07-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

things to do with busted ribs in the pennsylvania hills:
le tour, saddle time,
pickin' and grinnin', live music, yummy

a day without a buzz...is a day that never was

2009-07-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

open your eyes and see!

2009-06-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

warrior

2009-06-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

just when you think all is good in your universe, situations present themselves that are so unexpected, they will force you to new beginnings. this is my present. breathe...

enjoy today!

2009-05-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

spring baby

2009-04-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

as i get ready to celebrate another chapter in the book of my life i just consider the greatness in being a child of the spring. the birth, growth, and regeneration of the natural world unfolds before our eyes during the spring. the sweet smells of nature return to the air and the songs of the birds give a melody only heard if you so shall desire. for this i am thankful.

help out a starving artist

2009-04-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

check out local jt photographer and help support his artistic endeavours by checking out his website and voting for him in the name your dream assignment. his theme is "the world in a bubble." you can find the contest information to cast a vote at the bottom of his website. the contest ends tomorrow and your votes are more than appreciated. click here and enjoy!

love your mother

2009-03-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

it's only one month away, but should be celebrated everyday. the jim thorpe earth day celebration is in its 12th year featuring all kinds of heady treats throughout the town of jim thorpe. free music, arts & crafts, and good vibes in the town square on both saturday and sunday, with a drum circle hosted by yours truly to welcome folks to an evening of music at the mauch chunk opera house. i'm looking for a few good rythym makers to join in on the circle. so bring a drum, cowbell, or maraca and contribute in the healing power of music to thank mother earth for all she has provided for us.

the roots of creation

2009-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

in case you have been locked in a block of ice, high above some miscellaneous skyscraper, eastern woods research is back! this spring they will unleash a band of enthusiastic cyclists upon the mountain bike scene. filled with vigor and an unbridled passion for the soul of the mountain trail i introduce the ewr bikes/bilenky cycle works factory team and the ewr bikes/acg opthamology grassroots team.

missing from the photo is the rancor beast!

what is and what should never be

2009-02-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

as i approach the summit i knew the earth was far beyond repair. what once was a serene landscape was now the last place to dispose of waste created by a society of over consumption and poor decisions.

what ever happened to the slogan "going green" or "reduce, reuse, recycle?" all i could think of as i sat atop the mountain of trash was that maybe "going green" really meant going, going, gone green or reduce the amount of beautiful countryside, and reuse it to store our waste.

the days of digging your toes into the earth are long gone. no more flourishing green fields filled with wildflowers or white sand beaches for a king to romance his queen at an afternoon picnic. shoes are mandatory in this new, forsaken land.

people in the past talked about other people having bad tastes in fashion. well what about the tasteless food that no longer grows from the ground, but comes from that big factory down the street. maybe if i moved a patch of this trash i can grow a few veggies! even though they might taste like petroleum, it might still be worth it. maybe i could clear an even bigger patch and give the animals a suitable habitat as opposed to boxes and cans, cars and refrigerators.

as i stepped back to get a good lay-of-the-land to make my ideas a reality, i tripped and started to stumble. all of a sudden the ground broke loose under my feet and i began to fall uncontrollably into a pit that must have been covered by trash. i couldn't see the bottom, and why should i, it took me what seemed like hours to get to where i was. what if my idea could have helped just a little bit?! what's that?!

ahhhhh! suddenly i spring up! i look around at the view in front of me. i am sitting in a green meadow filled with wildflowers, barefoot and next to my queen. it must have all been a dream! then i thought to myself, what if my ideas could help just a little bit?!

i had my students write hypothetical stories about what would happen if there was no more land to store the waste produced by humans. this was mine. enjoy!

in these parts

2009-02-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

the weather has been braking just enough to get the wheels turning a little more than usual during the month of febuary. cabin fever is beginning to subside, to speak the truth, i usually spend most of my free time outside no matter what the temps are, just not so much on a bike. anyway, over the winter the cabin fever has been consisting of friday night bluegrass jams at the place that i call home. we have had some epic nights this winter just diggin' on a simple groove.

another great aspect of the ending of winter is the harvest of that good ole nectar from mother nature, maple syrup! over the weekend, i grabbed the axe (guitar) and headed up the road to a good friends farm to party down for his birthday, play some tunes, and tap some maple trees. it is a long process that takes about a month to a month and a half when you tap trees in the old way, but well worth it when you have a huge stack of flapjacks in front of a fire with syrup from your local trees. the best thing about using the land is sharing it with the younger generations to pass on the love and knowledge of the earth. after the trees were tapped we celebrated pickin' some righteous tunes till the wee hours of the morning. in these parts, that's how it's done!

lost cause

2009-02-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

technology is the greatest at sucking! fuckin' beta tapes!

filler up with unregular please!

2009-02-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

so this here online journal hasen't been getting much love in the past few days, weeks, months, but what can i say, it is the winter. nothing much has been going on that is blog worthy or maybe everything is blog worthy? you never know what people will read. well, the reason for this post is that i got posed a question last weekend and gave what i think was a totally lame answer to the question, so i am re-answering the question. even though the person who asked the question might not even see this post, i still need to re-answer.

i was asked, might i add very late in the early morning, what my favorite band was. in a drunkin' haze, i gave my answer based on the first band that popped into my mind. for the past week that response has weighed, not too heavily, on my brain. i really like the band that i mentioned, but in the overall scheme of the question, i really do not have a favorite band. i love music in general. music had been a big part of my life thus far and i can not see it going anywhere. i have had so many good times, travels, spiritual moments and realizations during moments with in the experience of music. from the first band i really liked when i was in forth grade, to my teenage years being a straight-edger that couldn't get enough of robert nesta marley, to the many concert runs of various bands throughout my life. music is here, it is real and it has no boundaries. from the rhythm being tapped out during the daily grind, or exercise, to the cosmic metronome of the sun and the moon conducting the growth of the green earth. it comes in all forms, from any shape and size, to our senses to be interpreted in anyway we see fit.

since i was young, i was very interested in creating music. i took basic drum lessons when i was in elementary school for a few years, but wasn't really into the structured format to learn what seemed like something that comes from within. i bagged the drum to later return when i was 18 once i heard the drumming of jim donovan, rusted root fame. i picked up a djembe and have been creating rhythm for the last 12 years. the best teacher for drumming, that i have found, is nature. the rhythmic patterns created by nature are the most organic and can flow consistently as long as you can. some of my favorite lessons have been with the local water falls, and with, of course, the energy of the lehigh river. as of late, i have been quenching my musical palatte with the guitar. this instrument has always intrigued me, and since my friend shawn showed me a few chords a few years back, i haven't looked back and have been learning as much as i can.

another great part of music, to me, is the way it makes you feel. hearing that same song over again that makes you think of good times, bad times, or the inbetween times. the feeling i get when i listen to a bootleg of a concert i was at, remembering my state of mind at the time or the memories of my old man and i hitting a few shows of the crosby, stills, nash and young reunion tour. that shit transcended generation barriers! the feeling is amazing not just from listening, but also from creating. joining in on a raging drum circle, to standing around in a friday night pickin' circle with some close friends, the connection is far beyond conversation and really can't be described in words, but can be conveyed throughout the surrounding area to connect everyone in the vicinity. this question has been on my brain ever since i gave the wrong answer, like it was a test or something, but i had to return with a proper answer. i can give one definite answer for right now and that is that one of favorite songs, right now, was written by joshua finsel and is called "the lehigh river song." the vibe in the room last night was brought on by the energy of that song. there will never be a definitive answer to the posed question from a week ago and i'm sure my new answer would have been better as conversation at the time of the question, but what the hell, it now has become some good reading. "You know the nearer your destination, the more you're slip slidin away." ~ paul simon ~

happy new years!!!

2009-01-01T09:24:00.001-08:00

last night, some folks danced with the green fairy a lot harder than others...

threads

2008-12-21T13:43:00.000-08:00

Winter time usually brings a much welcomed change of pace to the outdoor schedule of activities. The two wheeled experience takes a back seat for a few to enjoy some hiking, some trail running, and some xc/backcountry skiing. Over the past couple of days, the northeast has gotten enough snow to turn two lane townie roads into single lane passageways and the single tracks into, well, perfect for skiing. Just before the storm hit, I got some hiking in at one of my favorite places to ponder life, Glen Onoko Falls. With some steady precip, the falls have been flowing well for the past few weeks. I usually hit up The Glen a few times a week for a variable tempo hike/spiritual moment.
Even though we got a badass couple of days of snow, a topic that has been in the minds of concerned individuals is climate change. Last week, in my Biology and Environmental Science classes, we covered the topic so it is fresh on my mind and with the recent snowfall, I couldn’t help but think about how great it is to get snow. It is a welcome change to shift your focus from one activity to the next and expand your view of the wilds around us. One thing that is certain, it would suck to have made a lasting impact on the Earth by the pasts’ nonearth-friendly industrial practices. With all the advancements in technology, there is no reason to continue this type of behavior.

Being more conscious of the individual impact each person has on the planet, and supporting products made by sustainable business ventures will help bring a change to the economy and reduce the pressure we put on our mother. It would be a bummer not to be able to enjoy the flow of nature that we have become accustomed to.

must produce post

2008-12-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

i feel like i have been neglecting the blog. well the simple reason is that, yeah, i have been neglecting the blog. no not really. it has been a real busy fall/early winter filled with the daily grind, grad school, and spending some quality time in the outdoors, as usual. i am also getting stoked for some winter time fun on the backcountry skis. i am pretty fresh with the whole experience and can't wait to get back on the snow! until next time...

2008-11-06T15:46:00.001-08:00

fall has arrived!

2008-10-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

this is my favorite time of the year. a walk around the woods will explain why. the aroma of the reclamation of nutrients into the soil, the visual stimulation provided by the foliage of the trees and of course the fact that the temperature is cooling off. oh yeah and the end of the worst possible thing that ever happened to this land...

breaking the girl

2008-09-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

this weekend was my first long day event on the new bike. epic day, great weather, and skinny chickens! the moonshine burned a little, but it what do you expect?

roll out

the one, two punch!

freek bike's rule!

2008-08-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

what a great weekend for a test ride! thanks for the saturday ride, it was epic! as for the people who couldn't make it, this song pretty much sums it up.

some time to spare

2008-08-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

"eat the rich" says the hill to hill bridge that crosses over the lehigh river in bethlehem, pa, as a critical fat tire mass decends on the salsbury trails for some singletracking and musikfesting on a wednesday eve. i have been immersed in graduate school once again with little end in site. at least not until christmas break. with work looming in the near distance, i will be and am back to the official grind of the times plodding through the field of education. time is precious, and needs to be used accordingly for the things that are important and just moving a few days ago, my place looks like i moved today. it's hard to live out of boxes and i could be doing so for a little while until my kung foo feng shui comes into a free day. the month of july and into august has been packed with some racing, some riding and a trip to the music city of Nashville for a work conference. the best part was that i got to check out a concert at the birth place of bluegrass music, the ryman auditorium.

still hitting some races this month until i can start to kick back and enjoy the fall breezes and some good ol trail riding. also, i am anticipating the arrival of a new steed that should be here in a few days. getting back to the real feel is going to be appreciated when the leaves cover up the rocks in the eastern peeyay forests. enjoy the rest of the summer, some cool breezes are on the way!

2008-07-29T16:43:00.001-07:00

back in biz!

2008-06-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

the recent buzz in the world of two wheels, is the return of Eastern Woods Research. EWR broke through the mountain bike scene in the early to mid-ninties with a frame design with futuristic feel. long front ends, short rear triangles and aggressive angles gave the OWB, Original Woods Bike, a truly unique ride. especially on the technical rocky trails of eastern peeyay. luckily, i got to ride an OWB back when i was in high school and started laying my roots into the mountain biking scene. in all honesty, i never really liked mountain biking back then. i was more into the bmx racing/dirt jumping thing. way less spandex! none the less, i could not deny that the OWB felt like a bmx bike for the woods and i have always tried to mimmick that feel with every mountain bike i have owned since then.

moving years into the future, EWR is back and making current models of the OWB in the 26" platform, and on saturday i got to try out the much anticipated introduction of the OWB 29er. the OWB 29er has the signature EWR feel to what i remember from years ago, except with bigger wheels. very snappy and easy to ride through the tight and twisty, climbs like it should and the real feel of steel. a much nicer ride than the aluminum i am currently cruising on. the OWB is back and has been reborn with the option of the 29er wheels. swing on over to the EWR website and check out when and where jay and ken will be to demo one of these true american classics!

just a reminder!

2008-06-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

rothrockin'!

2008-06-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

what can one say about the trails in central peeyay except for, amazing! last weekends stoopid fiddy proved to be yet another reason why we all love to be enjoying the woods on two wheels. rain to clear out the stuffy dryness on saturday led the way for perfect trail conditions for sundays not-so-early start. the mountain laurels are in full bloom right now and probably will be for the next week or so, the cicadas were doing there mating dance, and the competition was stiff with some of my fellow single speed competitors mixing it up in the geared bike bizz. for the numbers on the day click here.

the trails were so good that i cruised back out on wednesday for another helping, but the weather was not so nice. cold rain and slippery trails were on the menu, but whatever man, that's mountain biking. road tripping and catching up with some friends is on the agenda for the next few weeks so don't call me, i won't answer. just kidding. love, peace and hair grease!

99 in the shade

2008-06-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

"Well we got no choice, all the girls and boys.
Makin' all that noise, 'cause they found new toys.
Well we can't salute ya, can't find a flag if that don't suit ya, that's a drag.
School's out for summer, school's out forever, school's been blown to pieces!"

In the immortal words of Alice Cooper, school is out! It is pretty wild to toss your job asside for a while knowing you can go back in a few months. The heatwave of the northeast has been delivering some swampass conditions over the past week. It is unbelievable how hot it is and summer is still on the horizon! Speaking of northeastern PA, someone would fit in nicely with the locals around here. Everybody loves a little all night party!
A few weeks back, I ventured out to the Mohican 100. What a cool race! The trails, roads, and farmlands were very scenic and it is definitely an event to return to. As usual, there was also some fine folks to hangout with before and after the race to share in the experience. More can be read about the race here.
This past weekend the heat crept in and turned beautiful spring days into sweltering dehydration days. Saturday I lended a hand to a local rails to trails event in the booming metropolis of Hazleton, PA. The event was to promote the continuing project of the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails. So far the have about 4-5 miles of the trail finished, and will continue to improve more of the trail over the years. I never knew how much it cost to create or refurbish old trail. It is quite a substantial amount of money for just a mile. The positive cycling vibe was definitely in the air and people showed up to enjoy the outdoors despite the intense heat.
As if Saturday wasn't hot enough, Sunday could have been even hotter! Arising early to coordinate a food and drink cache for todays adventures in long hot days in the saddle, I was quickly reminded of why one shouldn't mix Hoegaarden, Jim Beam and Jager! It was all for a good cause and hanging with and old friend. As planned, some of the Beaners, the Breaker of Kegs, and some local trail afficianatos rolled in for a day in the woods. It was hot, the rattlesnakes were out and about, and a much deserved dip in the Tank Hollow creek summed up a good thirty something mile day. Hopefully the heat will break a little for this weekends festivities. Until next time...

long live long rides

2008-05-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

with friday came the rain. with saturday came a crisp cold morning. thick with dew and the sun trying to show its face on what was to be one hell of a trail ride. the scene was relaxed with everyone trying to anticipate what was to come. i had an idea, but really had no idea of what was instore as the ride unfolded. all i knew was that i didn't want to walk out of the woods like a few weeks back, so i figured on sticking with what i know best. pushin' one for fun! the rocktober challenge, in r.b. winter state park, was just what it intended to be, a total challenge! the field was small, which was a shame for such a well organized, backcountry race. my ride plan was to find the sweet spot and stay there all day. all was well until, shizzam!, a huge rock flew up and railed my sprocket pocket and bent it so bad that pedaling was no longer an option. checking out the scenario, it just took a little elbow grease and about 10 minutes until she was spinning smooth again. back on the trail, and i might add rocky as hell, but i like rocks. it's half of rock n' roll!

exiting out of the woods to a dirt road, i had a chance to pull back some of the folks that squeeked by during my wrangling with rocks and sprocket pocket. all of a sudden i picked up a frequency of the worst song ever to have rolling through my head at this point in the race, bon jovi "living on a prayer." all i kept thinking was the line "were halfway there, livin' on a prayer." only the race was no way halfway over! the only way to get a bad song out of your head is to pass it on. thankfully i saw a rider in the distance and much to their dismay, will have bon jovi in their head once i pass by. gotcha!

the rest of the race went by with no issues except some immense efforts on some badass trail. the second loop was surely a hard 35 miles. it had me thinking about some times i used to spend with a few of my friends years ago before i had a career. middle of the week, 10+ hour, onespeeder rides. no cares except for seizing the day! after the second loop, i needed much food and liquids to head out on the third and final loop. the last portion of the ride had some singletrack that was some of the best i have hit in a while. i believe the one trail was white deer trail. if my smile was any wider on that trail i might have eaten some branches! after all was said and done, the race turned out to be about 70 miles. it was truly epic and props go out to kuhn for hosting a great event. it was definitely appreciated! also, props go out to the ranger and old timer that were waiting at the finish for elk and i to clean out our campsite! next time we'll crash in your blazin' bago!

if your wondering what to do next, click here and donate to a great cause! then click here if you love pickles!

a pause for the cause

2008-05-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

a few good friends of mine have organized an Ovarian Cancer Fundraiser. The fundraiser is in conjunction with the Escape from Granouge MASS Series Race on May 24th and is in support of the HERA Women's Cancer Foundation. the fundraiser itself is a raffle of some very nice bike goodies and you do not have to be present at the race to win! so click on over to bikereg to buy some raffle tickets, buy some stickers and donate to a great cause.

it's like the polka, of your nightmare!

2008-05-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

made it through another. turn it up, loosen up and have a good weekend!

writers block

2008-04-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

procrastination is like a chinese finger trap. damn i'm stuck! it's not like i have been putting off my final project for my grad class, but i haven't really started it either. i have a few things jotted down and it is due next wednesday, so it's not that bad. when in times of consternation there is nothing better than a little fresh air. clearing the mind from the burden of the work day, the past few weeks, or the past few months.

lately i have been thinking a lot about the upcoming months. i have some free time, but definitely have some obligations throughout the summer other than riding/racing bikes. i think one thing that i have been missing out on in some off the bike time. it is good to keep the love fresh.

i got some burnout when i was in high school racing bikes and took some time off. set the love free as they say, and if it is true, it will return. it has never really left, just some doors for new things inbetween.

i had a conversation over the weekend and someone mentioned that it is good to read blogs that are not always about bikes. i found that pretty fascinating because here i thought that most people checking out this here space want to read about bikes. i have noticed myself reading more entries that are not bike related.

were i am at, there is really no "bike scene" in the town. there is maybe a few riders, probably no more than five, that get out and ride often. most of the time i am rolling solo for hours on end. there is nothing like having it all to yourself!

one thing i am always grateful for is someone to share the love of the trail with. that's where the whole experience is realized and really can not be portrayed on one of these blogs. pictures can help and every detail of the ride can be elaborated with flowery language, but it really is about the experience.

today was a beautiful day to breathe in the spring smells, but one thing is for sure, i'm still in that finger trap! peeyay sux!

feel like a stranger

2008-04-17T18:13:00.001-07:00

at least after racing all weekend, my hands are still a little numb! do people actually read these bliggity blogs?

ride finds

2008-04-14T17:48:00.000-07:00

north pisgah rockin'

the king!

an eagle's lair!

an eagle!

the good lord!

a good hangout!

pure bliss!

ramp up the jawn

2008-04-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

our motto was simple, destroy the competition!

win or lose we still booze!

as i sit here enjoying my final minutes as a twenty something, i sit back and reflect on things that have occured in the last ten years of my life. so many roads, so many good people and so much fun! i feel that the minute you start to feel old is when you begin to die. live, life, love. namaste

2008-04-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

2008-03-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

D-town Single Speed Shennanigans!

Sunday March 30th @ Victory Brewing Company

Single Speed Rally

Pre-Game

9:30 meet at Victory Brew Co.. 420 acorn ln Downingtown PA

10am leg strecher ride up to Marsh Creek - 20 miles

Rally Start

12:00 Bonus points skills Challenge.

12:30 Short Track

1:30 2 person relay.

2:30 Individual Time Trial

Post Game

3:30 return to Victory for the post game celebration and overall
awards.

*Gears welcome but subject to ridicule and tamporing

where's the love?

2008-03-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

according to pennsyltucky joe "make sures ya'll rev yer tranny when yins pass that there skinny boy riding his bike on ol' owl crick road." not only does it make me tremble with fear of a diesel engine, but it sounds like there car is about to explode!

once again, bad blogger etiquette has left my camera at home. for there are no self portraits of spinning to and fro. some people did, however, have some digi clickers. check out some cool photos and rants of friday and saturday. also, for your viewing pleasure!

an irish toast!

2008-03-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

"may you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you are dead."

spring is coming!

2008-03-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

brunch till dusk

2008-03-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

the delaware river was at flood stage on sunday, so what better way to get a glimpse than to cruise for a ways following the torrent!

the other day i was surfing some blogs and came across one that had a quote from a surfer, Laird Hamilton. Check the blog out for yourself. i wanted to comment on the nice quote, but for some reason, i could not. anyway, it made me remember a conversation i had with a person once about the area i live in and how it must be just like living in a place with killer breaks at your door step. except here it's killer cycling.

more than words...

2008-03-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

...if i would only bring my camera! i am becoming less of a bling blogger lately. just being into the, "you should be there for the experience," type of ride guy right now. it is good to share, that's why i am here, but lately i have been rolling camera less on most endeavours. friday, i saw the better half of march first with about 5 inches of snow around 3am. got up early to hit the road, well slippery road with some skinny knobs for what was planned to be an all-day, country road take me home, to the place...where am i ride. instead it turned into a country road, my ass is cold, riding for a few hours in major snow. the snow was falling so hard it was a total white out and was tough to even see anything! i started to head home and to some motorists probably looked like frosty the "what the hell you doing out here?" man. all i can say is that if you want to be eye candy! yesterday proved to be fantastic spinning smooth from the velodrome towards hawk mounatin sanctuary. i love riding through the farmlands, bunning hopping streams of poo-juice and gorging on dutch pastries!

stash

2008-02-25T16:27:00.000-08:00

the best site during the dog days of winter is when some fresh snow falls from the morning sky. usually, this gives light to a day off of work and an excuse to roll out the xc skis for some winter adventure. after watching a killer lunar eclipse on wednesday night, i touched base with the dutch eagle. the eagle informed me that he has been spending some time out on the trails, negotiating packs of wild dogs, and overnighting in various rock formations throughout the coal region. amazing stuff! this weekend i got out on two skiing rounds. one was a local huff around the infamous switchback gravity railroad railtrail. perfect for xc skiing when the snow is falling in the early morning. i made it back to my car just as the clouds shifted their deposits to a wintery mix. sunday, the alarm came super early as i met up with jay and downhill dave (dhd). we rolled a little north west towards williamsport, pa, to enjoy the trails at the crystal lake ski center. at crystal lake they have about 30km of groomed/ungroomed ski trails. the vw arrived nice and early to take full advantage of the day and the bluebird skies. it was dhd's first time on xc skis so it was going to be action packed on the downhills. his name is downhill dave! we definitely took full advantage of what crystal lake had to offer, hitting the trails for what seemed to be forever. forever comes with a price, soreness! yesterday was simply a great day in the life.

beware of the quik and the dirty!

2008-02-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

the past few weeks i have been moving around very fast. on two feet and in my brain. work, riding, breathing, classes, stretching, sleeping. things i need to do, but things that need to come first before those things. stability becoming unstable circumstances. career paths looking to be as rocky as some of the trails around here. most, if not all of my riding lately has been solo missions day and night to clear my thoughts. i was so grateful to get out this weekend and last weekend with some goodtime folks. the riding on sunday proved to be the coolest ride of the winter. hitting two ridges under blueish skies and snow pack, turned into a righteous downhill off the nose of a snow squall. no need to explain further on that one. some one asked me why i don't update my blog often. i will admit, i have been lax on the posts, but more will come soon. i am trying to upgrade this here blog a bit so stay tuned. i heard this quote today that i really liked, but the person who said it was unjust. "Cowards die many times before their deaths, The valiant never taste of death but once."Julius Caesar (II, ii, 32-37)

chicken soup

2008-01-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

A little riding!

A little walking!

Access is beautiful!

pennsyltucky proper

2008-01-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

a great weekend for some soul riding. the weather was perfect, the woods were inviting, and the beer flowed like a kentucky waterfall! riding the "illegals" with some folks on saturday, there was talk of peculiar ice creams and birdsboro log jams. very interesting!? soon after my legs got sore, some of us found ourselves whipping around half in the bag, looking for the silver bullet that won't let you down during the inaugural "pennsyltucky punk bike." i should've known where that third one was! dammit! a long saturday for me, my bed couldn't have arrived any quicker. sunday proved to be another fine day for fooling around in the winter woods. with ales loaded and chains lubed, the inaugural "pennsyltucky punk bike" rolled out in full swing with 18 or so riders tackling the pisgah ridge. there were a few events set up, or at least thought up, along the ride. it was a great day for all! the proper etiquette award goes out to the local who was riding his quad with his baby on his lap! no helmets of course! if i had my camera i would have taken some photos? check some out here.

echoes

2008-01-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

two concerts in two nights! i feel young and old at the same time. my previous years were spent with many ventures like this usually lasting more than a few nights. rang in '08 with a band that plays pink floyd music called "the machine." they are pretty amazing! a fresh start to a new year is always good for the soul. See ya in the new year!

"And no one sings me lullabyes

And no one makes me close my eyes

So I throw the windows wide

And call to you across the sky...."

happy holidaze!

2007-12-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

glen onoko

2007-12-09T06:05:00.000-08:00

imagery

2007-11-29T16:10:00.000-08:00

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

damn elves!!!

2007-11-24T16:03:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-11-21T22:15:00.001-08:00

Happy Halloween!!!

2007-10-31T19:29:00.001-07:00

Night Life!

Day Life!

beauty

2007-10-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

The Dutch Eagle's survival water.

going deep, cigarettes and pennsyltucky

2007-10-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-09-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

spectating...again!

2007-09-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

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!?

2007-09-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Top O' The Gunks!

Mighty Glen Onoko

Soaring like an eagle!

Got parking?

Boulderdash!

Washington

Assategue

True Believers!

What about Willace?

wun "O" wun

2007-08-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-07-31T06:51:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-07-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-07-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

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

2007-06-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

There is no shortage of beauty in Northeastern Pennsylvania!

spank the monkey!

2007-06-26T05:41:00.000-07:00

Yet another action packed, fun filled weekend of mountain bike racing and hanging with great folks in the books. This time I hooked up with the infamous DCCOD, I think it stands for Delaware Cyclists Confused Organized Departure, and headed down to the Quantico Marine Corp Base for the 12hrs of the Cranky Monkey. We had a big enough crew to almost cover a rider or team in every class. I, along with my trusty side kick Amy, comprised the Sooper Dooper Duo in the Coed Duo catergory. After arriving at Quantico man, we took off on a pre-ride of the course. Swoopy, climby, fast, and fun. I could not wait to rip it up! Unfortunately, one of our group members went down and ended up hurting his finger pretty bad and could not partake in the race itself the next day. After setting up our station, we all headed to the hotel for some food, beverage, and rest. At dinner, Rotten Rob, inducted the group into the newly dubbed Frank Zappa Kappa with fancy pink t-shirts. The Sooper Dooper Duo's race strategy was simple. Double up on the laps for a few rounds, then kick it back to singles for the rest of the day. We stuck to the plan and managed to pull out top honors in the Coed Duo class. Great job Wonder Woman! As for the rest of the FZK: Chris and Ethan pulled off 1st in SS Duo, followed by Bob and Buddy the Keg Breaker in 2nd in SS Duo. Rotten Rob, Fatmarc, and Diane got 2nd in the 3-person Open. Jan and Blair pulled out 2nd in the Masters Male Duo. Wes and Matt rolled out 1st for the Male Duo, with Wes having the fastest lap time. Levi bested the Solo class with Andrew not far behind in 5th and Fitzy hung with 5th in the Solo SS class. A big thanks goes out to Tom and Meghan for being the support for the entire day. With pink t's littering the podium I would say that the FZK spanked the monkey!

tonights forecast...dark!

2007-06-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

In lew of lou, some must needed rest is required. It is tuff to do, but good for you. Future endevours! Nice stuff! Gettin' results! Dutch treats! See ya there! Return of the Jedi!

ERC

2007-06-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

So you want to ride some singletrack?

slightly stoopid 50

2007-06-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

State college riding is burley! Almost 50 miles of it, mostly singletrack, is dashingly strenuous. The good old 4-H camp was the hostess with the mostess once again for some epic riding/racing in the Penn Roosevelt/Rothrock Forests. The usual suspects were out in full force to lay it down on some of the most technical, shall I say rocky, terrain there was to offer. The mood was set on Saturday night, which it was almost too hard to stop drinking beer in order to rest up for the next days adventure. I guess that is part of the mistique of the 4-H camp. Needless to say, the race was going to be fun. Figuring on some aide stations, I rolled out with two bottles on the horse and one in the pocket. Quickly, on the first downhill, I realized why I should have put new bottle cages on my bike. After spending some time in the woods looking for the magical elixir, I got on my way. Perhaps another downhill or two could solidify the stronghold or lack there of, of my bottle cages. I pressed on moving through the woods on familiar trail and just staying hydrated the best I could bewteen water stops. After the second water station, on the third half of the race, I started to amp it up a little. Rolling through the final section of singletrack I was relieved to give my plush rigid fork a break from smoothing out the bumps all day, and was on my way to the coldest warm beer I was imagining for most of the ride. Rolling through the finish I had a time of 5hrs 9min. My traveling mate, Amy, rolled in with 6hrs 40min. Pretty sweet indeed! On terrain like that, anybody who stuck it out to the end is a true victor! Props go out to the jackass that didn't race and led his girlfriend in after she spent 9hrs out in the woods. He looked fresher than a peach!

WUWH

2007-06-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams, Telling myself it's not as hard as it seems...

realtime

2007-05-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

For more words and visuals on The Griz-viz, "X" marks the spot. Memo weekend was a blast!

mother nature's son

2007-05-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

spring buds

2007-05-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

Every spring, a gathering of off-road mountain cycling enthusiasts rendevous at the beloved 4-H camp in the Penn Roosevelt Forest. Pure and simple, this is the soul of our sport. Thanks Griz.

norwegian wood

2007-05-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Someday I will actually have a camera to accompany me on my exciting journeys. I could have a photo collage insted of tons of words and explanations. I could take some pictures of the nice woods coming alive in the spring. Mammals gathering, birds singing, rattlesnakes shakin' their tails. Some things that did strike me this time around was the badass loop that Elk and I rode in Thorpe on Saturday. It's hard to get bored with the network of trails here. So many ways to ride everything. I was truly grateful for the 9:30 pilsner break at the top of Pisgah. Thanks bro. Shortly after the ride ended I was about to throw in the towel, but upon further investigation, I gathered the essentials, and headed to French Creek for the MASS ride on Sunday. Meeting the gals, Val and Linda, and the Bean's for some pre-ride carb loading. The cabins were rustic, but better than the back of my truck, and the beer was tastey. So tastey the next morn was a bit ruff. Rolling to the start I was wondering how I was going to feel. After the start I was just glad to be sucking the wheel of the infamous "litterbug." Man that cat is strong! Trying to reel him in the whole day left me with a second place. Huber-1, litterbug-1. Oh well, at least I didn't spare on the fun the previous night or after the ride, but it was mother's day so I couldn't hang too long. Sorry! The ride home left me with a more efficient way home, no reception and a newly found car problem. Hmmmmm

maximus

2007-05-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

I got to say it was a good day. The weather was beautiful, the course was epic indeed, and I was feeling very good. I settled into a nice pace to the top of "dead woman hollow." Cruising up the climb with Buck, he assured that we were at least in the top 4. I stopped to refuel and drop a liter, and got back on the horse. Rolling through the roads, duel tracks, and woods I caught back up with the Buck, with the leaders in sight to the entrance of the "three mile trail." I stopped to refuel, quickly, for the last time, chugged some High-Life, and we hit the singletrack. Making some turns we caught up with Timmy D, but unfortunately he was fixing a flat. Making a few more turns we caught up with the leader. Some burley dude, that according to Buck, was seen litering on the trail. We both agreed that the liter bug should not win, but this guy could rip it up on the duel tracks. The three of us rode to "rattlesnake ridge," were Buck and I both blew by the burley guy on the downhill. Realizing that there was probably some duel track before the end of the race, we started pushing hard on the singletrack. Making a few turns, the race started to come together with riders from the shorter loops, but there was no real traffic. At this point, I was feeling strong enough to crank it up to the finish. Fully rigid, fatty smile, first place finish. Some people did not have such good fortune, which I always hate to hear, when mother nature comes through with such a nice day to ride. Results from the race can be checked out here. On another note, it's time to dig in and help out some people that really need support. Team Bury the Dragon is sponsoring a "bike gear" raffle to raise money for the HERA Women's Cancer Foundation. 100% of the proceeds of the raffle are being donated. Show some support for a great cause by clicking here to make a donation.

mellow velo

2007-04-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

Thankin' the southerners for hitting the JT trails on sunday. Check it out here and there. Now it's time to get busy.