Category Archives: Aging

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No More on the Road

Riding with the incomparable Greg Lemond

This time of year, I am reminded of how much I miss road cycling. I remember when I first got interested in road cycling was when I decided to ride to North Park from my childhood home on Siebert Road. I borrowed my sister’s bike and made the trek to North Park. I was exhausted by the time I got there but knew that I had found something that I really liked. Car horns not withstanding. Fast forward, looking for a different pursuit than running, Larry Cohen suggested I get into road cycling. I bought a new Trek, got all the clothes, helmet, shoes and started to ride from North Park to Brush Creek Park in Beaver County. From there I started to get involved with the Allegheny Cycling Association and began to race and do time trials. I was hooked.

At the Mount Washington Hill Climb in New Hampshire back in the day with the classic ACA wool jersey and leather hairnet.

Continuing on with the Highland Park Zoo parking lot criterium series, the ACA Time Trials, and various local and out of state road races, I relentlessly pursued getting in shape and competing. We had the good fortune of having national class riders like Mac Martin, Matt Eaton, Tom and Danny Chew mentoring us along the way and the thrill of a fast moving pace line, 6 inches apart was addictive. I loved the training rides too out into the country of Western Pa with the scenic farms, quiet roads, and the long hours to enjoy and think about a lot of things while peddling to get into shape.

I also went on trips to Holland, Ireland and England with touring companies and soon discovered that road cycling was a great way to see a country. Ride all day and just be in the town where you were supposed to be by dinner. It was all great and road cycling became more than just a pastime to me. It was a way of life.

One day I was riding in North Park, and a car came up behind me and threw a chipped ham sandwich at my head, complete with mayo, and told me in no uncertain terms to get off the road. I knew that I had just as much right to ride that road as that car, but with continuing aggressiveness of drivers, I began to think about the consequences of an altercation on the road. I was just starting to get into mountain biking too, so I had another outlet in the event that road cycling was becoming dangerous- at least for me.

At Rothrock Trails at State College.

I began to appreciate the trails with mountain biking, no cars and a good network of friends. I also appreciated the tranquility of riding the trails with music from my earbuds and playlists. 6 years ago, I made the painful decision to stop road riding because I saw too many drivers distracted with their cell phones and texting where they should have kept their eyes on the road. I didn’t want to put my life in the hands of a distracted driver or an otherwise angry driver. The roads around my home were no longer safe to ride in my estimation. So, I quit and sold my road bike. A painful decision but the more I have moved on, I know I did the right thing- at least for me. Mountain biking is fine.

There are times when I see road cyclists zip by me while I am on my mountain bike on the road, and my competitive juices start up just for a second or two to try to catch them. But experience and my age, says no way and I just let them go with a sigh- missing the speed and grace of the road bike. I miss the pace lines and the pleasant routes through the country roads of Western Pa. But sometimes we have to make decisions that are good for us and in no way do I intend to influence others. Road cycling had become too dangerous for me, and I had to make that decision to end my participation. I have no regrets on the decision, but the nostalgia of the good times on the road bike stays with me. Especially on a sunny day in the summer.

Sometimes you have to move on from things that you really like. But circumstances dictate decisions and you have to consider others like your family. You make the right decisions for you and your family and then move on. No regrets. So, the next time you are faced with a decision, look at the whole picture and decide what is best for you and your family. Then become involved in something new and enjoy the ride- whatever that may be. Thanks for reading.

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The past is done; the future is the canvas where God will paint something new.

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“Good to Excellent”

These were the words that I used to love to hear when I called the ski report back in the day. When I heard Lars Skylling, the Director of Skiing at Seven Springs Resort, say the skiing was good to excellent, I was excited. Lars has always been kind of a folk hero to me and when I stopped in to see him the other day, it was long overdue. I had a nice chat with his son Erik who lives in Park City, Utah. Lars is now 95 years old and it was so good to see him and to chat a bit with him. Again- he was a folk hero to lots of us kids growing up at Seven Springs in the old days.

By way of a little history, Lars learned to ski near his home in Stockholm, Sweden almost as soon as he learned to walk. He would ski 15 miles to school and back and skied with the Swedish Mountain Troops as a young man. Lars came to the United States at the urging of his brother Bert, and ended up teaching skiing at Big Bromley Ski Area in Manchester, Vermont. After only one season with the ski school at Bromley, Lars was drafted into the 46th Infantry in Germany and taught in the U.S Army Ski Patrol in World War II. Lars worked with amputee skiers in the Army in Germany, and eventually returned for two more seasons teaching skiing at Bromley. He eventually was contacted by Herman Dupre to head up the ski school at Seven Springs where he spent the rest of his career. He not only managed the ski school but was in charge of construction with many of the projects of a growing ski area in Western Pa. Hard to imagine the lives of this Greatest Generation and all they went through.

Lars and Dick Barron – head of the ski patrol at Seven Springs.

When Lars was the ski school director, I was a young guy. Along with my friends, we entered the Standard Race at Seven Springs on Sunday afternoons. Lars set the pace and all of us tried to come within a certain percentage of his time to win a coveted 7 Springs pin. They started out as bronze pins because Lars was pretty fast, but eventually, we got our golds as we entered the teenage years. When we started to beat Lars straight up, it was a proud day for all of us as well as for Lars, who mentored us in the junior racing programs. He wanted us to succeed but never gave it to us. He was fast and we had to ski really well to get that gold pin. I would call the ski school to see how we did and also called the ski report several times a week to hear Lars and his familiar voice during the ski report. He was our hero and I told him so that the day I went to see him .When he heard that, he got a big smile on his face and Erik was smiling too. I will make sure I go back to see him more frequently as we just don’t know how much longer we will have a guy like Lars with us. He is truly an icon who I have always admired.

My friend Porter Scott still wears his gold 7
So does his cousin Jamie Edson. Lars got us all enthused.

Lars was always a happy person and to see him at 95 years old with that same smile on his face was truly gratifying. I am sure he was happy to see me, but more importantly, I was really happy to see him. Many memories of growing up at Seven Springs as a young skier, were forged by my association with Lars Skylling. He is one of those classic figures that will always shape the history of skiing in Western Pa. I am privileged to know him and to relate to you how much my association with him means to me. I need to see him more often. ” The skiing is good to excellent, with a few izzzzy shpooots.” Thanks Lars. And,thanks for reading. Go see a senior citizen today.

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“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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I Can Hear Music

So, I was driving along listening to my Pandora collection in my Jeep, and it occurred to me that I was listening to 60 year old music- The Beach Boys. I always liked them and liked their music and was pounding on the steering wheel ” Tach it up, Tach it up ,buddy going to shut you down.” ” Gadda be cool now, power shift here we go.” I revved up my Jeep pretending to be in the drag race from the song when I said to myself- slow down man. “Shutdown” was a cool song from back in the day. Next on the hit parade was ” When I Grow Up to Be a Man.” ” Will I dig the same things in a woman that I do in a girl? Will I love my wife, for the rest of my life……? When I grow up to be a man.” So funny – I do love my wife, 38 years into it, and not sure I am yet ” a man.” Have a lot of kid still left in me.

Bentley Hall- Allegheny College.

Listening to this music reminds me of my days at Allegheny College in the spring trimester when we would blast the music from the stereos in Caflisch Hall. So much fun building up to graduation . My 50 year reunion is this year and I wonder how that could be. I still feel the same over all these years, but it is not lost on me that the years have gone by. The Beach Boys are still touring minus most of the original players but, still at it- 60 years later. “Lets go surfin now, everybody’s learnin how – come on a safari with me…..”

I kept the Boys on when I was riding at my local MTB route the other day and really enjoyed peddling to the sounds of Wipeout by the Surfaris on my Shokz earpieces. Some of the great music on the Pandora Beach Boys channel include the iconic sounds of Jan and Dean- ” The Little Old Lady from Pasadena.” Another great tune to get your engine running – this time pumping up a rock strewn trail. ” She’s the terror of Colorado Boulevard” I geared up one when I heard that. LOL!!! The smile on my face made me realize that I was actually riding back in time and remembering where I was when I used to hear all those tunes.

Not a fuel injected Stingray or a 413 and doesn’t sound real mean. LOL!!

It’s not like I am wishing that I was back in the past, but some of that music is just ingrained in me and when I hear familiar tunes, I really enjoy them. I sing to them and remember all the good times. Yes- 50 years out of college is a daunting statistic, but I am enjoying life and look forward to many more happy years. I am upping my game a bit with music that is a little more current- but not that current. I can take my old music ahead to many drives and rides in the future. Janet kind of shakes her head when I hear a tune and remember the artist. I bet her 5 bucks she can’t name the tune or the artist and most of the time, I win. Ronnie and the Ronettes- you lose. Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs – you lose. After all, she is 8 years younger than me and didn’t listen to music as much as I did ,driving my cars around. She doesn’t know the Flying Burrito Brothers, or the New Riders of the Purple Sage either- but then again- not many do. I actually had an Iron City beer back in the day with Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen. But ………………then again, not many people remember them either. Hint- ” Hot Rod Lincoln.”

This discussion might be lost on some of the younger crowd who read my blog. But, for those of us who are a little older, the sounds of “Pet Sounds” are fondly remembered. I even get a little misty eyed when I hear, ” God only knows what I’d do without you.” Sometimes the sentimentality knocks you off kilter on the trail and you have to compose yourself getting through the rocks. Then comes……………….” she’s real fine my 409, my 409. Well, I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes. Before I knew there would be a time. When I would drive a brand new 409.” That got me through that screaming downhill and the hikers I passed probably thought……………..what in the world is that guy singing.” LOL!!! Keep listening to the oldies, and thanks for reading.

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Familiar with the Line

My finish trail at my local ride

The other day I was riding Frick Park with a bunch of guys and some of those trails are pretty sketchy if you don’t know them. As I get older, I notice that I get a little conservative on trails that I don’t know so well and ride rather timidly at times. The uphill rooty sections at Frick were a little un-nerving because I am not that familiar with them, and trying to ride them aggressively is not something I am comfortable with doing anymore. On my way home, I thought about this and said to myself that I would rather ride trails where I know the line, and can ride them with confidence. Lots of my younger friends like to explore and ride new trails but me……..not so much anymore. I know I ride the same places all the time, but I am comfortable with them even in the nastiest of weather. Maybe it is a product of aging? Not sure, but I know what I like and don’t like at this point. The good thing is that I know a lot of trails in different places but the more familiar I am with them- the better.

I know these trails and the challenge is familiar. Laurel Mountain

I have my local rides where I know the trails, and I ride them several times per week. I also try to go to places like Laurel Mountain where the riding is challenging but I know the lines and can manage through some pretty technical sections because of familiarity. I also love the scenery there which, anymore, is as important to me as comfort with the trail system. I take a lot of heat from friends who want me to expand my horizon, but I hold my ground lately. I would rather be comfortable riding a familiar area then experimenting with a trail that I don’t know. And at this point in life, I don’t want to get hurt either. I don’t heal as well as I did in my youth. Occasionally I will venture out on to some new stuff, but mostly on my own so that I can become familiar and then add it to my quiver of trails. I have a good selection locally and also in places like West Virginia, State College, and the Laurel Mountains. Once I am familiar with them, my memory serves me well.

Lower Wildcat at Laurel Mountain State Park Ski Area

Interestingly, I kind of have the same perspective in my winter activity of skiing. People ask me when I ski locally at Laurel Mountain, why I just lap Wildcat. I tell them it is the best trail in the state and there are a number of different lines that you can take. But for the most part, I am familiar with that trail and, well, I just ski it comfortably. My friend Porter is the same. He skis familiar slopes and trails and skis his favorite lines like I do. He is aging too. So…………maybe there is something to that. But when you feel confident to make good turns on a slope or trail with which you are comfortable…..it is a lot of fun. Even if it is repetitive. Like mountain biking, I also have a good head knowledge and memory of places that I have skied When I travel and make my way out west to Mammoth Mountain for instance, I have enough experience and memory that I am comfortable with their terrain and can ski it confidently. I remember the lines and can do that in a lot of ski areas with which I am familiar. I may not know the trail names, but I know where to go and how to ski them.

Top of the gondola runs at Mammoth. I do know a couple of the names of the famous drops.

As I followed the group the other night at Frick, it became more and more clear to me how much I like familiar territory and how much I don’t like being surprised anymore. When you can rail a trail on your MTB at speed because you know every rock and ditch, you finish the ride with a smile on your face. Sure, I have done it a hundred times or more, but at my age, I am happy to be familiar and ride with confidence. Same with skiing.

Steins Way at Deer Valley- I know it and know how to ski it.
Rocky but I know the trail.
I even like to hike familiar trails- so as not to lose Janet. LOL!!

So, the next time you are riding or skiing with me and you want to explore, I may say to you…..” go ahead, I will meet you.” Not being rude or inconsiderate, but I like to be at my best and I do that on terrain that is familiar. Just a little factor of aging, I suppose. But no apologies, and you can always be sure that I know where I am going. LOL!! Thanks for reading.

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“You are my hiding place. You will protect me from trouble.” Psalm 32:7

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Remembering Boston

Hot Harry Kirsch- our fearless leader.

So I was watching the Boston Marathon highlights this past week and was amazed at the times of the winning male and female runners. Incredible, would be the actual word to describe the speed and fitness of these athletes. I texted back and forth with my friend Mary Jo Neff, and we had a lot of laughs about our crew from North Park who ran, and also of our fearless leader Hot Harry Kirsch. Harry was a Marine and always organized the marathon trips to Boston and the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. Lots of people were part of Hot Harry’s North Park Runners and eventually made it to one or more marathons with Harry.

My finishers medal back in the day.

Harry always had names for everyone. Mary Jo and I laughed about that. Water Bottle Bob, Bushy Debbie, Big Nose Bill, Sad Bill, and a host of other names which would identify people who ran out of Stone Field. One day, Jack Mook, the police chief for Sewickley and a former city of Pittsburgh detective, came up to me and said,” Pat- how would you like to run the Boston Marathon?” ” I am injured and will not be able to run.” Being a cyclist who only ran in the winter, I was hesitant but then thought what the heck- and I answered in the affirmative. Jack said great and got me all the information I needed and I was off to start training to do something I had never done. I had not qualified but got the chance to run with Jack’s number. I wanted the experience and began a serious winter training program culminating in my 20 mile run around the lake in a raging snowstorm and missing a great day of skiing to do it.

Joan Benoit Samuelson – a gracious champion

Fast forward and I was on the plane with Les Brodie, Hot Harry, and Carl Trimbur who all would be my room mates for the event. Lots of people from North Park were in attendance and were experienced runners. I had run my fair share of 10K events ,but I was mostly a cyclist and a lot of the folks chuckled with my audacity to run one of the most famous marathons in the world. But I was excited and Les, Hot Harry and Carl made it special for me with tips and suggestions for the race. It was hard for Les to sleep so he made his way to the closet in the room because Harry snored like a chainsaw. Carl and I bunked in a queen bed with me on the edge so as not to come too close to Carl. Kind of weird but that was the arrangement that Harry made. We all had some laughs about that room especially when right after the marathon, the elevators broke down and we had to climb the stairs.

Moving on to the Nike expo, I stood in line to meet Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Olympic Marathon Champion, and truly wonderful person. So humble and unassuming, it turned out that we had a mutual friend – Jace Pasquale. Jace coached ski racing in New Hampshire, and knew Joan from her ski racing days. Joan was so interested in finding out how Jace was doing that we held up the line for quite some time- much to the chagrin of the people behind me. But Joan was so nice and all she wanted to talk about was our friend Jace. So cool to meet her and talk to her.

The morning of the race, I boarded the school bus to the starting line, and as we made our way from downtown Boston out 26 miles to the start at Hopkinton, I started to get a little nervous seeing that I was on that bus for what seemed to be an eternity. Wondering if I was going to be able to make it back. Turns out Sad Bill Schillinger was kind enough to run with me, and he gave me tips along the way like drinking something at every water stop and eating an orange slice or two when offered by the volunteers. He also told me to slow down as we came through Wellesley College to the throngs of college girls who came out annually to cheer on the runners. You could hear them from a mile away and I was so excited that Bill laughed and said ‘ slow down or you will be in trouble.” Those girls got me pumped and I was in a sprint on the campus thinking I was Frank Shorter. LOL!!

Fenway Park was close to the end, and I was hurting a little bit as I saw the famous Green Monster, but Bill assured me that we were almost finished and to give it one more big effort. We ran across the finish line in 3:17 which I thought was respectable for a rookie and when I think that today’s winners could go back to the hotel, take a shower, eat some lunch and come back out to greet us, it shows the respect I have for them. World class runners are amazing.

Harry and the girls at one of his birthday parties.

Walking down the stairs the next day was a challenge, and I had to walk backwards most of the way in the hotel and in the subway. I didn’t realize that the pounding your legs take running downhill after the Newton Hills would be so debilitating. The North Parkers were slightly impressed with my time after initially chuckling at me, and I did not embarrass Jack Neff. But perhaps the most amazing thing I learned about Hot Harry that weekend was how light he packed. He only carried a small running bag with an extra singlet, pair of running shorts and a toothbrush. That’s it. All the way from Pittsburgh to Boston and back. Harry was a true character, and we all miss him since his passing a few years ago.

Thinking this week of the fun times I had in Boston made me appreciate all the great people I have known through the years from our local park. We are all getting older, but have managed to somehow hold ourselves together with the occasional aches and pains, hip and knee replacements, and other age- related ailments. But, I have been very fortunate in that regard and trying to hang in for as long as I can. Like the really fast times of the champions this year at the marathon, times change in life too. Enjoy your people that you do things with and keep up the accountability for each other. There are no guarantees. Make the most of it. You will have a lot of good memories too, like I do. Long live Hot Harry’s North Park Runners. Thanks for reading.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 3:13-14 The runners verse,

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The Marginal Decade

View from the top of Mammoth Mountain, Ca.

So, I have been talking a lot about Dr. Peter Attia’s book “Outlive”, where he discusses the Marginal Decade. Basically, his position is that if you want to be rolling around the floor with your grandkids after 70 years old, you need to focus on fitness decades before. He goes on to say that if you wait to get healthy after 70, most of the time it is too late, and after 75, guys tend to ” fall off a cliff.” Kind of a sobering commentary from a doc who values exercise and healthy eating above all else. I say it is never too late, but it is harder if you wait too long.

The good news for me is that I always believed in healthy eating and exercise for most of my life. I also value the notion that you have to be moving and active to make it through that marginal decade from 70-80 years old. I am at the early stages of that decade. I always liked the saying,” you don’t stop doing things because you get old, you get old because you stop doing things.”

Take skiing for instance. Every season I think to myself, ” How is this going to go this year?” I feel good but are those turns going to come easy or will I start to struggle a little. Once I am out on the hill, I feel confident, and another ski season commences. Locally, I try to pound every inch out of my runs, and then the next thought is ” How will I do out west at the end of the season?” I know I will be fine with Janet, but will I be able to hang with my friend when we ski Tahoe and Mammoth together? But, like riding a bike, I just click into my bindings and let it rip and those thoughts usually disappear within the first few turns. Now, we are not 30 anymore and we recognize our age. But we can still ski most things and that is because we have paid attention to our exercise and diet. We are making the most out of the marginal decade and the idea to keep moving is paramount. Sure, I wonder how long I will be up for driving at the crack of dawn to my local ski area- Laurel Mountain and be one of the first in the parking lot. Or how long I will be able to schlepp our luggage and 50 pound rolling ski bag through airports. But as long as I can still do it, I will, because I know that if I stop, that will be the end. All that will be left are the memories of good times in the mountains. I will be just talking about it and not doing it. Not something I want in the near term.

Same with riding. I ride a mountain bike all year because I like to be outdoors. I am not a gym guy and no matter what the weather is, I put on my winter garb, ride my winter bike, and brave the cold weather and snow. Because I know if I stop, that will be the end of it and I will age accordingly. I want to maximize the marginal decade.

Also, when I think about this subject, I think about being there for Janet. We have a good life, thank the Lord, and I want to always be active doing things with her. It is important to maximize this decade even though she is not there yet. I married a younger girl. So, I better be active and healthy not only for me, but for her, and for………..us.

So, if you are a younger person, take the time to read “Outlive”. Dr. Peter Attia has a lot to say about preparing for the marginal decade. It all starts decades before. Pay attention to your health, stay active, and you will be able to continue to do what you like to do for a long time. Don’t wait until it is too late. You can do things with me and keep me in the game. LOL!! Ride and ski with the geezer. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog on http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com It helps me.

“The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” Proverbs 16:9

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Not Even Close

Usually when the Winter Olympics roll around, I get the usual comments from some of my friends who don’t ski. They ask….” Pat, can you ski that fast?” or “Pat- could you ski that downhill course?” I always chuckle because I think to myself,” not even close”. Sure, I can ski most slopes and trails. I have the technique to navigate most things. But people have no clue as to how fast a World Cup downhiller goes. I politely respond that I can ski most things but downhillers ski generally from 60-90 MPH on modern DH courses and that includes women. The men and women are amazingly talented, can ski solidly at high speed, and most people have no conception of just how fast that is.

I had the good fortune to see some World Cup and Can AM (now NOR AM) races, and to view them up close and personal was very enlightening. Take the Hahnenkamm in Austria. It is the Super Bowl of downhill racing. I got to witness the Crazy Canucks up close and personal. Their thighs were like tree trunks, and I said to myself that they could probably play professional football with those legs. Strong guys who took rock hard, marble like, courses at 70- 90 MPH. I saw the up and coming US and Canadian downhillers at Sugarloaf in the Can Am races and Todd Brooker was the star of the show at the time. Before winning the Hahnenkamm, he was a downhill phenom at a young age racing for Canada. He came by me so fast on the Narrow Gauge trail at Sugarloaf that I didn’t even have a chance to see much of his turn. I watched our women train at Mammoth a couple of years ago and was amazed at their strength and speed. You see, really, world class athletes are in a league of their own – thus making them….world class. Their talent is amazing and when someone asks me, especially at my age, if I can ski like that……I just chuckle.

A couple of my friends brag to me that they hit 70 MPH on skis. I laugh out loud and ask them how they know that. They said their wearable watch and I- Phone app tells them by GPS how fast they are going. I tell them that they have no idea how fast 70 MPH is on skis and neither do I, and their apps and watches are incorrect at best. Deceiving at worst. Whenever I hear that from someone I know who skis, I set them straight and tell them my stories. I educate them as to the folly of believing their apps. Because there is no way they are skiing anywhere near that speed.

Bode Miller can probably still reach World Cup speeds but then again…..he is Bode Miller

World Class talent is amazing and when you see it up close, you are amazed. I had the opportunity to ski with Phil Mahre one time and to see him dig trenches in the snow ahead of me with his strong, fast turns, I was amazed. The former World Cup Overall and Olympic champion showed me why he is ……world class.

Phil was funny too. A pleasure to take a few runs with- er ah behind him.
French skier Perrine Pelen smiles as she shows her two Olympic medals, 18 February 1984 in Sarajevo, at the Winter Olympic Games.

One time I saw the famous French slalom star Perrine Pelen race World Cup at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. As I stood by the side of the women’s slalom course that day, I imagined how I would take a particular combination right in front of me. All of a sudden, Perrine comes down and was through the combination so fast, I didn’t really have a chance to see exactly how she did it. Again, world class talent is in another league even though I have been skiing for a long time. I really could not relate to how good she was, or Phil Mahre for that matter. In another league for sure.

The older I get, the more I respect the talent in events like the Olympics. I always joke that youth is wasted on the young, but in reality, world class athletics is a young person’s game. But it is important for people like us to keep moving and participate in sports that keep us fit and healthy. I love to watch the Olympics and other events where I see the world’s best compete. It inspires me to keep skiing and to constantly work on technique that will make me a better skier- even at my age. And when my non- skiing friends ask me again if I ski fast like the downhillers, I can chuckle and modestly say no way. But in my mind- when I am daydreaming………….maybe I think………………..YES!!!! LOL!! Thanks for reading and please follow the blog on Word Press. http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com It helps me.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua- 1:9

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Three Inches Lower

Angelo Ross and me at Laurel Mountain

So, I was riding the chairlift with my pal Angelo Ross the other day at Laurel Mountain, Pa. and we discussed some things about ski technique. Angelo currently is the Education Development Manager for the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and an examiner with the organization. I like to listen to what Angelo has to say and also to ski with him. I asked him for a tip or two since we were skiing together and he said, ” ski three inches lower.” Angelo went on to say that most of us ski with too tall a stance and really don’t utilize the ankle and knee joints like we should. My curiosity was peaked as I always thought I was skiing a little tall being a relatively lanky guy with long legs. Angelo said, try it. And I went on to work on it while he conducted his clinic that day.

I also thought about how I had shortened my ski poles and Janet’s ski poles to accommodate a lower stance and how I usually just touch the pole at the beginning of a turn to get the process started. But thinking back to our chairlift conversation, Angelo and I discussed how skiing and a lower athletic stance is key in many sports. Think about receiving a serve in tennis. If your ankles are flexed and your knees are flexed and you are in a lower position, you can move quickly laterally to handle the serve. Too upright and you don’t have the quickness to react. Angelo showed me his stiff arm on the chairlift and asked me to think of it like his leg. If it is stiff, you can’t really move the wrist too much but it you flex your arm, all the joints are more supple. Try it. Then think of your stiff, tall, legs in skiing and then think of how much better they work in a lower flexed position. Try getting 3 inches lower in your stance with flexed ankles and knees and see what happens. For me, it enables me to use the inside edge more efficiently and also flex my downhill leg and my inside leg for more efficient turns.

Probably will never get as low as Mikaela Shiffrin in a GS but look at that stance and see flex of everything.
Look at Paula Moltzan’s knees. Even her rock, solid downhill leg is flexed for more efficiency.

Angleo and I also discussed the need for a lower position and flexed, athletic stance in basketball. Guarding someone, if you are too tall in your stance, you have again, like tennis, no lateral quickness. But if you have a lower, flexed, athletic stance, you can react more quickly and guard your opponent more efficiently. My friend the Shark chimed in with a football analogy. He said same thing goes for a linebacker. You see them flexed with their hands out in front, ready to attack the opposing running back. Too tall and too stiff, the back is by you in a flash. But if you are ready with your hands out front, like skiing, and your joints flexed, everything moves much more efficiently. You make those needed tackles.

In short, a flexed, athletic stance in a lower position is helpful in many sports. Try skiing sometime with no poles and get as low as you can and see if you can grab a handful of snow with your inside hand without leaning back. A good exercise to get lower. Try skiing holding your poles halfway down the shaft and see if that helps you to get lower. You will be amazed how much more agile and efficient your turns are and how you can utilize both skis in a turn.

For those of you who do not ski, think about the sports that you may participate in and see the benefits of flexed joints and a lower stance. I am always trying to improve. Angelo also noted that when we ride mountain bikes together, we are flexed over the handlebars and pedals going downhill to allow more efficient descending. If you are too stiff, you are over the bars and into the woods. Again, I always am trying to learn and see how good positioning is key in a lot of sports, even those that I participate in outside of skiing. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I am a testimony to the false nature of that statement. I am never too old or proud to take a tip from a guy like Angelo, and for all of us seniors, keep learning. Keep trying new things, trying new equipment, and never get complacent. For us skiers, get three inches lower. You will be amazed at how that tip helps. Thanks for reading and if you would, please follow the blog on http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com It helps me.

“Treat others with the same kindness you wish to receive” – Matthew 7:12

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The Green Woolies

50 year old wool pants from LL Bean.

So how many of you have a pair of 50 year old pants that still fit you? How many of you have pants or anything else for that matter that you can still use at 50+ years old? I got these pants when I worked up at Sugarloaf Maine teaching skiing many years ago. It was cold up there. 40 below straight temps most mornings and I even wore these under my ski pants instead of long underwear when it was bitter cold. They are warm, they are comfortable and they still fit. Amazing.

I wear these pants these days is when it is cold in the parking lot at our church when I am on parking team duty. The guys always make fun of me wondering when I will pull out the green woolies. They can gauge how cold it is by my pants. LOL!!! I also wear them on hikes in the winter when I am not riding or skiing. I must admit that when it hits the teens and single digits with a 30 MPH wind, my riding ceases. I am not that tough anymore, and I also don’t have studs in my tires for the snow and ice issues. The melting and refreezing tends to make the trails a little dicey. I also don’t have a fat bike. I am just not that hard core anymore. But I will still bring out the woolies for a nice winter hike. Then back on the bike when the temps moderate bit ,and the trails are no longer icy.

The winter bike takes a break if there is ice on the trails.
My local trails.

As much as I like to ride mountain bikes and ski, there is something nice about just putting on my tunes in my earpieces and listening to my old music from back in the day. I don’t have to pay much attention to what I am doing, and just hiking along gives me the freedom to daydream and think about all the fun times I had when I first listened to this music. Bonnie Raitt, Karla Bonoff, Jackson Browne, the Dead, Poco, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, the Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrds, and on and on and on. All good music that has stood the test of time and reminders of people, friends, and events from back in the day. On a snowy day it is almost like I am transported back in time as I listen to all of this old stuff. Old like my green woolies.

Judy and Janet on their snowshoes. Another winter pastime

This past weekend we got a big dump and I hauled out the snowshoes. Same tunes, same woolies, and more transports back in time. Fat bikes and studs on tires are great, but sometimes there is even too much snow for them. Lot of dedicated guys ride all winter, but sometimes it is a bit much for me and I can get lost on the trails with my hiking boots or snowshoes. I don’t like to exercise indoors. I like to be outside in whatever weather that is thrown at me, I like the fresh winter air, the solitary snow- covered trails, and the opportunity to wear my nice ski parkas with a pair of 50 year old pants from LL Bean.

Jan and I even snowshoed in our neighborhood. Big storm for us.

Another old piece of clothing that I have is my original Patagonia gray fleece pullover. This item I have had for about as long as the woolies and I recently posted an old picture of me wearing it from the top of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. I sent it to Patagonia ,and they posted it on their web site and it got 28,000 hits. People probably like the old pullover and the story behind it.

So, if you have an old piece of clothing that you like, hang on to it for as long as you can. If it serves you well, that is great. If it is just for nostalgia, that is cool too. The stories in those pieces of clothing are well worth the space it takes up in your closet. Janet just shakes her head at me, but deep down she realizes that the stories are good and the mocking of my friends is well worth the pain of keeping the items. I laugh with them, but I bet they don’t have clothing like that. Legendary! Thanks for reading. Enjoy the snow and winter and remember to follow the blog on http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com It helps me.

“By the breath of God, ice is given. And the broad waters are frozen fast” -Job-37,9-10

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A Third Place

I was reading an interesting article this week about “A Third Place” in the latest issue of Outside Magazine. The Third Place is described as a place where people can meet and socialize with strangers, acquaintances, and friends. This would be outside the home ( first place), and the workplace ( second place). In our world, the “place” sometimes varies but the important thing is to meet and be held accountable for meeting. Take mountain biking for instance. We meet at different ” third places”, but the social interaction is there on the ride and also the post ride with libations and snacks in the parking lot. This was particularly important post-pandemic when we were all basically shut in and longing for a third place to meet and socialize. In our case, in an athletic endeavor.

In the winter, our third place oftentimes is the ski area. We have our standard places but also we make it a point to make a ” third place” not only the local area, but a vacation spot where we can ski together and socialize on the chair lift and also in an apre’s ski venue.

The local” third place.”

So what is the real importance of finding a place to exercise and gather socially outside the home or workplace? It is important to have an outlet to be with friends in an environment where we share an activity. The “place” is not as important as what we do in that place. Group exercise meetings fulfill the need to blow off some steam from the workplace and to get out of the house on a nice day or not so nice day depending on your level of intensity. Gloria Liu, in her article in Outside, says that” Third Places are posited as a solution for finding and building community during a time when Americans are increasingly alone. ” Coffee shops, bars, and other meeting places are not necessarily conducive to creating a community like a meeting place, where we are all held accountable to a mutual love of an athletic endeavor. Endorphins are released, people get excited, and make plans to meet again for a ride or a ski day. Thus the “third place” is actually a metaphor for a mutually enjoyed activity that fosters friendships and a community dedicated to health and fitness.

The “Third Place” has actually been quite important to me in that most of my good friends and social interactions have been found there. To me, it is important to have friends who hold you accountable no matter the circumstances. Weather, time constraints, etc. can all derail meetings, but when things are really clicking, you meet at that third place regularly and it becomes an important part of your lifestyle. It is not just something you do, it literally is who you are. Gloria Liu also says that the third place is one that you make, not just one you find. You become more involved. As you become a more senior member of a group, you volunteer to bring along the new people, introduce them to your other friends, and let them make new friends and be held accountable. This type of social interaction is not found necessarily in the workplace, or for many at home who perhaps are single or alone. But it is an important step in developing relationships that last a lifetime.

So, make it a point to make that weekly ride, meet friends who will ride with you daily. Perhaps a hiking or running group? There are many of them around if you search the internet. Find that third place for social interaction and become an integral, teaching part of that group. They can learn a lot from you, and you can learn a lot from them. And as I said in my last post, age really does not matter if your shared love is a sport that you can do for a lifetime. For me, riding, hiking, and skiing are those sports and I have found my “third places” for all of them. Thanks for reading.

Please follow the blog on http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com It helps me.