Shadows

Maybe my eyesight is changing but as the light goes behind the hills and rolls over top the shadows play tricks. I see things or think I see things that I can't find out of my periphery. The aspens and pines play tricks, the rocks are consistent, I like that, always the same, you can trust a rock, not a tree.

Even

All the words come out even today, not enough time to do openers early. Instead I'll go later, before the rains come. Falling into place without any impact. The crash has me replacing nearly everything I can on the bike, bars, stem, pedals. I imagine the weather working it's own cycle, me turning with it, pushing into the last month of summer with a healthy pair of legs and less than that above. At least the head is feeling clear(er).

Days

The O.C.D. that prevents me from taking a real break even though I am sort-of broken also tears me into thinking that the people who drive have it easy; how cool to walk out of your house in your work clothes and get in the car and drive to work and not have to duck into the bathroom or file room to change into work stuff. The time doesn't factor in, on average the bike commute takes 15 minutes longer than the car. B.F.D. Rolling the path with my life on my back makes me feel like I have a cocoon, a good chamois and nice gloves, iPod (I know, not the safest) completes the start to the day. Knowing the Sigg is full and ready it's all easier.

4 cylinder

All kinds of things, porcupines, fox, bears. The bits aren't broken just pushing through the aches that go along with being a ragdoll. I know I was lucky, it could/should have been worse. The energy went somewhere I just don't know where. Riding in the rain dodging lightning, getting wet makes me think the real season is close. Pedals turn themselves, everything else hurts.

Balance

I can only imagine the flavors that this wonderful breakfast taco has. I ate a bland breakfast today, at least I ate. Easier said than done these days as I maximize time on the bike, rehab the f-ed shoulder be a parent and watch the tour, balance is fun, it's better that way, I don't get in the rut.

Porc

I saw a porcupine on the road today, he wasn't going anywhere. I felt bad for him, he's gone though and only the shell is left there to smell. I shoot upright in bed often with the pain of a blunt-dull knife in my shoulder. It's not broken, it just hurts like dysentery. So, the road bike gets the time, no dirt I think for another week. Late summer is approaching and I need all the cylinders to be happy.

Glue

I am using a little bit of lactic glue to put the pieces back together. It seems to work OK, but the pieces aren't that happy, yet. The mental inventory is taking some time, I don't know, this might be the worst one I have had. Crashes have happened before [I don't really believe in luck, you make your own] avoid the bad situations and you have a better chance of getting out in one piece. The little bit of inattention caught me by the front wheel.

Roller

BikePortland.org Stumptown Joustdown-32.jpg

Break- not broken

Less soreness, not in a general location, it is centralizing into the damaged areas, I got off light! I can ride, no dirt for a bit but overall a victory. Is rest forced from a crash count as a break from training? My OCD is in overdrive, I need to recover from falling and I need a break, is this both? Oh, yeah and I had an extra beer last night, this is a break for real!

Collateral Damage

A good day, not great, a few things that kept me from catching into the top three. Rolling well, when mechanicals didn't slow me down too much. Then with about 2 miles to go in the race, I leave the ground on a section of trail I have ridden a 100 times and the front end never hooks up again, I think at about 25mph. Rough to scrub off that much momentum on rocks and dirt. I got off light, the important thing is I didn't break the collarbone, and I finished. I think the bike is OK, I'll check that soon. Not too worried about a broken bike when I nearly finished off the season in mid-July. Bikes are a hell of a lot easier to fix than bodies. Not too fucked up considering how fast I was going and the terrain, could have been tons worse. The legs were going over well. The body didn't complain, only the speed wasn't that great.

At

This is a good day. Races come and go, the results are piling up as summer rolls on into the second season, the one that matters the most, all of it in front, falling into the beautiful sport.

For Sale

Sales push out the old crap that you don't really need anyway and hopefully you build up a steady pile of money instead of more useless shit. I succeeded on that front today. No new crap, less old shit.

Cooking

This is what I live in winter for. Longer days that make the snow seem less frequent and summer a bit longer. Weird thoughts up on top, too many pedal strokes, but not enough to drown out the ringing in my ears.

Clear

This is getting easier, cooperative weather, rain every afternoon and lots of Ks under the tires. Crystal clear vision, blurred only by the wind, not too cold, right now. The trail is getting super-clear, I see the trees define the singletrack, allowing it through. Perfect.

On the train

Not much better than sneaking through the woods early. Habits are hard to break, smoother than the little bit of cream in my coffee the trail let me bounce over rocks and roots, again. I feel sort of like one of those cyclists. You know the ones...who train.

Windows open

This is crystal clear, the pedals turn themselves sometimes, looking through the kaleidoscope of trees, roots, streams and moose I can see the trail. Lucky...sort of, dedicated...sometimes. Today was one of those. Mid week, rolling dirty.

Perfect

It all starts to feel better when you get a day like this, I was cold all morning until I had a mid-west sized burrito to warm me up. Ideal. Two meals make three.

OK

Decisions, I ate poorly today, that affected my race. I was ok on friday, that wasn't so bad. No another one, Mt. Evans or the Breckenridge 68, no jokes, just a longer race. Go from 7000 ft to 14,000 or from 9600 ft to 11,000 and back a few times. Whatever, we won today. That was good, almost puking on my bars two turns from the line made me feel stupid. Too much is enough.

Next Year

I listened to the steady build up of lactic acid into the already warm legs. Crystalized breakfast sitting inside achy thighs, I knew I only had one lap so it wasn't too hard mentally made it easier physically. Lots of carnage, I saw more bbq out on the trail than at the post race meal. 2.05 lap, not great but good. Next year...

Cracked

I can see it clearly now. It wasn't too hard, half of the firecracker, mine was the first half results weren't tops on the list, riding clean and rolling well. The new machine was pretty ideal. Little cush and some options under the hands. Ergons kept the blsiters to a minimum, I even got forearm pump on Rich Gulch, the first time in a year of rolling Ergon. That much climbing suited me fine, I wanted more.

Sunshine and rain

It adds up quickly, early up, out on the bike, legs were pretty gummy from yesterday's work, not feeling the love, uphill to dirt. Wet, rooty, rocky love early in morning. One hour of perfection, joy and pain, rob base would be proud. A little rain last night made sleep easy, the sounds of summer.

I wish they all were like this. Days turn the pedals effortlessly. Summer is reward for 7 months of payments into the bank. Maybe centralized global warming isn't such a bad thing.