Category Archives: recreation

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When the Autumn Weather- Turns the Leaves to Flame

Skipper Lake at the Lodge at Glendorn

The title line here is from the iconic “September Song” – arranged by Kurt Weil and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. But when I play this song on my piano, ( from my mother’s sheet music), it reminds me that fall is here and the leaves are changing, the nights are cooler, and probably my favorite time of the year has arrived. As much as I try to rush into ski season, more and more I am relishing the cool, crisp days of fall with the spectacular foliage we have here in Western Pa. I am in no hurry for winter. It will come soon enough, and I will surely enjoy it. But as I get older, I really enjoy the changing of the seasons – especially summer to fall.

The other night, our posse was out mountain bike riding on one of our regular weekly scheduled rides, and we noticed that after the sun went down, it got real cool ,real fast. The sweatshirts came out and we sat around with our post ride beers and snacks ( courtesy of Bob K), and really enjoyed riding and relaxing in cooler weather without the swelter of summer. I seem to ride better when the humidity is lower and the temperatures start to moderate. But aside from that, to sit and take in the cool weather, a nice IPA, and listen to the cricket symphony of early fall is a true blessing.

Bear Cub sighting last fall.

Sometimes when you hike or ride in the fall, you come across some interesting things- like two bear cubs scampering up a tree in the Allegheny National Forest. I was looking for mom when I snapped this photo but got it and then quickly took off so as not to irritate the mother bear. The Laurel Mountains, close to here, also paint a picture a little earlier than in the suburbs. It is great to venture east and see the changing of the leaves happen a little earlier with the slight rise in elevation. Sunshine, cooler weather, and colder nights, seem to bring out the colors faster than in the city and suburbs. I tend to visit the Laurels a lot in the fall because of the wonderful fall portraits that display themselves in Ligonier, Somerset, and Rector, Pa. The fireplaces are cranking up and that smoky smell just excites me to no end. The smells of fall are intoxicating. There is something about a crackling fire that enhances the fall experience, and the smell of leaves is not really accurately describable – but we all know that smell.

I am also a fan of the tastes of fall. Nothing like a good Octoberfest to get you going. And even though I don’t enjoy the great wursts, sauerbraten, and pork loins anymore because I am not a meat eater, nobody can slam potato pancakes and apple sauce like me along with some nice braised red cabbage washed down with a great German beer or a local Penn Brewery Octoberfest lager. Maybe a warm pretzel as well! I like to listen to the ooom pahh German bands too. They seem to go along with the great beers and food.

Great time to hike or ride a mountain bike and take in scenes like this. Seven Springs, Pa.
My old outdoor fireplace was always blazing in the fall.

You know, I am not really sure I could ever live in a place that does not have the change of seasons. Especially a place that really does not have a fall season. I love wearing sweaters, sweatshirts, and even those times where you have a puffy jacket on and a pair of shorts. That kind of describes the weather here in the Mid -Atlantic and the Northeast. Cool mornings, warmer days, and then cool again at night. Great sleeping weather. I don’t miss the summer AC at all.

Bondieu Lake- The Lodge at Glendorn- Bradford, Pa.

As time marches on, I find myself taking time to really enjoy what God’s creation has to offer. I notice the flame red leaves on the trails as I ride, I take in the smells, I look for little things that might have gone un-noticed as a younger person. Watching a particular maple tree in my neighborhood change colors so slowly but yet somehow- so quickly. Holding my wife’s hand on a hike instead of rushing up a hill to be the first guy there. Fall is like that. It gives you perspective, but rewards you with scenery that you only see for a short time- once per year. My advice to all of you is get out there and enjoy it and take the time to enjoy it all. We have a good deal here in Western Pa. Thanks for reading.

The Transition Spur in transition time in the Laurels.
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Time

Ocean City, NJ

So we visited Janet’s cousin and aunt last week at the “shore” as it is called. Looking out at the ocean and listening to my soundtrack on my new Shokz Open Fit earphones, I had some contemplative moments. The Open Fits are a great item that allow you to listen to music or podcasts but fit outside your ear canal so you can hear what is going on around you. Check them out. But anyhow, I was thinking about the end of summer and the beginning of fall coming and getting close to another lap around the sun for me which will be the end of a decade. Next year is the beginning of a new decade for me and sometimes I feel like I am running out of time. I feel like I am in a Ferrari at full speed, standing and holding the steering wheel, both feet slammed on the brakes to no avail. Thoughts like that are on one side of the mental checklist, but more positive thoughts are on the other side of that checklist. Things like good health with which I have been blessed. The plant based diet seems to be working as I have lowered cholesterol significantly and lost 13 pounds which was not really intended. I don’t need to lose weight, but I did and feel so much better. I have been riding my mountain bike better and feel lighter and stronger even though I am getting older.

I use a Garmin Fenix 6 X fitness watch which allows me to track a whole host of data, some which I use and others that are not used. But two of the interesting metrics are that is says my fitness age is 57 and my Vo2 Max is 43 which is in the top ten percent for my age group. Not sure how much stock I put into those metrics, but it makes you feel a little better. I am not afraid of getting older, but sometimes when you have time to think, like at the shore, thoughts creep into your head. I lost some friends this year and that is sobering. But as Dr. Peter Attia says, it is not that we are trying to live longer, but to enjoy the years we have with good health. He also says in his book “Outlive”, that if you want to roll around on the floor with your grandkids, and get up with no issues, you have to “backcast” to where you are now and start exercising with that in mind. A lot of that is genetics and good blessings, but exercise is definitely a contributor and something to which I have always subscribed.

The mountain bike has been a wonderful tool for me.
End of summer floral greetings on the trails.

As I move to this new decade in 2024, I do still have some fitness goals. I also want to continue to learn. My friend Eric is helping me to work on a more modern ski technique which I will practice this winter. I need to get lower, wider, and use both skis in a turn like the modern race turn which is facilitated by the new equipment available to us. You can always learn new things. Sure, I can stay with my A frame classic technique but why not continue to learn new things and make more dynamic turns on the slopes?

I can’t do it like Mikaela but it sure is a good mental image.

But other than exercise, there are more considerations about the topic of time. I am moving towards retirement, and I am beginning to think about the use of time for Janet and me in a world where I will not be employed anymore. Janet’s cousin Jeff had an interesting comment during our stay at the shore. He is retiring next year, and he is a surgeon. He told me he thought that the most important thing is not what you are retiring from, but what you are retiring to. He says the new chapter in your life should be filled with a purpose. In his case, he is going to be actively involved in the ministry of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He not only has a medical degree from Yale, but a Divinity degree as well. He is going to make good use of that in retirement. I also think that is a good mission statement for Janet and me. There are so many worthy causes to which we can give our time and we will make an effort to pray about it and see where this path will take us.

Time spent together is priceless.

But getting back to that mental checklist, the fear of running out of time is offset by being active and enjoying all that life has to offer. Time together, traveling, active lifestyles, continuing education. To be honest, I feel better now and more fit than I did ten years ago. How that is possible is beyond me, but I will continue with the exercise and the diet and see how things go. God has been good to us. I appreciate all the blessings we have, and the contemplative thoughts are usually overshadowed by an active and productive lifestyle. And as most older people have said – keep moving.

Bill McCollom was a former masters ski racer ,all American ski racer at Middlebury College and editor of Ski Racing. His famous line was, ” I want to go skidding across the finish line of life, missing parts, leaking oil, and screaming……..GERONIMO!!!” An interesting mantra from a very active guy. Thanks for reading and keep moving.

Now the time has come

There are things to realize

Time has come today

-The Chambers Brothers.

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Housekeeping

The one who started this whole thing. My wife Janet.

I am writing a little bit of a different post this week to kind of set straight my ideas about my blog. This is a hobby for me. I like to write but also, I like to share stories which my wife thinks should be written down and kept for our son and hopefully his family someday. In fact, I have used a company from Rochester, New York called Blog 2 Print that has published four volumes in a coffee table book format for me. Not that my stories are anything special. I have done nothing outstanding, but I do have some stories that have a purpose, are sometimes amusing and put forth a positive message for all of us seniors. Life is good and we can all be Younger Next Year.

Fall is coming

Most of my posts tend to focus on outdoor subjects like alpine skiing, hiking and mountain biking. These are my “go to ” activities and they all have something in common. They are enjoyed by all kinds of people from all walks of life. The cool thing about enjoying the great outdoors is that all the politics, personal biases, and differences are all left behind and everyone tends to enjoy each other’s company through these activities in the wild. People need to get away from the pressures of life and if they can enjoy it with an outdoor activity, especially with friends. That is something special.

Activities spawn lifetime friendships. The Flying Smittys.

So, as a bit of housekeeping, I have a favor to ask. Many of you follow the blog on Facebook and that is fine. But it would be good if you would go to http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com and look for the little white box in the column to the left, enter your email, and be a follower on the page. Or you can scroll down on your smart phone and the signup box is right below the post. You will get an email once per week or once every two weeks with no ads, and no subscription or bother. Be sure to click on the title to get all the pictures too. You can decline at anytime . I am trying to grow the blog a little bit only to perhaps spread my message a little more to an expanded audience. Again, I am nobody special. But I want to somehow reach some people to inspire them to get out of their comfort zone as a senior and perhaps try new things. I also like to verbalize my thoughts and would like to reach more people with some humor, perhaps some little inspiration, and maybe give them something to think about in a positive way- once a week or once every two weeks depending on my own inspiration.

Handling the shark took me a little bit out of my comfort zone too.

The blog will also get some potential sponsor advertising from some outdoor companies if I reach several thousand hits per month. Word Press will help me do that. I am close to that volume of hits and perhaps I can get to the goal line with expanding the follower base of the blog. I want to thank all of you who support this thing with your kind comments and friendships. Get outside, enjoy nature, and follow the blog. http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com Also spread the word to your friends and families. They can be followers too and help get this thing off the ground a little more. Thanks for reading.

Mammoth Mountain, Ca. One of my favorite places.
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The Moon Rocks

The Moon Rocks- Davis, West Virginia

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.

Cheering on the racers with ………..more cowbell.
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Ya Gadda Have a Laugh

I try to make Jan laugh every day. Usually, I am successful. LOL!!

Have you noticed how serious some people are today? Politics, the economy, and other daily stressors tend to make some people very agitated when really there is not much we can do about it other than try to be kind to each other daily. Part of that kindness is to get a laugh out of people and for a brief moment, they forget their troubles and laugh at the situation. In my case, I self- deprecate to elicit that laugh. Take last week for example. It was my nephew’s birthday. He was not happy about turning 31, but I told him I have socks older than him. That got a good laugh from him even though Richard tends to be fairly serious. For a brief moment, he realized that his Uncle Pat made him feel better. I enjoyed hearing him laugh.

In the last blog post, I talked about getting hit in the head with a chipped ham sandwich while riding my road bike. Not too funny at the time especially with what the driver had to say to me, but funny today thinking about it. And the best part- funny to all of you . Admit it. A chipped ham sandwich……..whack……right in the back of the helmet. With mayo!!!

Speaking of road riding- have any of you riders noticed how serious some road riders tend to be? I happen to be friendly on rides and when we pass a group of road riders, oftentimes they don’t say hello and kind of give you a scowl like they are in the Tour de France or something? I chuckle and think to myself, nobody is going to the Olympics on your ride…….lighten up.

Making Pete laugh is a daily occurrence.

I think the main reason a lot of people like to ride or ski with me is I make them laugh. We jokingly talk about mishaps on the ride or on the slopes. And I bring up some inane conversation that has nothing to do with the ride. I just try to make them laugh while we are killing each other up some hill. My friend Porter always laughs when he reminds me that I took out a whole PSIA clinic group one time on the ski slopes. They were all serious involved in a conversation about technique when I skied down to talk to them, crossed my tips, and took out the whole group like bowling pins including the examiner conducting the clinic. I was embarrassed at the time. But now……..it is one of the funny things Porter remembers. He always says” a level III certified guy cleans out the whole group!” You would think I would know better, but it gets a laugh every time Porter and Tim bring it up.

The makeshift meet and greet table at the World Cup in Snowshoe

I also like to create things to get a laugh. Like when Bob Anderson and the Shark and I visited Snowshoe, West Virginia for the World Cup Mountain Bike Races. Shark is a character and Bob and I saw a free table in the expo area. We set up a makeshift meet and greet so that the UCI mountain bike community could meet the Shark. People didn’t quite know what to make of it, but you would be amazed at the riders and their entourage who came over to meet the Shark. We had a lot of laughs about that. Especially since Bob A tends to be on the serious side……………until you get a big belly laugh from him. Doesn’t take much. LOL!!!

Specialized rider Haley Batten. She was anxious to meet the Shark. LOL!!!
Specialized rider Sina Frei didn’t quite know what to make of the Shark. LOL!!

I have a lot of fun riding mountain bikes and skiing because I don’t take things too seriously and a laugh on the chairlift or on the trail is well worth my effort. I like to brighten people’s day and getting a laugh out of them is always a fun pursuit.

There are so many funny things that occur during the day and if you take the time to capture them, have fun with them, and get a smile out of someone, you have done a good thing for people. I make my wife Janet laugh every day and even though my son Jack often doesn’t appreciate my humor, I like to get a laugh from him as well. Remember- dads are dorks and it is a challenge to overcome that. But oftentimes I relish my role as ………………the dork.

My buddy Dixon always gets me to laugh. He is a character. I have a lot of characters in my life.

Surround yourself with fun people and your life will be so enriched. Things are tough today. There is a lot of division, bitterness, and bad blood, but if you can make the best of it, look on the bright side of life, and don’t get hung up on the news, your life will be so much more fulfilling. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself either. So many people are insecure that they don’t like to make fun of themselves. I don’t know how secure I am, but I don’t have any trouble making fun of myself. It makes other people laugh, and for that………………I am happy. My mother always said, ” happiness is like a perfume…..you can’t sprinkle it on others without getting a little bit on yourself.” No truer words have been said and my mother was…………..a character. Thanks for reading.

I even had Greg Lemond laughing on some rides.
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More than Raystown

The Adventurefest Mountain Bike Group.

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.

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Expand The Present

Syed on the rocks at Laurel Mountain
The 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.
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Vertical

Summit Chair- Whiteface Lake Placid, New York

Vertical is a term that skiers and mountain bike riders use when describing their day on the hill or trail. Vertical drop is generally described as the measurement from the top of the mountain to the base lodge. Particular ski trails are listed with a certain vertical drop, and you can track these statistics on a number of apps today including the popular Slopes app. It gives you information like how many runs you made and what total vertical drop was achieved in your day of skiing. My friend Mark Hutchinson and I used an app called Alpine Replay which was the forerunner to Slopes to track our runs at Northstar at Tahoe one day. I have posted before that we achieved 57,000 vertical feet that day and the next day at Mt. Rose in Nevada, we achieved 52,000 vertical feet. It was kind of fun to track our runs and see how many we made and what the total vertical or vertical drop we had achieved skiing. Plus we totally honked off a French guy who held the record up to that point. A couple of old geezers took him down. The app developer loved it. LOL!!

Summit of Mammoth Mountain, California. 11,000 Feet

Another fun statistic is to see how high the summits are at different ski areas and to see the total vertical drop based on those summit elevations. When you ride the Summit Chair at Whiteface as seen above, you will see markers on the chairlift towers that show your elevation and also how it compares to similar resorts in Vermont and New Hampshire. The summit at Whiteface is actually higher than a lot of New England ski areas. So, elevation vertical and vertical drop are used a lot when describing your day on the slopes at any ski area. How much vertical did you ski and what is the vertical of the summit? Cool statistics that are apres ski conversation pieces.

Climbing for some vertical while riding a mountain bike.

Similarly, mountain bikers rack up vertical while climbing up a trail. We all have devices that track different statistics like heart rate, distance, time on the ride and vertical. In this case, vertical means what is achieved when we climb on our mountain bike. My Garmin Fenix watch tracks these efforts, and I can log how many miles I have ridden, on what trails, what was the distance and other metrics that are interesting to see at the end of a ride. I can compare them to my friends’ metrics and see how we do in comparison to each other’s efforts. Gaining vertical on a mountain bike ride takes some effort and it is what usually gets you in shape when you have to climb a hill on a bike. This time of year, the effort is making us stronger with each ride. No pain – no gain. When we climb hills on a mountain bike, we sweat, breathe hard, and fatigue our legs to the point of exhaustion. So vertical in this case is all uphill effort with trackable results.

The rocky trails and ascents at Rothrock State Forest in Central Pa.

So, thinking about this the other day while looking at my Garmin statistics, led me to some conclusions which will show you a little bit about how my mind works. This winter, I always thought about the vertical on the summits where I skied. I thought about how many vertical feet I had skied and how it felt to achieve those metrics. Usually, I work hard at making clean turns and I learn something new every year. But the effort is assisted by gravity and even though sometimes I am breathing heavy at times due to altitude, or working the turns, the effort is not as difficult as when I am riding uphill on a mountain bike to achieve vertical feet in climbing. It occurred to me that the two different efforts are really like what goes on in life. Some days we flow downhill through the day, with little effort and appreciate the beauty of the world similar to a ski run on a sunny, groomed slope. Gravity is our friend as we make our way through the day with no encumbrances. But then there are the other days where it is tough. Like climbing a steep hill on your mountain bike in 90 degree weather. The sweat is pouring, you are breathing heavy, and your legs sometimes feel like lead. Those days, while achieving vertical feet of climbing, can be tough. But here is the good news. The effort most of the time yields great rewards. You get in better shape and the adversity turns you into a stronger rider and the no pain no gain axiom is found to be true.

The Rock Garden at Seven Springs Resort, Pa.

There are those days when you think that there is no way you are going to make it. Like riding that mountain bike, you think you cannot make one more pedal stroke ……..but you eventually do. You don’t give up and you get to the top. You look back at the ride or the day, and you realize that life can be tough sometimes. But when you summon up some effort, learn to accept the pain and the adversity, you can achieve many things – a lot more than vertical feet. There are downhill days and uphill days, but when we learn to appreciate both efforts of gaining ……………..vertical………….we can see how it makes us a stronger, better person. Right? Thanks for reading.

Even World Champion Nino Schurter in his white championship jersey suffers on climbs. He has tough days too.

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Running on a Prayer

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.

by

The Comeback

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.