Well, the old dudes are about to make a return to West Virginia late September to take in the UCI World Cup Mountain Bike Races at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. Lots of fun watching the pro men and women in cross country and downhill. Their skill is amazing and the atmosphere is electric with all the fans. But part of the fun is riding the uber challenging trails of West Virginia. I am currently plotting out our rides for the long weekend and the ride routes in Davis, West Virginia are etched in my mind. This would include the famous Moon Rocks as seen above. This interesting sandstone formation is very old and the pockmarked water spots make riding this section very challenging. This is an ancient rock formation that has surfaced over the years. Supposedly it is 480 million years old. Knowing that, it kind of commands your respect as you make your way onto it’s pockmarked surface. It is unlike any other area on the trail system in Davis but certainly a most interesting feature of the technical riding there.
The first time I ever saw the Moon Rocks was in the 24 Hours of Canaan years ago in Davis. I was warned about them as I slogged my way out of a portage in the river at the start of the race. I was totally soaked and the marshal said, “wait until you get to the Moon Rocks.” I was kind of taken back when I first came up on them and worked my way through them slowly but surely, so as not to crash on the sandstone/bedrock surface. Three laps later at about 3:00 AM, I came on them in the pitch dark of night. My lights illuminated the marshal who was standing there with a long coat looking like the grim reaper. It was kind of eerie making my way in and out of the rocks with no one else around at that particular time in the race. It is sometimes tough to make your way up and through the rocks, stay upright and exit without incident.
My posse back in the day at Davis, West Virginia
The race days are over for me but we still like riding down in West Virginia. We are staying at the Jerico in Marlinton where we used to stay years ago. We are utilizing their Lee Cabin which is a restored Civil War cabin. When we first went to the Jerico, the proprietor’s father asked us where we were from. We told him and he said, ” Yankee boys.” ” We have four of you buried on the hillside behind us from the war.” We laughed about that one, but I slept with one eye open. LOL!! The Lee Cabin is named after the famous Civil War general and the history of the Jerico will be on full display there. I will also drag out all of my old maps from the area and compare them with the Trail Forks app to come up with a good itinerary of rides before we get cleaned up to take in the races at Snowshoe. But the riding there is no joke and you have to be prepared for wet roots, slimy rocks, and generally difficult conditions. Just the way the West Virginians like it. We will have our doc with us to patch things up if anything goes sideways. That is if he doesn’t need patched up himself which is more likely the case.
We are also hoping for some dry weather. More often than not, we have experienced torrential rains when we headed to West Virginia. The Wild 100 days, the NORBA races at Snowshoe, the West Virginia Fat Tire Festival were often plagued with heavy rain which made the riding conditions even more challenging. Last year, the UCI race at Snowshoe had biblical rains and it was interesting to see the men and the women pros handle the really slick, muddy descents.
The finish line for the pros at Snowshoe after an incredibly muddy race.
Hopefully we will have a dry shot at the Moon Rocks in Davis on the way down. Perhaps a slice of whole wheat pizza at Sirianni’s or a burrito at Hellbenders then head south to Marlinton. It is always a great time in the Mountain State and we are all looking forward to a visit to the Moon. Thanks for reading.
Après in the CityAprès with the bride at Niagra on the Lake- Canada.
Recently I have been posting about the necessity to enjoy each day as we get older. Instead of always planning the next trip, adventure, or whatever, enjoy each day as it comes. You can’t get time back and it is important to grasp each moment of each day and enjoy it for what it is. Not that you can’t make plans or on the flip side, make everything spontaneous( I wish I could), but take the time to enjoy where you are and relish the good day at hand.
Après is a celebration of each day’s events. Usually accompanied by a beverage or two and involving all the folks with whom you did something with that day. These summer days, it is usually with my mountain biking group. We finish a ride, change clothes, grab our coolers and snacks, haul out the camp chair from our vehicles, and relax as the day winds down. The stories that come out are fun and relishing the day’s events with friends is truly the best part of the ride in my opinion.
Après is more famous in the ski setting as most people like to do the same thing after a great day of skiing. Sitting around a fire with a beverage or two and reliving the great conditions of the day, is a major part of the ski experience. The pictures below celebrate après and also our friend Tim Girone’s birthday up in Bend, Oregon this past winter. Janet asked me, ” we are going to sit around in the parking lot and drink beer and eat snacks in the cold?” She was the last one to leave. It was so much fun and an adaptation on the usual après ski venue.
Happy Birthday Tim- cold but fun.
I posted recently about one of my favorite après ski places- The Cottage up in Lake Placid. Another great venue for celebrating the day’s events.
Most often, one of the more humorous parts of après is how the day’s stories grow in size similar to the standard fishing stories. The size of the fish increases as the day wears on and the same with après. The stories get more spectacular the longer you sit in your chair. Like my dad always said,” The first liar never has a chance.” LOL! All part of the après scene.
Après is fun no matter what sport you participate in, and you should make it a part of your outing whenever you go riding a bike, playing golf, tennis, or whatever floats your boat. Celebrate the day and the friendships that you have made. They say if you go out of this world and can count your good friends on your right hand, you are fortunate. Kind of grim, but really drives home the point to take the time to enjoy each day on this planet, and enjoy the friends that make your days special. Après is like the icing on the cake to a great day. It is the signature of the outing, signed sealed and delivered. You always remember the great days of riding and skiing and equally, most of us remember the great après events that followed the days. They are etched in your mind forever when thinking about good friends. The memories, the pictures in your mind, will last a lifetime. Celebrate with après in whatever you do and most importantly savor each day as it comes. They go quickly. Thanks for reading.
Bob Kowalski – master provider of snacks for the post MTB rides.
Greg Lemond in the middle. JR Ellis and I were guests of Scott Weiner on this charity ride.
I was watching a really good documentary on the Tour de France this week on Netflix. If you get the chance to see it, watch it. Very well done. It brought up some thoughts of when I was real active riding road bikes. I started back in my 20s with a ride from North Park out into Butler County with Larry Cohen and Chuck Martin. These two guys, who are no longer with us, got me started and what a “ride” it has been. From long rides in the country, to racing the Allegheny Cycling Association time trials and criteriums at the Pittsburgh Zoo parking lot, to races in New Jersey and the Mt. Washington Hill Climb in New Hampshire. I also had the chance to ride my road bike in Holland, Ireland, and England as well as in many states of the U.S. Lots of good times riding along with lots of time on my hands.
Greg Lemond- our only Tour de France champion. Thanks again to Scott.
I always enjoyed riding in a pack in the races and also on long road rides with all of my friends. The road is so smooth and when you get in a good group and exchange leads in a counterclockwise rotation, you can really motor along and rack up some serious mileage. Road cycling was always my go to spring, summer and fall activity for many, many years, until it all came to a screeching halt 5 years ago. Not by any accident or traumatic issue, but rather from the circumstances surrounding the roads that I had cycled for years. I started to notice an aggressive behavior of drivers on the road who seemed stressed. I used to ride in the city a lot and never had any vehicle issues- well maybe a few, but I generally kept my head down and kept pedaling and didn’t get into any confrontations. One time I had a guy throw a ham sandwich with mayo at me and smack me in the back of the head. After a few expletives from him in his car, he drove off and I wiped the Teddy Bear sandwich from the back of my helmet and kept riding. But it was starting to make me nervous.
Not much room on the berm on Pennsylvania roads.
The years went on and the road cycling continued. I enjoyed my weeknight rides to Mars, Pa. and beyond, and my weekend rides the country north of where I live. Most of the time, when I got further north, the roads were not as crowded, and the scenery was great, and it was a pleasant riding experience. But as housing developments began to spring up, replacing the farms and wooded areas I once rode through, the traffic became more of an issue along with the aggression of the drivers. Even though road bicyclists can share the road with motor vehicles, there was a feeling from a lot of drivers that we did not belong there. I always tried to ride to the right of the road as far as I could and gave drivers the appropriate hand signals to alert them if I was turning. I never got into confrontations and always tried to be courteous. But things started changing.
Beautiful fall riding but no berm.
With the advent of car phones and then cellular phones, I noticed an increase in accidents, sometimes fatal on our roads. The ones I used to cycle on all the time. Different organizations put white painted bicycles called Ghost Bikes at the fatal accident sites as a reminder of what can happen. I came to the decision, a tough one , to sell my road bike and not leave my safety to the whim of someone not paying attention to the road and texting their friends. It just wasn’t the way it used to be, and I was thankful that at least mountain biking had taken over as a very good alternative option.
Ghost Bike.
I miss road cycling. I miss the friends that I rode with. I also miss the solitary times by myself on some country road seeing picturesque farms and mountain views. Technology with the phones, and the spur of housing development had deflated my passion for riding on the road. Watching the Tour documentary this week brought back a lot of memories of road cycling. I looked at those nice Pinarello road bikes that Ineos uses with a bit of nostalgic envy.
I don’t mean in any way to suggest that anyone stop road cycling. I miss it. But I am just relating my experiences good and bad which made me come to the decision to stop. Maybe I am getting more conservative as I get older, or perhaps a bit more cautious. But the time came for me to put my road cycling life in the past and focus on other pursuits. Be careful where you ride. Stay safe. Be alert to vehicles and their drivers and avoid confrontation at all costs. Thanks for reading.
Last week I told you all about Adventurefest and the great time we had at that event. Part of the deal was to get a group together to ride at the wonderful Allegrippis Trail System at Raystown Lake in Central Pennsylvania. Now many of you know about the lake and the trails that were created by the Army Corps of Engineers and the whole facility is a testament to their hard work and planning for many years. Raystown is the largest manmade lake in Pa. and the trail system is really well laid out and lots of fun to ride. They have lots of flow and the views of the lake from the trails are spectacular. But I will leave that there. Lots has been written about Raystown and I don’t need to reinvent the wheel. But what I do want to talk about is the group of us that ended up riding together that day.
Raystown Lake from the trail system
We split the group into four of us who were pretty strong riders and the other group who were more casual and went off on their own. I rode with John Casuccio, Mark Sauers, and Bob Horrell. I ride with John and Mark fairly frequently and it was nice to connect with Bob who I have ridden with before and also ski with him. As we rode along, we were treated to a good route by Mark “the Shark” Sauers who knew a new route for us to try. Pretty good pace and nice dry flowy trails. But again, that is not the story here.
The Four Amigos.
The story that I thought about on the ride was the fact that all of us are different ages. That is the cool thing about mountain bike riding and skiing for that matter. The love of the sport transcends age and if you can keep yourself in shape, you can continue to ride no matter who you ride with. Bob is on the left here and he is 43, I am 68, John is 61 and the Shark is 58. I chuckled to myself when I thought that I was 25 when Bob was born. But when we are on the trail, age is not a discussion point. We all are mountain bikers and skiers and snowboarders for that matter, and we all bond together on the trails and on the slopes. It was interesting to have a conversation with Bob who is younger and to get his perspective on things. I like the younger guy’s perspective and as the Health and Safety guy at Seven Springs, Bob has a lot to say about the state of skiing locally. He also has a great perspective on life. Again , nice to get a young guy’s perspective on things. But the thing that united all of us last weekend was the riding, the camping, and the Adventurefest. Nobody thinks of age when you are pounding up a hill. You all just get in the rhythm and ride. The experience unites all of us no matter the age. That is why it is so important as you age, to stay in shape. You can enjoy the experience with all kinds of people in all kinds of different age categories. As long as nothing catastrophic happens with your health, you can continue to enjoy your outdoor activities for a long time.
John the Bear whisperer. Dan and Steve Gurtner at Laurel Mountain. Dan is one of the fast young guys who is gracious enough to ride with all of us. Steve is his old man.
Now I don’t kid myself. I can’t ride with the fast, young guys anymore. I have to know my limitations. But the thing I have found as I age, is to enjoy the experience. I always tell my crowd that no one is going to the Olympics and there is no need to fly out of the parking lot. Just ease into the ride and enjoy your friends, the conversation, and the beauty of the trails and not focus on the back of some guy’s shorts in a heated pace. I am one of the oldest guys on most rides, but I love being in the fray. You can level the playing field if you have a good perspective on your time on the trails. Enjoy the ride, the scenery, and the company of people who are diverse in background and age. So no matter what your sport is, golf, tennis, running, road cycling, or whatever floats your boat, keep at it. Stay in the game. Thanks for reading.
“John- look who is coming your way to welcome you to Adventurefest 2023!” We chuckled at the inquisitive reptile who seemed to be quite interested in John Casuccio’s blue rubber boots. Due to unforseen circumstances, I missed Adventurefest last year but was determined to attend this year. We had a great group of guys setting up our tents and settling in for the weekend at the annual Christian men’s outdoor festivities at Agape Farm in Shirleysburg, Pa. 167 guys settled in for a weekend of camping, mini-bike riding, fishing, drone flying, Harley riding, and mountain bike riding at the Allegrippis Trails at Raystown Lake. Greg Nass is a pastor who organizes the weekend with a really responsive crew and his diligence makes the schedule and the weekend flow as smoothly as possible. We had great weather this year as well.
Greg Nass and the uber positive Mark” the Shark” Sauers
So what is Adventurefest actually and who are the Adventuremen? Tough to put your finger on because it is such a diverse group. But most of the guys are normal Joes who call themselves Christians, and generally have families, are happily married, and seem to like to congregate at Agape Farm every year for many reasons. Some are trying to get their lives back together after a background of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and some crime. Sure, it is great fun to camp and get away with a group of guys who have like- minded interests. All the activities are great and there is always something fun going on. But where the rubber meets the road is when the Assembly of God preachers take the stage after some great music by the Morgan Dolan Band. The theme of the weekend was the passage” enter through the narrow gate.” Most people take the wider road or path, but to take the narrow gate takes conviction and is not easy to do in life. Matthew 7-verses 13-14. Look it up for context.
Friday night……..
After camp set ups, the men all assembled for opening remarks by Greg Nass and Pastor Michael Ragozzino took the stage. Now most people would think that a pastor would be a quiet, pious type with a poignant message spoken in a demure way. Not Michael. He freely shared his background growing up on the North Side of Pittsburgh. 32 rehabs, prison time, heroin addiction at 16, armed robbery for a $500.00 a day habit which put him into several years of incarceration. Finally at the suggestion of his mother, he turned his life around and learned about the Christian faith. He became a pastor and now has a wonderful wife and family and serves in a church in Somerset, Pa. His passionate message to us was that it is never too late. Everyone has a mission no matter what their background is. We left the long building marveling at his faith, his passion and his willingness to be open about a very tough background.
Lights out at midnight.
Saturday…….
John suggested to me that we had another visitor to our camp early in the dark morning. He heard a large movement right outside his tent and a deep measured breath of a large animal which John in his silence thought was definitely a bear. For some reason the turtle, and now a bear, seemed to be sending John a message or was inquisitive about this guy from Moon Township. We laughed about it over our breakfast with our group of ruffians camped near the little lake on the property.
The affable John Casuccio- musing about his nocturnal visit from the bear. Bob and Gus manning the cooking stations. Fortunately, all the food was in the trucks each night. The Adventuremen Mountain Bikers at Raystown.
After breakfast and before the group headed to Raystown ( more on this ride next week), we listened to a message from Pastor Duane Goodling who gave an informative talk about the validity of the Bible. He gave us all a sheet with some interesting talking points. Things like- read the Bible. Know what is in the Bible to know what not is in the Bible. There are normative and prescriptive passages in the Bible which can explain some fundamental misunderstandings. Things that were written for the people of the time and things that were written that are timeless. We all were glued to that sheet and were really locked into the message from Pastor Duane which seemed to answer many questions and led to the conclusion that the inspired word of God is the truth. It is not subject to interpretation other than to understand the difference between the normative and prescriptive context.
After a great mountain bike ride at Raystown, we all headed to a delicious meal at Little New York in Huntington, Pa. ( Don’t miss that one if you get there.) Great Greek and Latin specialties. We then returned to the camp and ate a little more before we headed back up to the long building to hear what turned out to be an inspiring message by the Evangelist Tim Bennett. Look him up on Facebook or Google him. http://www.bennettministries.com He and his wife have an amazing evangelistic ministry based out of Mt. Morris, Pa. With great exuberance expected by an Assembly of God pastor and evangelist, Tim flew all over the room with relentless energy as he told us all to “raise the standard” in our lives. There are so many things going on today that are in total defiance to fundamental principles and the message to all of us as Christian men, husbands, fathers, and heads of households was to raise the standards and make a difference in the lives of all that we encounter. Don’t be judgmental. Be welcoming but speak the truth in love. Tim talked about financial troubles and said that if ” you go about your Father’s business, your Dad will always cover the bill.” “Your talent is a gift from God. What you do with it is your gift back to Him.” He was like a machine gun with all of these sayings and really lit up the room even though most of the men were tired from all the day’s activities. But Tim lit a fire under all of us and if you have never heard a Pentecostal message from an evangelist, put it on your list of ” to do”. You will not regret it and you will never forget it. Tim didn’t want us to leave from the weekend without considering what we would do to honor the Lord in everything we do from this day forward. He ignited the room and challenged the Adventuremen. People need hope these days and the timeless message of Christianity fits that bill. Providing hope and comfort in a world full of division, angst, and troubles. Tim challenged the group to put it out there and provide that message of hope. Don’t be afraid. You are giving people good news.
Pastor Dwayne Goodling.
A lot of people think that Christians are above it all, judgmental and condescending. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fact is we all acknowledge our sinfulness, limitations, and shortfalls and although we all may not have stories like Pastor Mike and his Northside days, we all have stories where we need redemption. We are all just normal Joes trying to get along in this life as husbands and fathers. All of you who know me, are aware that I am just a normal guy. I have a good sense of humor, I care about people, and I am interested in bettering my life and also hoping to make a difference in this world among my family and my treasured friends. Adventurefest and the Adventuremen do that for me. If you are interested in the organization, please go to www. Adventuremen.org I am honored to be on their board of directors. Come to Adventurefest next year and maybe try one of our Dirt Church mountain bike rides. We get all kinds. Believers, non-believers, good riders, not so good riders, but we have a good time with great food afterwards with a good message from Greg and The Shark. Come on out! Thanks for reading.
Syed on the rocks at Laurel MountainThe recently retired Sandy McKee in great shape pounding the rocks at Laurel.
Dr. Syed Hyder is not only my physician, but also my really good friend with whom I like to ride mountain bikes. He and Sandy McKee and I rode Laurel Mountain the other day on a truly glorious day. Syed and I usually ride up together in my Jeep and we have really great discussions on a myriad of topics from healthy eating, to planning the next mountain bike trip together with our pals. Looking at the beautiful sunshine on the way up through Rector, Linn Run and up the mountain to the parking lot at the ski area, we remarked how great it is to take advantage not only of a great day, but a truly spectacular venue with the mountain laurel just about to burst forth in full bloom. Then per his usual custom, Syed became philosophical which is where he truly shines in my book. He said it is so important to ……….” expand the present.”
Sandy and Syed at Wolf Rocks.
I like to listen to Syed and although I am a talker, I make it my business to listen when Syed speaks. I asked him to comment on “expand the present” and his logic was insightful. He said, we need to really enjoy days like we had at Laurel. Enjoy the moments, and really try to get as much out of the day as possible. Little things like enjoying the cool temperatures, the absolute perfection of the trails, and the challenge of Spruce Run which always takes a backseat in conversation to Wolf Rocks. As we pounded the Spruce Run rock section, Syed remarked that he thought it was as challenging if not more challenging than Wolf Rocks, especially where it comes at you at the latter part of the ride. But expanding the present in that sense, is to really enjoy the challenge, enjoy your body working to maintain balance, and relish in the aftermath of making it through a tough part of the ride. Syed likes to ride every tough section, and in his mind, he is expanding the present through his experiences. He and Sandy and I really enjoyed the scenery out at the Wolf Rocks overlook and I observed Syed looking off into the distance truly reveling in the moment. He said to me later that not only is it important to expand the present, but to “retract the future and the past.” That meaning that you really can’t do much about the past other than learn from experience, and nothing can be done about the future so why worry or spend time on what will happen. Enjoy the moment, enjoy the day you are given, as it is all really a wonderful gift. Too many of us worry about what will happen tomorrow, next month, or next year, and let the current state of affairs slip out of our hands. Enjoy each day as it comes and make the most of it. Expand the present.
Thinking about what Syed said, as I write this on Memorial Day, I think about expanding the present and thinking about what a great country we have. The opportunities are boundless if we enjoy the moment and the days as we get them. Freedom is not free and when I think about the guys that made it possible for us to truly enjoy our freedom and make the most out of our daily lives, I can really” expand the present” because I have the freedom to do so. I can ride in the Laurels on a sunny day, I can worship when and wherever I choose, I can enjoy my family without any dangers or issues that arise in countries that are not free. They don’t have the chance to expand the present.
Think about those veterans who gave their lives today. Think about the great opportunities we have as a result of their sacrifice. We can enjoy our days because of what they did. Enjoy your day today. Thanks for reading.
Cemetery of the Alleghenies. Honoring those who served.
Back when I was getting tired of playing tennis, I saw a guy run by the tennis courts every day. You could set your watch by him and I decided in a very Forrest Gump way, that I wanted to run. I started out with some guys that I met and in no time……I was a runner. I entered races and even marathons eventually, and really liked the feeling when I was finished running. Kind of like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer because it feels so good when you stop. But running became my life before I got into cycling. Even then, I still ran in the winter but eventually gave that up to preserve my knees for skiing and road cycling and mountain biking. But suffice to say, I always enjoyed running in one way or another. I passed that enthusiasm to my friend from work-Danny Sigmund.
When I first started working at Armada Supply Chain Solutions, I met Danny who was s supervisor in the warehouse. He was real friendly and liked the fact that I was into running as he was as well. He was also very interested in staying in shape and the two of us had many talks walking the warehouse floor. He taught me a lot about supply chain and how Armada fit into the McDonald’s system. I was looking for all the information I could get at the time and Danny was always willing to talk and relate his experiences in serving the system. I always joke that we work for a clown- Ronald. You know. The guy with the red hair and the big red shoes. In any event, Danny loved his work and his enthusiasm spilled over to me as a relative newcomer to his world . I was working in customer and field service and needed a lot of information and help from the warehouse and Danny was always willing to provide any help he could.
One day he took me aside and told me in confidence that he had been diagnosed with cancer. It was not good and he needed a friend in a very real way. I tried to be there for him and we had a lot of talks about the “what ifs” and how his wife and family would be affected. As his case was pretty terminal, I felt the need to share my faith with him to explain the Good News and that there was a better world waiting for him if he was willing to believe. I gave him a very treasured picture in a little silver frame that my wife Janet had given to me. It was a picture of a runner with the verse from Paul’s letter to the Phillipians. Phillipians 3 verses 13-14 which talks about running the race and seeking the prize in Christ Jesus. You can see it above and below. I treasured this piece because it was from Janet and featured a scripture that referenced running. I gave it to Danny and told him the story about how Janet had given it to me. He was touched and appreciated the gesture and took it home as a reminder to stay the course and trust the Lord in all things – even with this very grim diagnosis.
Danny eventually succumbed to his illness and we were all distraught at work because we had lost such a good guy and a brave and relentless fighter. Danny’s wife was so appreciative of all the nice gestures from the company and the many friends that Danny had made there. Then the unthinkable happened. A few weeks after the funeral, Danny’s house burned down and virtually nothing was left. His family was devastated and everyone once again went into overdrive to help his family. It is amazing how tragedy follows some people and I really felt for the Sigmund family in a most heartfelt way. There was really nothing you could say that could possibly comfort them after the tragic loss of their husband and father and unthinkable devastation of losing a house to a fire. We all did our best at the company but after a time, the focus kind of waned and life kind of moved on. I tried to keep in touch but after a while, the Sigmunds regrouped and went on with their lives.
A while later, I received a letter from Danny’s wife and it was enclosed in a box containing my framed verse from Phillipians. I was stunned as I kind of forgot about it but was so glad to see it. The letter said that the picture meant so much to Danny as he explained to the family that it came from my wife Janet. They went on to describe in the letter that everything in their house was basically destroyed with the exception of a very few things which included this little frame and verse. They were amazed that it survived the fire and wanted me to have it back. We all chatted a few times after that and now that framed picture is sitting on my bookcase reminding me to run for the ultimate prize. It also reminds me of my wife Janet and her kindness. And finally Danny, who was comforted in his last days with the uplifting and positive message from the apostle Paul.
This taught me some lessons. Always share your faith because you never know when or how much your care and concern will matter. Share your treasures with your friends as they will most likely need them more than you. And finally, always be that friend to someone in need- no matter what. Even if it is inconvenient, late in the day, at a bad time, whatever. Be that friend that you can count on. Keep running that race. Thanks for reading.
The Minarets as seen from the top of Mammoth Mountain, California
When I say still at it, yes! Just came back from some amazing skiing in Mammoth Mountain, California. A real treat and was still at it for the winter of 2022-2023. A bonus trip came my way with my good friend Eric Durfee. But “still at it” also means that I am still skiing with my friend Eric for over 45 years.
Yours truly and Eric Photo courtesy of Eric DurfeeYours truly and Eric roughly 43 years ago at Tuckerman Ravine, New Hampshire
We have had great adventures skiing, and this week was another on our list. The skiing in Mammoth was incredible for May. Mid Winter conditions with so much snow that they believe they will ski until September. I took a 5:15 AM flight out of Pittsburgh last Monday and arrived in Reno at 9:20 AM and Eric picked me up at the airport and we drove the scenic RT.395 to Mammoth. We were in the chairlift by 1:40 after I changed in the parking lot. Boxer shorts flapping in the wind. The week gave us interesting weather as it was usually sunny in the morning and clouded up significantly in the afternoon which made the visibility late in a day a little challenging up top. But we made our way to the lower runs and did just fine.
Added bonus skiing with Bill Boucher at left( friend from Seven Springs, Pa) and Pat Feeney of San Francisco. Have not skied with Pat for 40 years. It was wonderful to see him. Both of these guys still ski well. Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee
The great thing about skiing with Eric is his enthusiasm for the sport. 121 days on the snow this year and would have had 14 more if he had not injured his thumb. But he is a student of the game of skiing, and has really worked hard on getting his turns to be more in line with modern technique instead of old school. I am old school too in that I ” A- Frame”, which basically means that I can have my weight on the downhill ski but the inside ski is rather docile. But we worked on a lower stance, a wider stance, and moving the inside knee actively into the turn like the racers do. Eric has it down pretty well and I am getting there. Nice to work on something new at 68 years of age. Generally speaking, Eric and I can ski anything, but working the new technique with the skis that work well with that kind of technique is really enjoyable. We had the wives with us in Oregon recently and that was a lot of fun skiing with Helen and Janet. But to have a bonus week with your friend of 45 years, ripping GS turns, and getting the added treat of some fresh snow was truly memorable.
Speaking of racers, the US Women’s Speed Team was there this week. We really got to see the edge angles and the inside knee move into the turns. Dave’s Run off the top of the Gondola. Our fresh tracks after a 9″ snowfall one night. Total accumulation at Mammoth summit this season is over 900 inches. A record. Photo courtesy of Eric DurfeeGroomers getting ready for a summer full of camps and park activity. Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee
But the really memorable thing about being “still at it” is that I can see Eric maybe a couple of times a year, but when we get together, it is as if I had never left. Isn’t that the way it always is with a good friend? We take up right where we left off and continue to tell our old stories and make new ones along the way. When you can drive for three hours each way, and stay for a week and not run out of any conversation, you know you have a great friend. We talk politics, skiing, and life in general and he always has some sage advice for me as well as a way to shed some light on topics in a different way than I hear most of the time. They say to have a friend is to be a friend and Eric definitely embodies that sentiment.
So yes- we are still at it. Skiing is a great sport and it gives us an excuse to get together and enjoy the mountains. We are getting older and we realize our limitations, but for the most part, we are in good shape and can still enjoy making turns and look forward to doing it for many years to come. I have made many friends through skiing, and am perhaps one of the only people around my neck of the woods that gets a little bummed out when winter is over. As I sharpened and waxed my skis for the last time this season, I was a little down. But I look forward to the next season and will enjoy the summer activities with the mountain bike crowd. But when those first flakes start to fall later this year, I will be ready for 2023-2024. Thanks Eric for always keeping me in the game. Thanks for reading.
You know- the older I get, the more I am tending to appreciate some of the things in life that I kind of took for granted. Like tulips. My dad was an amazing gardener. He had his own greenhouse where he spent many winter nights planting seeds in flats. When the spring came around, he and I planted hundreds of flowers around his house and put together these amazing flower baskets that were fueled each summer with Miracle Grow, an amazing product that just made his flowers bloom in the most incredible way. We also planted tulip bulbs in the fall only to see them bloom in the spring and the very next day………GONE!!! My dad lived on the edge of North Park and tulips were like candy to the deer that populated his property. He was so angry that every one of his tulips only lasted a day.
Summer at 210 Pineview Drive
Going back to last spring, Janet and I visited out son Jack up in Michigan, and we went to the Holland, Michigan Tulip Festival. It had quite the Dutch feel to it and I kind of liked the whole thing seeing that back in the day, I rode my road bike through the Netherlands. I liked the windmills and the miles and miles of tulips blooming. It was a cool festival and when we came to a booth selling tulip bulbs, Janet and I jumped at the chance to buy some. The vendors said it would be in the fall before they would be delivered because the bulbs come from the Netherlands. We waited patiently and lo and behold, last October, before the first frost, they came and we planted them in our front yard. I wondered if they would ever come up in the spring.
The Tulip Festival- Holland, Michigan
So fast forward, this spring,- like last week, the tulips bloomed in their full splendor! I immediately went to the hardware store and asked the guy( we all have the guy) , what keeps the deer away? He gave me these granulated pellets in a 1 gallon container and said that these would do the trick. So far so good.
You are probably wondering why a guy who writes a blog about outdoor sports and activities is spending this current post time on tulips? Well, several things come to mind. I never gave my dad’s flowers much thought other than seeing the finished product of his work which was impressive. But that only lasted seconds as I usually made my way in and out of the house and out on my bike. Sure- “nice work Dad” but really I had a lot better things to do. But I thought of him a lot when I saw these tulips bloom. I thought about how I needed to protect them and also how my dad would be looking down and satisfied that I am taking such great pleasure in one of nature’s great mysteries. I mean……………these tulips are really beautiful. I am really excited about how they came up after we hurried and planted them on a cold October day last fall. Wondering if we did it right? Looks like we did. And we watched a video on how to cut them back properly so we can enjoy another bloom next spring.
The point here is …………..yes, these things lure me out of my house each morning to take a look. But it also is showing me that I am starting to appreciate the little things in life that I ignored for so many years. The blossoms on the trees as I ride past them, daffodils and tulips blooming, the fragrance of the woods as I ride through, a sunny day, and many other things that make me appreciate each day I live. Janet said to me the other day, ” well the weekend is coming” but I responded that I am learning to appreciate each day and what that day can bring. I am a relentless planner, but each day is a gift and we should not look forward to making them go away too fast. The days and the years are coming and going at record speed and I really feel the need to maximize each day and take a good look at God’s great creation. Even if it is in my little garden in the front of my house. Thanks for indulging me and my tulips.
” Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Luke 12:27
Disclaimer!!!!!- This is a guest post by Jeff Chetlin. Although his friends are kind of shy about the flatttering comments that Jeff has made here, he asked that he could write this as a testament to his amazing comeback from a stroke. He has a lot of friends and he has very complimentary things to say about us. But the real story is his comeback. So………here is Jeff’s guest post.
Julie and Jeff Chetlin hiking at Laurel Mountain, Pa
I spent a week in Central Oregon with my good friend Pat and his wife Janet. It was a week that was very eye opening, and made me want to write a little story that I have been wanting to tell to a lot of people. Most of you may already know this, but for those of you who don’t, I have been a very active person throughout my 30s , 40s, and 50s. I was a swimmer and a baseball player in high school and in college played many years of golf. I got into mountain biking prior to suspension and clipless pedals in the early 90s and was instantly hooked. That led me to learn how to ride a dirt bike and I have spent many years loving that as well. I also want to tell you that skiing has been in my blood since I have been a child, and I love it still to this day.
Jeff -fat biking at Bend, Oregon trails. March 2023.
Where the story gets interesting is in June, 2021, I experienced a stroke in my cerebellum and after many months in the hospital and in rehab, I was released to my house. There my wife took care of me 24/7. During that time, I went from a weight of 185 pounds down to 130 pounds and for six months I was basically on the couch or in my bed and unable to eat. As you can imagine, this changed my life considerably. But not as much as what happened in March of 2022.
My dear friend, Pat McCloskey, came to my house every Friday around noon whether I wanted him or not. He would bring these giant sandwiches, chips and drinks, and sit with me at my kitchen table. In the beginning, I could not even eat them, but he still came. As the weeks and months passed, one day he said that he and Pete Hilton and Mark “the Shark” Sauers were coming to my house and were going to take me on a bike ride. I was very unsure of that but they showed up at my house on a cold March day. Pat put my mountain bike in the back of his Jeep and drove it down to a flat grassy area in Frick Park. He and Pete and Shark ran beside me as I attempted to pedal my bike even though I was riding in circles. It was truly the beginning of my recovery and I think we all had tears in our eyes.
They were the first angels that came to my side and propelled me towards healing. The next person I want to mention is Dr. Syed Hyder. I was at his medical office in Mars, Pa and after a check up he walked out to the car with me and said,” you are good and must start moving yourself into uncomfortable situations.”
After I began to improve by riding my mountain bike, my good friend Jesse Seager would come to my house every day not knowing what I could or could not do. He didn’t care. We would ride our mountain bikes around the cemetery because there were no cars and he would tell me many funny stories along the way and the healing continued.
Jeff and Jesse at D’s.
The next people that I want to mention are Tim Girone and his lovely wife Barb. I spent most of the winter out in Bend, Oregon. On the second day I arrived there, he and some other couples were taking a snowmobile ride up to a high mountain hut with food and drinks to watch the sunset. Tim thought that we should attend. My awesome wife Julie said we are in. But I was not sure I could do that because I was still dizzy and did not see too well. But I continued to push through and be persistent, and face my fears. Not five minutes into the ride, Julie and I crashed and I reinjured my broken shoulder. The accident did more than hurt me physically it hurt me mentally because I knew that Pat and Janet were coming out to ski with me in March. I was confined to walking and laying around for six to eight weeks while my shoulder healed. Tim, Barb, and my wife Julie belong to an amazing gym in Bend called Embark. The owner of the gym is Dorian Adam. In undying friendship, Tim kept telling Dorian that Jeff needs to move again. I had been laying around very sedentary. In a subtle way, he orchestrated getting me back to the gym where Dorian would work with me twice a week for a half hour. It was very difficult mentally. I had some stomach issues but Tim said that would eventually go away and it did.
Tim and Barb Girone- extraordinary friends.
I would be remiss if I did not mention my amazing wife Julie. She is a pusher. And I mean that in an amazing, positive way. She said,” you are going to the gym.” “I don’t care how much it costs.” One day she woke up and said,” I warmed up your ski boots and we are going skiing today.” I was very afraid and could not sleep the night before. She said,” Pat and Janet are coming and they expect you to be able to ski with them.” So we went up a few beginner runs, and on the second run she skied right up to me with giant tears in her eyes and was crying how happy she was to see me doing this. The next day we went back again with Barb Girone. I skied four blue square runs and had stomach issues again. But that was the last time it happened and I kept pursuing it. Then Pat and Janet showed up for a week and on their last ski day we were celebrating Tim’s birthday. We all skied together and had a party in the parking lot. On the fourth run of the day, the clouds came in and you could not see a thing. Pat, who used to teach blind skiers, said,” I got this, I am going to lead you down the mountain like the blind skiers.” We all had a good laugh at that. Tim eventually got me back to the car after a couple of visually challenged runs.
Tim’s Parking Lot Birthday Party
What happened next will remain in my memory for a long time. About 15-20 people showed up at Tim’s van. Tim had a fire and we all laughed and sat in the freezing cold. It was snowing and windy. I kept thinking that there is no way I can sit out like this but it was so much fun with everybody laughing, and shaking and freezing. At one point I looked over at Pat’s wife Janet who was freezing. I kept thinking that Janet would want to leave soon and that I would leave with her. But she never did leave and was one of the last ones to go.
Jeff and his posse for Tim’s birthday
I have been back in Pittsburgh for about a week now and every day my coach Jesse picks me up on our bikes and we head to Frick Park. He is upping my game every day and tells me we will begin doing some single track. He has become an amazing recovery tool and I realize that in some ways, I am helpful to him.
The reason I wanted to write this is there are lessons to be learned here. As in most of Pat’s Chronicles, there seems to be always an underlying lesson. And here it is…..from Pat, to Shark, Jesse, Syed, Barb and Tim, and mostly to my wonderful wife Julie, they have all taught me what life is really about. It is connections. It is people, it is movement, it is laughter. It doesn’t have to be skiing or riding a mountain bike. It could be just sitting around in the freezing cold parking lot after skiing or sitting on the edge of an Oregon beach laughing and enjoying the beauty. If you know me well enough, you know I enjoy my friends. They have been invaluable in my recovery which will go on for years to come. So what I have to say to all of you is in order to have good friends, you have to be a good friend. My lesson to all of you is without my friends, I would not be here at all. Friendship is a gift.
chroniclesofmccloskey 