So, we got this new app at work called Motion Connected. It is basically a tracking app that takes information from your sports watch and downloads it to show how many minutes you work out per day/ per week. It also downloads the amount of steps that you take during a day and a week. That is all registered on your download to your phone from your sports watch, but now it also is downloaded to the Motion Connected app. It was an interesting idea that was just presented to us in July and a lot of people in the company are on board. The incentive is when you reach certain levels, you are eligible for a gift certificate purchased by the company for your use. Lots of different certificates available with the Motion Connect incentive program.
All forms of exercise are legal so whether you are on a mountain bike ride, or a road ride, or a run, or in the gym, all forms of exercise count towards the incentive program. Walking is also included and supposedly you have to reach a certain heart rate for the app to kick in. We also have monthly challenges. This month it is a cardio challenge, and I am not real sure what the criteria is for that, but somehow I am doing ok in that challenge. I am also competitive for the weekly steps and minutes of activity. But I started to let the old competitive juices kick in when I started to question the amount of time the top three guys registered and also the amount of steps registered. Some of us remarked that some people logged the equivalent of running 4 marathons per week and up to 5 hours a day of activity. Do they work? Are they somehow entering data manually? I was starting to get miffed because my minutes logged from my Garmin are for the times I was moving on my mountain bike and my heart rate was above 95 BPM. I usually ride between 110 and 160 BPM. I was working hard, and I wondered how these people were ahead of me and also ahead of some other guys that I know work hard on the road bike, running, mountain biking, and in the gym. I felt like it was not fair for the company to pay out gift certificate to some people who were somehow short circuiting the system.
I also realized that walking was legit and in fact it is often seen as the purest form of exercise with the best benefits. I respect the walkers too. But I still wondered how several people were so far ahead of the rest of us in minutes and steps. My friends at work were starting to chuckle at my competitive energy for a guy my age. And then, it hit me. What is the true focus of this app for the company? It is to have a fun way to exercise for an incentive, a little competition, but mostly to motivate people to exercise and take a proactive approach to their health. That is what it is all about, Pat. You dummy. So don’t get your shorts in a wad about what may or may not be happening to others. Just focus on the meaning of the app and the benefits it will have for all of us.
It’s funny. The older you get, sometimes the competitive juices still bubble up. So now, I am competing with our company employees. LOL!! At least that was in my mind until I realized that I am competing with myself to stay active, healthy and maybe get a gift certificate. I can sweat my head off in this friggin 90 degree weather for a purpose. Thanks to Laurie V and our HR department for thinking of this and making it available to every employee at Armada. The health care industry is trying to change by encouraging proactive behaviors. Companies may be rewarded with lower health insurance premiums for healthy employees. Wouldn’t you rather take care of your health and be rewarded by being proactive, instead of just having a pill thrown at you? I would. I am a fan of Motion Connected- now that I have the right attitude. Thanks for reading.
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Back in March of 2014, I wrote a post called Flying Solo about how I enjoyed skiing by myself especially when I would travel out to the Pacific Northwest. Check out my March 5, 2014 archives on the side of my page. Not that I did not like skiing with a group, but how therapeutic it is to spend time skiing by yourself and riding solo on a chairlift. You can look around, take in the views, think, and just enjoy the moment – by yourself.
As I get older, I am starting to enjoy riding my mountain bike by myself. Again, not that I don’t like riding with people, but when I can take the time and put on my Shokz earbuds and listen to calming music, it is a nice experience. I can ride at my own pace, I don’t have to chase or wait for anybody, and can just take in a beautiful day and a beautiful place.
Back in the old MTB racing days- riding solo happened here and there.
I showed a friend of mine the other day my route through one of my favorite places to ride. I stressed my enjoyment of riding at my own pace or what I call PPPP – Pat’s Pleasant Park Peddling. I like the humorous bumper sticker that says ” start slow and taper off.” LOL!! When we finished the ride- I showed my friend how to end the ride- which was to go right to a park bench under a tree and hop off the bike and sit down. I tend to look around at the changes that occur with the seasons and think about the next change that will be coming. I have a chance to keep listening to my music and thinking about a lot of things. What is important in life? How I value my family. And how it feels to be entering my 7th decade. But riding keeps you in the game and you don’t let a number define you. But when you ride solo, or hike solo, or run solo, or ski solo, you have the mental time to consider a lot of things that are important and eliminate those that are not.
I have always used my bike as a therapeutic tool to relax, think about things, and unload some occasional stress that comes into all of our lives. I used to do it on a road bike, but now, it is all on the mountain bike. No cars, no honking, no chipped ham sandwiches thrown at you, and especially no issues with people texting and not paying attention to your safety. Yes- trees don’t move, but I find that I feel safer on the MTB than the road bike. Plus ,the tranquility of the woods and the trails in my collection of favorite places to ride, aids in the therapeutic process.
Whether you ride a road bike, a gravel bike, or a mountain bike, there are times when you have the opportunity to ride by yourself. If you don’t ride, you can perhaps think about starting – easy and taper off. Riding a bicycle has been one of the great joys in my life as it is good exercise and also helps with dealing with the stressors of ordinary living. Again- no offense to my riding or skiing friends, but time spent by myself is well worth the ride.
So the next time your friends bail out for one reason or another, think about going out by yourself. Most bails are due to bad weather, but if you have the right clothing, you can enjoy riding in the rain, sleet or snow. And if it is by yourself, all the better. Pull that hood up, put on your music, and get that ride in anyhow. After you get cleaned up, you will be glad you did it. I am getting smarter the older I get. And making use of solo riding time is enjoyable more and more. Thanks for reading.
The Beer Tap at State College. Lots of solo rides in Rothrock.
Many of the trails that are used today are multi- use. That means, hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers, and trail runners, all use them and, in some cases, there can be conflict. Typically ,things happen when a group of mountain bikers come up suddenly on a group of people on horses and startle the horses and the riders. Or maybe someone is peddling up a steep climb on a trail and another group of mountain bikers are rocketing downhill and ignore the rule about the uphill riders having the right of way. Conflict happens. Or trail runners often have a negative feeling about mountain bikers because they startle them, or they come screaming past them and expect the hikers or trail runners to move off the trail. Conflict happens again. It seems that the responsible users of any trail system really have to know the rules and, well………, just be aware of being courteous to other users. No wonder conflict happens, and it seems like I spend time on every ride trying to improve the opinions of other users. I try to be courteous and get off my bike when horses are present because I am aware that bikes spook horses.
The trails are for everyone.
It seems like I am always trying to make up for the few bad apples who seem to taint our reputation with their rude behavior. Can’t we all be courteous and just get along? Again, I spend a lot of time trying to improve the perception that mountain bikers are all rude, young, ignorant people who will take what they need. Some of us are older and have a little more sense and can obviously see when there is an opportunity to share the trail responsibly. That is one reason why I got a bell.
Riding Rothrock at State College
A number of years ago, I attended Dirt Fest in Big Bear, West Virginia and was walking through the expo and came upon a booth that sold Timber quick release bicycle bells. You can see mine in the photo above. A nice little bell that basically you unlock when you see someone ahead. The bell rings as you ride along the uneven trail. You don’t do anything but release the lock and the bell rings as you bounce along. Most people appreciate the bell. Some people have earbuds, and you still have to gently make your way past them. But for the most part, people tend to stand aside, let you by, and usually make a favorable comment about the bell. I tell kids that I am one of Santa’s elves and ask in the presence of their parents, if they are behaving. This usually gets a laugh and lightens the mood.
Rocks help the bell ring.
But for the most part, if you use your head and consider the other party, you can do the right thing for other users. Oftentimes, if I see the same people twice on a local ride, I will get off my bike and let them pass instead of always expecting them to move. They appreciate it. I also use the bell around corners because mountain bikers tend to move along quickly and can startle people coming at you from a blind bend in the trail. Again, they appreciate it. Sometimes you have to sell the fact that mountain bikers are not all that bad to some user groups, but the more courteous we are, the more successful we will be. An interesting statistic is that mountain bikers do the most work on trail systems. This was validated locally in a meeting with our local county officials who sang the praises of our Trail Pittsburgh organization. Most of us try to do the right thing but we seem to always be righting a wrong of a small few who ruin the reputation of those of us who care.
The bell seems to symbolize courtesy. It reminds us that we need to be kind, and helpful and respectful to others not only on multi use trails, but anywhere we go. Wouldn’t it be nice if more people thought of others instead of themselves? It seems like a lot of people seem stressed today and tend to look out for themselves. They may not think of others who may be having difficulties,, or seem to be in the way of our quest to get somewhere quickly. Maybe we need a bell with us in our daily life and not just on the trails? The multi- use trail systems are really like a pathway of life. We all are following that pathway together. Let’s watch out for each other. Thanks for reading.
You know, as you grow older, you start to lose people in your life. It starts with grandparents, uncles, aunts, sometimes siblings, parents, but then you start to lose your friends. It happened to me last week when I lost a good friend – Bob Anderson. Bob was tragically killed when he came into contact with a high voltage downed power line after a storm. I won’t get into the details of that but suffice to say that Bob is no longer with us and that is a true tragedy.
Bob and I have been friends for close to 40 years. Starting way back in the Greenlee’s Mountain Bike Team days, to skiing together and hanging out after rides. Bob was an educator at Central Catholic High School. He was a favorite teacher of many of the students there even though he was tough and demanding, with his curriculum of diet and exercise. Bob was an extremely fit mountain bike racer even at the age of 63. A plant- based eater, he always paid strict attention to his health and was a fierce competitor and was extremely hard to ride with as I am getting older. I kept telling him that nobody is going to the Olympics, but Bob finished second in a race three days before he died. I did way better having a conversation with Bob after a ride than during.
But the great thing about Bob was that there was much more to his character than just mountain biking and racing. He had a heart for people and was the first one to volunteer to guide blind skiers, put on soccer clinics, help out at his church, and in general, if you needed a hand, Bob was there for you.
Bob – second from left with the group from Adventurefest.
We all attended Adventurefest together which is an annual event of Christian men getting together for a weekend of camping, riding, and other activities in the great outdoors of the Laurel Highlands. Bob was taken aback when he heard testimonies on Friday night at the cross with guys who have come back to Christianity after a history of broken homes, marriages, substance abuse, incarcerations, and other life hardships. Bob was a Christian man whose faith meant a lot to him, and we all had wonderful discussions at the campfires at night and he was always inquisitive about faith and what it meant to him.
Sunday he went to church up at Adventurefest and was the first to volunteer to permanently erect the cross at the Boyer’s Pond Campground for future Adventuremen events. The cool thing about the cross is that after the men give their testimonies, they pound a nail into the cross to signify that they have put it all back on the cross and have given their life to the saving power of Jesus. Very important to Bob.
Bob and Shark signing autographs at the World Cup in Snowshoe, WVA. LOL!!
Bob was a kind father to his two daughters, Paige and Brooke, and talked about them often on our rides. People knew Bob as an amazing mountain bike racer. Strong and competitive, he trained diligently for a long time. But there was so much more to the guy and people are just now starting to realize the other parts of Bob’s life that were truly exemplary.
The tough part about losing friends is that in most cases there is a catastrophic illness involved. People taken before their time. And many in my age group. I have lost a number of friends this year and last year. I thank God every day for my health. But this situation was a tough one. There is a lot of talk about negligence where I do not have the expertise to accurately comment. But it sure seems like this could have been avoided. But I do know one thing- Bob is in Heaven today. He went from Adventurefest, sitting around a campfire and talking about the Lord, and now two weeks later he is with Him in eternity. Wow. From Adventurefest to Heaven. Amazing! Thanks for reading
” Be dressed, ready for service and keep your lamps burning.” Luke 12:3
The two words “Send It’ generally refers to the encouraging words mountain bike riders or skiers use when goading on a friend to do something extraordinary. “Send it!” -when a skier is just about to jump off a cornice at a ski area. Or “Send it!” – when a mountain bike rider rockets down a rock- strewn descent hanging on for dear life. It usually is met with a huge applause if the “sendee” is successful or derision by the crowd when the “sendee” blows the heroic act.
This also happened to be the theme this year for the annual outdoor outing of Christian men called “Adventure Fest.” This is the brainchild of Greg Nass and his band of merry men who work tirelessly to make this weekend operate seamlessly with great outdoor activities like mountain bike riding, Harley rides, fishing, camping, axe throwing, and a host of other outdoor activities. This was the 12th year. But the main events are centered around really talented speakers who communicate the values that Christian fathers, husbands, and brothers all hold dear. A snapshot of this fabulous weekend is as follows”
Friday-
Pete Hilton, Shark, and Roger Evans taking in Laurel Mountain Trails on Friday
A small group of Adventuremen tackled the wild and rocky trails at Laurel Mountain. Followed by a fabulous meal at a real gem of a restaurant in Jennerstown called “The Fat Squirrel”. For those of us who prefer plant- based entrees, this little establishment has it all. Great food, a casual atmosphere, outdoor dining and well…….just a real good place to have a meal, post ride in the Laurel Mountains.
The Fat Squirrel does not disappoint. Japanese Tofu pancakes with cabbage and radish garnish finished with a real tasty sauceVegetable sandwich with onion straws and sweet potato fries. Yum!
As the small group made their way to the Boyer’s Pond Campground, ( a new venue for Adventuremen this year), we set up our tents and campers and made our way to the huge firepit ablaze with many of the Adventuremen who made their way from across several states to be in attendance. The highlight of the evening was the new cross that was built for the new venue which was the centerpiece for the welcoming statements by Greg and some amazing testimonials from several of the men who told their stories. Then, as with the tradition of the Adventuremen cross, they pounded a nail into the cross symbolizing that they are giving their troubles to the Lord, leaving it at the cross,and thankful for what he has done in their lives. Guys talk about overcoming addiction and substance abuse, difficulties with their children, heart wrenching stories that are either a submission by the pounding of the nail, or out of gratitude for the changeover that has occurred in their lives. The faith that was on display and the results are amazing stories that are set with the backdrop of a huge, blazing firepit, and the large wooden cross symbolizing the redemption that is available to all of us if we just place our trust where it belongs.
Pastor Greg with his opening remarks. The guy is a tireless worker. The new Adventuremen cross that will be permanently installed in the camp ground.
Saturday-
We awoke to a bright, sunny day with lots of activities on hand including our group’s mountain bike ride at Quemahoning Reservoir trails. This facility that was built by the Army Corps of Engineers with a huge lake and surrounding trails is a must ride for anyone coming to Adventurefest. Our group was enthusiastic as we made our way around some of the nicest trails in the region.
Shark, Bob Anderson, Bob Horrell, Paul Barrante, and Roger Evans in the lot at the “Q” Bob and Paul leading the way.Yours truly rocking the “Send It” Adventuremen colors.
After a quick shower and jamming a few PB&Js down our throats, we made our way to the main event. First on deck was Steve McGranahan who bills himself as the ” World’s Strongest Redneck.” As the crowd of Adventuremen sat in disbelief in their camp chairs, Steve showed us his strength and skill by tearing phone books in half, decks of cards in half, bending nails, and bending a frying pan into a tube that he billed as the first redneck hot dog cooker. We could not believe some of the stuff he showed us like taking a bite out of a soda can. His humor was apparent but he had a definite message for the group. As he was tearing the phone books and decks of cards, he said, don’t let anyone tear you apart, or tear you down. He said we have a faithful savior who will prevent that if we only give him a chance. He said, as he bent the frying pan and the nails, not to bend our will to anything that would be a dishonor to our faith. In short, he had a message for us with every feat of strength that he showed us. The guys were inspired and in awe all at the same time.
Steve McGranahan- the world’s strongest redneck.
Next on the billing was Pastor Pete Giacalone who is the lead pastor at South Park Assembly of God. Pastor Pete regaled us with tales of his upbringing as an Italian Catholic in Detroit. He told us about his friends who were “connected”, and his family who were devout Catholics and had very strong opinions about everything. He went on to say that when he told his family that he wanted to be a preacher, they disowned him. A sad story of neglect and rejection which had a happy ending when his father, on his death bed, finally accepted Christ and was an avid reader of the Bible thanks to the persistence of Pastor Pete. His message to us was one of conviction and steadfast love for the Gospel no matter what.
Following a session of worship music by the praise band that Greg had assembled, the next speaker on the bill was a Christian comedian named Gordan Douglass. A clean, funny comedian who also happens to be a pastor and has taken many foster children into his home. One of his lines which got a chuckle was that ” two just got out of jail and two should be going.” His humor was aimed at himself but his stories of his foster care for 19 different individuals so far was inspiring. Finally, he recited his own version of “The Night Before Christmas” which was centered around the true meaning of Christmas and the Nativity. He delivered it with such passion that there was not a sound in the audience as he held us spellbound with his delivery.
Finally on the bill was Pastor Jim Balzano – lead pastor of Trans4mation Church in Altoona. Pastor Jim had the last spot of the afternoon and lots of guys were getting tired from an afternoon in the hot sun. But his message got the attention of the crowd with the telling of the tale of how the State Police came to the door one night at bout 1:30 AM and told Pastor Jim and his wife that they had found their 19 year old son dead in the river. He told us about how he had to identify the body and how he actually performed the funeral service for his son. He said that that there are a lot of heartaches in the world, and we must know, in keeping with the theme of the event, that God “sent ” his son to save us, his spirit to heal us, and his prophets to warn us. They ” send it” so that we can go out and be a light to the world in the best way that we can. He talked about forgiveness and how we need to forgive ourselves in our own miseries, and to forgive others. The line that resonated with me was when Pastor Jim says the way you truly know you have forgiven others, is when you have the opportunity to hurt someone back ,and you choose not to. He also encouraged us to move on with the work that we are called to do. As he buried his son in the ground, he looked over and saw his brand, new grand- daughter, and decided to dedicate his future efforts to her and not to look back. There was not a dry eye in the house after that one.
You know, I have said it before when reporting in my blog about Adventuremen, and Adventure Fest, that there are real misnomers out there about Christian men. People think we are right wing rednecks, above it all, condescending and judging. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you hear stories from men at Adventure Fest from all walks of life, telling their stories and about how their faith has saved their lives, it shows you the brokenness of true Christian men who recognize that they are sinners and in need of redemption. These guys are just normal Joes in life who struggle like everyone with substance abuse, addictions, broken homes and broken marriages. Nothing could be further from the truth to say that these guys are judging and condescending. They come to Adventure Fest for fun and a good gathering with other men. But they also come to hear the Good News preached by some of the best Assembly of God Pastors around. They come for healing, fellowship, and a wonderful time camping and doing things in the wilds of Pennsylvania. Then they can “send it” out to the world as well as they can. Come to Adventure Fest next year. It is always the weekend before Father’s Day. Information can be found at http://www.Adventuremen.org and www. Adventurefest.org. Thanks for reading. I am honored to be on the board of directors for Adventuremen. I am hoping that it will be a lifetime position. Thank for reading.
Jeff, Darrall, and Steve. Pounding through the rocks at Laurel Mountain
So it was an absolutely beautiful day in the Laurel Highlands this weekend and a fun group of eclectic individuals came out to ride the challenging rocks and roots of Laurel Mountain. These trails are not for the faint of heart but the challenge is always accepted by riders in the Western Pa. area who are up to the task. The interesting thing about this weekend was the conversation and the condition of the participants. One amazing stroke survivor, one guy with a prosthesis ( amazing rider), one guy who just had two cortisone shots in his shoulders the day before, one guy with a pacemaker, and the rest of us reveling in the senior years on the trails. Now with all of this going on, it was fair to say that they all went for it and “sent it” for the whole ride with some of the actors opting to even add more challenging additions to the ride. Outlook Trail, and the whole Black Bear Trail. The rest of us finishing on the Spruce Run Trail which, in our minds, is even more challenging than the popular Wolf Rocks Trail.
Samra on the left had some funny comments for the group.
One of the more amusing comments on the ride came from our pal Samra when she was listening to all the ailments being described and said,” what’s next Pat, a discussion of upcoming colonoscopy appointments?” We all laughed hard at that one and kept riding along the Silvermine Trail to an interesting stop. Now this group is like a lot of mountain bike groups. There are a lot of characters and seeing how they react to certain situations gives one some perspective into how they tick. Take our friend Jeff. He wanted to get up ahead a little bit to get through a rocky section because he still has some peripheral vision issues resulting from his stroke. As we came up behind him, he told all of us to stop because there was a rattle snake crossing the trail. Jeff being Jeff was a little impatient and got a stick to get the rattler moving and when he raised his head in the strike position, he seemed to be looking right at Steve as if to say, ” why are you guys messing with me, man. Don’t you know it is our feeding and mating time?” Steve told Jeff in no uncertain terms to back off, which we did, and the snake went along his carnal way looking for the ladies. Not our ladies on the ride but his ladies in the woods. LOL!!
Rattlers at Wolf Rocks. They are there but if you don’t mess with them, they won’t mess with you.
One of the next more interesting things for the seniors pounding the trails was when our friend Don had a mechanical. Now on these kinds of trails, there tend to be some mechanicals along the way. Mostly with the bikes but Don C had one with his prosthesis. The rocks bent it a little out of shape and Don got his tools, took a time out, and repaired the mechanical ankle with dispatch.
This guy can repair his prosthesis in the field due to rock damage and still outride most people. Amazing.
All in all, you have a very capable ride group with Don O and I giving options along the way. Darrall and I are the most senior of the group with Don C right behind and the rest descending in chronological order. But suffice to say- youth is wasted on the young, and this group tends to squeeze the most out of any challenging conditions with a smile on their face and the attitude of ” give me more.”
Young people who we meet along the way are kind of shocked when they see older riders performing at this level through this kind of challenging terrain. It kind of gives them a peek of their future if they keep riding and stay healthy. With most people our age tending to back off a little bit, this group goes to Laurel Mountain. As we get older, sometimes we have to get out of the comfort zone a little bit and challenge ourselves. That occasional push tends to keep us young not only physically, but mentally with the thought that, ” yes we can still do this.” It is great to hang with a group like this.
Keep Riding the Rocks!
Bottom line, if you are a senior, or one approaching the senior years, keep doing the things you like to do. Challenge yourself. Do it with maturity, but push yourself every once in a while. It keeps you young, vibrant and not ready to throw in the towel just yet. My neighbor always says to me, “Patrick, don’t ever let a number define you.” I agree. Thanks for reading
You know the cool thing about music is that it can put you in a good mood, or if you are in a good mood or a melancholy mood, you can select music to match the moment. Either way, music sets the tone for your day and listening to it can soothe you, give you solace, or get you up and after it.
Recently I bought a pair of these SHOKZ Open Fit ear buds and have really enjoyed listening to music on the trails again as I ride my mountain bike. I used to use regular ear buds but never really liked them because they went into your ear canal and didn’t allow you to hear what was going on around you, who was coming up behind you, and were useless if you tried to have a conversation. But ever since I got these Shokz Open Fit ear buds, they have allowed all of that because they don’t go in your ear canal. They are outside of the canal and transmit fine stereo sound through your bones around your ear. You can hear great music and still hear what is going on around you and have a conversation while listening. A great addition to my solo rides. This is all thanks to Syd Schultz and Macky Franklin of Syd and Macky You Tube channel fame. They use them on MTB rides and races.
But the interesting thing to me is what kind of music I like to listen to when I am riding. Oftentimes, when I am really plugged into the beauty of the woods and the trails where I am riding, I can get in a contemplative mood and listen to Gregorian chant, choir music, or even Beethoven. It gives me the chance to look around me and have a nice background of music that is relaxing. I am not setting any records on my Garmin on those days,( well, any day for that matter), and just appreciate nature’s beauty with a soothing background. If I see someone and want to have a conversation, I can turn the volume down. But even with a fair amount of volume, the Shokz units still allow for consistent hearing.
Riding smoothly over rocks and roots, listening to the 9th Symphony inspires me.
Last year while riding down in West Virginia, our group went to the Opera House in Marlinton at the suggestion of the bartender at the Old Mountain Tavern. There for 10 dollars, we heard an unbelievable concert by Vanessa Collier, a nationally known blues singer and saxophone player. I mean, she was tremendous, and her lead guitar player, Laura Chavez, was named blues guitarist of the year. First time for a woman! She and Vanessa tore the roof off of that place. It might have been the best 10 bucks I have ever spent and now Vanessa graces my Pandora music mix that I listen to on my Shokz Open Fit buds. Riding up long climbs or over rocky sections of trails, I can really get after it with the blues riffs echoing in my head. I also tend to think of West Virginia when I am riding locally and listening to Allison Kraus and Union Station and her bluegrass melodies. Music paints pictures in your mind of where you have been and the fun times in places like Snowshoe, Davis, The Purple Fiddle in Thomas, and Marlinton, West Virginia. You can daydream to the music and let it envelop your thoughts with memories and snapshots of epic times riding in the Mountain State.
Vanessa Collier wailing the blues.
Again- the Shokz units allow for listening to music while having the safety of also hearing what is going on around you. I can always tell when I approach a hiker or a jogger in front of me that they have earbuds, because they can’t hear me coming at all- even with my bell alerting them. They all should have Shokz.
But a rainy day with the blues in your ears, a snowy trail with Beethoven, or sunshine with bluegrass or classic rock, can always get me inspired to get over that last steep section or through the most technical of rock sections with a self -congratulatory yelp to the music on the trail. If you are hiking, riding MTB, or trail running, try the Open Fit buds. Your trails will never sound the same again. And by the way, this is not an ad for Shokz. I am not a paid marketer. I just like them that’s all. Thanks for reading.
Memories of our group in WVA last year.
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Years ago, I rode my road bike through Ireland and had the experience of a lifetime. Great stories like when the guy in the pub asked me,” Where are you from Yank?” I asked how he knew. He said, ” not many people wear shorts and running shoes around here.” We both had a chuckle(craic) over a classic Guiness pint. Or the guy who took me to his friend at the hardware store and told him to sell me a lock for my bike and not to ” give him a hooking.” We laughed at that one too and he told me he was a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous and this was his good deed for the day. The Irish are real characters molded by their history, weather, and humor.
As I made my way west, I ended up in the Dingle Peninsula where I came across a pottery shop. I bought this bowl seen above and had it shipped to my home as I could not carry it while riding the bike. Most days, I was gone all day on the bike. Just me-self, peddling me arse all over the country. So, when the bowl arrived weeks later, I was so thrilled to get it and lo and behold( or faith and begorrah), I have had this bowl for almost 40 years. It has proudly served me soup, cereal, oatmeal, salsa, pasta, and many other meals over the years and every time I use it, I think of the Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry and the whole west coast of Ireland, which by bicycle, was absolutely spectacular.
A very young Pat McCloskey riding through the Sod.
But the amazing thing about the bowl is how well it has held up over all these years. Hours in the dishwasher, sitting on the counter, etc. Didn’t crack, break, or become useless much like it’s owner. Somehow it manages to stand the test of time and still be the bowl that I remember all those years ago. Truthfully, it has held up pretty well considering the abuse of 40 years. It is a beautiful, workable, piece of art. Everyone should have a cereal bowl like this- especially with it’s history.
Another miracle- shamrocks that were my mother’s. She passed 20 years ago.
Riding my road bike through Ireland was a treat. I was given a map in the morning at breakfast, and all I had to do was make it to the next stop on the tour by dinner time. The van took my bags to each town. All day, by myself, taking in the sounds, sights, and smells of Ireland. It has been a long time since I have been there, and I can’t believe that Janet and I have not been back. That hiatus will end this August when we will go to Ireland. Me, for only the second time, and Janet for the first time. I can’t wait to see the changes and some of the places where I have not been. Gratefully, Dingle is on the program. As beautiful a seaside village as you will ever see and as far west as Europe goes. In fact, there is a sign that identifies a Catholic church as the westernmost parish in Europe. Next parish- Boston, Mass. This time we will not be riding bicycles. We will be in a small van with some other folks. Hopefully I will remember some of the roads where I rode my road bike like Sleigh Head Drive? Maybe we will see the sheep with the colorful dots on their backs identifying their flock. An aside on my bike trip, I came whipping around a bend and came upon a flock of these colorfully marked sheep and slammed on my brakes. The shepherd said” it would have been a soft landin there laddie.” The Irish humor is dry and so funny. Maybe I will buy another bowl in Dingle? Maybe not? Chances are this one will outlast me. Slainte’ Thanks for reading.
You know, the great writer and pastor Chuck Swindoll always said,” life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent how you react to it.” A lot of truth to that statement and when you think about it for a minute, it hits the nail right on the head. At least, that is how it should be for all of us. A lot of us react with a positive attitude when something happens, others do not. But if you can handle adversity and make something good come out of it, you are better off personally, and also you can make life better for those who interact with you. Personally, I also believe that it is a good chance to share your faith and be a good witness to the Good News even when bad things happen to you. Handling adversity is not for the faint of heart.
Take my friend Jeff Chetlin, for instance. Now I have posted about Jeff and his lovely wife Julie before but as a refresher, Jeff had a stroke a couple of years ago that could have been devastating in consequence. Jeff was having a routine heart valve replacement and produced a clot on the operating table and had a stroke. His recovery was slow and steady, but Jeff always had a positive and a “can-do” attitude which helped his recovery over the last couple of years. I remember his first mountain bike ride after the stroke down at the Bowling Green area of Frick Park. He was a bit apprehensive but wanted to do it and I remember telling him- ” you know how to ride a bike, just get on and peddle.” Which is what he did with a big smile on his face. Fast forward a couple of years and here he is this weekend riding all the trails at our North Park with very little trouble at all. Jeff has always been a “go getter” guy and his attitude towards his recovery has been exemplary. Although he admits that he is not back to where he once was before he had the stroke, he is grateful that he can ski at his home area of Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. He makes beautiful turns- I was witness to that last winter. He also has been riding the trail systems in Bend with no issue.
Julie Chetlin- leading the way in more ways than one for her hubby Jeff.
Along with his uber- supportive wife Julie, the active couple shares their time between Bend, Oregon and Pittsburgh. Julie has family here and she spends time with them, and also with all of us who are their Pittsburgh team of friends and support. But the cool thing is how much Julie and Jeff are involved in their active communities both here and in Bend. Mountain bike riding, skiing, hiking, in two different parts of the country- all while Jeff has continually worked to improve his situation since the stroke. He has done remarkably well, and you would never know unless you spoke to him about it, that he had this setback. Not many people in his situation could come back and ride the muddy, rocky, root infested trails of North Park and do it with expertise and a smile on their face like Jeff.
Pete Hilton- Jeff’s North Park shadow. Jodi Griswold- slaying the trails at North Park.
But perhaps the most salient comment on the ride this weekend was from our friend Jodi Griswold. As we took a break on the North Ridge, Jodi remarked how inspiring it is to see Jeff willing to speak to people about having a stroke and the consequences and recovery challenges in his life. He has done well, no doubt, but Jodi is right. Jeff spends a lot of time on calls with stroke recovery victims and also speaking to them in person both here and in Bend. He encourages them and tells them that if they work hard like him, they can return to some semblance of a normal life complete with all the activities they used to enjoy. He also is candid if he thinks that there will be limitations and doesn’t want to give false hope to some who may have had more difficulty with the stroke situation. But even in those instances, he is positive and encourages people that life is not over, and that positivity and the right mental attitude can do wonders for recovery.
Our riding buddy and doctor- Syed Hyder- instrumental in Jeff’s recovery.
Jeff is in the midst of writing a book on his challenges and recovery. It will be interesting to see what he has valued, and his lessons learned along his path. I am sure he will credit his wife Julie as she has been steadfast in her commitment to him and her willingness to be there every step of the way- encouraging him with his riding, skiing, and his willingness to share his story. The great thing about Jeff is he has always been the pied piper of his ski and riding groups. He now is the pied piper of all those who are trying to make a comeback from a catastrophic event in their lives. Like Jodi said, he is positive, encouraging, and candid, and would not be there if those same people who he is used to gathering about him, would not also be there supporting and praying for him. He is grateful for friends and continues to gather them on rides and on the slopes both in Bend and here in Pittsburgh.
Jeff and his posse here in Pa. Jeff and his posse at Mt. Bachelor in Bend. ( Tim Girone’s birthday party)
The take- away here is that yes- things happen in life and especially as we all get older. How you handle the difficulties is dependent upon a lot of factors, but Jeff and Julie have handled it well. The important thing is to share your experiences with those who may be going through the same thing. Your experiences, your highs and lows, and your positivity are critical to a lot of people, and it is so inspirational to see a guy like Jeff willing to go out there for people in need. We all are called to do the same thing. Whether you have a critical event, or recognize someone in your community having a difficult time, be there for them. Think of what Jeff would do. Thanks for reading.
One of the first rites of passage for a road bicycle rider is the day the decision is made to ride 100 miles or do ……….the Century. In the early days of riding a road bicycle, one has to get used to bike position, saddle comfort, the rules of the road, riding in traffic, riding in a group, wind, rain, and a host of new challenges. Once these are addressed and the mileage improves from day to day, the decision is often made to do a Century ride as a test of one’s fitness and prowess on the road bike.
I remember first learning to ride back in the day when I bought my first Trek road bike. My mentors, Larry Cohen and Chuck Martin got me started and soon enough I was riding, 30, 40 miles and then a longer ride of 50 miles. After a season of good riding, I was encouraged to ride a Century. I forget actually which one it was, but I can tell you I am a veteran of many Centuries . Hilly ones, flat ones in Ohio, windy ones near the Atlantic Ocean, and many more. I learned a lot over the years. Important things like proper clothing, comfortable shorts with chamois, chamois butter or Vaseline to protect the guys, and prevent chafing. Repeated pedaling and perspiring can make a ride pretty uncomfortable if you are not prepared with good lubrication down below. Rain exacerbates the situation and a good lightweight rain jacket stuffed into the back of your jersey is key. Like we always say, no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing.
Nutrition is key as well and back in the day, we could not get enough bananas or Fig Newtons. These were also stuffed into the back of our jerseys and I can remember many times on a hot day, 60 miles out, stuffing the Newtons and bananas in my mouth and wondering how in the heck I was going to get back. Stops at convenience stores along the way were a good option and many times I waddled into the stores with my bike shoes and cleaned out the racks of snacks. I used to use a product called Cytomax, which was an electrolyte powder added to my water bottle. I carried extra in a little bag so I could re-load on the way when I ran out of liquid. You can’t drink enough on a Century.
My friends George Sagan and Art Bonavoglia and I rode a Century one time with a local touring club. These club guys were stuffed into their lycra bike kits and stopped every ten miles for a hoagie, pizza, or other method of what they called refueling. George looked at me and said, ” lets keep riding.” I thought to myself- we could actually gain weight on this ride. LOL!!
Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe
One of the prettiest Centuries I rode was in Lake Tahoe for the Team in Training event which was a fundraiser for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Lots of Centuries are benefits and folks donate money for your cause by matching your miles with dollars. When you are out there suffering at about 90 miles, you think of the good cause for which you are riding and smile. It brings you to the finish line.
One of the fun things about a Century is riding with a group, in a good paceline at a good effort. It makes the miles go quickly and if you are unable to keep up, just keep peddling and another group will come up behind you and you can jump on their train. Nothing like racking up the miles with a good group of riders. And if you are fortunate enough to latch on to a tandem, you can really fly. On the Tahoe ride, our group was behind a couple on a tandem who stopped for lunch and got married on the ride. Pretty cool to be part of their wedding party on the road.
Don’t miss jumping on the tandem bus.
Did a couple of 100 mile races back in the day too. Higher paced rides, which had me laying in the grass at the end, stuffing the Newtons in my mouth and swilling Cytomax out of my bottle while prone on my back. Danny Chew, the many time Race Across America champion, and national class road racer, caught our group one time after getting lost up near Meadville, Pa. He laughed at us and abused us a bit saying he caught us after going about 20 miles out of route. Whatever Danny. We were used to his abuse. Mr. Bike was pretty strong back in the day. As weekender Joe Blows, we were no match for riders like him. But we all had fun at the end remembering the good times on the ride and the usually spectacular scenery.
Lake Tahoe vistas
Another cool thing about riding Centuries is the sense of accomplishment after you finish. Although 100 miles is nothing to a Tour de France rider or a national class road racer, for the local Joe Blow, it is truly an accomplishment accompanied by the confidence that you can do it. The rite of passage is met, and you are on your way to being an experienced cyclist. This leads to more Centuries, races, events, and rides that make you stronger and move you to the next level of fitness.
Riding Centuries is a great way to make friends, spend time with new friends, and have a lifetime of great memories like I do. Thanks to my friend Scott Weiner, I had the opportunity to ride a Century in Maryland a couple of times with 3- time Tour de France Champion, and World Champion, Greg LeMond. Greg had great stories all along the route and signed autographs late into the night. A truly gracious champion who was happy to ride with 6 of us on a couple of sunny weekends in Maryland benefitting One in Six Organization.
Joe Blow and Champion- Greg Lemond. Such a gracious guy! Poor Greg- had to listen to my stories along the route too.
So, in summary, if you are new to road riding, don’t think that riding a Century is out of sight. Keep riding and getting your miles in. Take advice from experienced riders who are happy to share their knowledge with you. ( Thanks- Mac Martin, Matt Eaton, Danny and Tom Chew, Bob Gottlieb and Jay Wolkoff- for always taking the time to ride with us back in the day preparing us for events). You can ride a Century too as a new rider. Just do your homework, hydrate, eat properly,and take the right clothes. Your preparation will certainly be beneficial and you will have accomplished 100 miles on a road bike. Thanks for reading and keep peddling.
chroniclesofmccloskey 