Tag Archives: Mountain Biking

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The Art of the Change

IMG00214-20100708-1448IMG00053photophoto I met a friend of a few years ago and he was amazed that I was fully dressed to ride mountain bikes after driving from work. He was sitting in the lot in his business casual dress and I was patiently waiting for him to get ready. He inquired how it was that I left work in similar attire and now was fully dressed to ride? I told him that similar to being in shape and concentrating on fitness, you also need to be well skilled in what I call “The Art of the Change.”

SUVs, like my Jeep, facilitate this type of behavior in that you need some room to switch from business clothes to recreational clothes. The proper use of red lights and putting the vehicle in park are key elements to this skill- but I will refer to that later. Let’s talk for a moment about some of the classic changes that have taken place in my life.

One time I was sitting in the parking lot of the OSI Meat Company near Salt Lake City after a successful meeting. My co-worker said, ” We didn’t get our tour of the plant” and I said,” You drive- I have seen enough meat plants in my day and we are 8 miles down canyon from Alta Ski Resort.” As she took the helm of the rental SUV, I quickly made the Superman like change from sport coat and slacks into my ski gear and asked her to pull into the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird. I told her to get a massage and that I would be back to get her at 5:00 so that we could drive to the airport to get our flight to Las Vegas for a trade show. She was dumbfounded but amazed at the plan and to her surprise- in no time I was back to pick her up and was dressed in slacks and a sweater. I told her,” Great afternoon pounding the High Traverse, Eagles Nest and High Rustler and look, ready to go to the airport.”

Another co-worker was with me on a week long trip to our Salt Lake City location for the company. Every day after work, I would drive her up to Park City and tell her to meet me at the parking location in 2 hours. We then would have dinner and enjoy the town before the return trip back down Interstate 80 to the hotel. She saw me remove my mountain bike, which I had brought on the plane with me, and as she walked away, she noticed clothes flying in the car and voila- another Superman change. When she returned to the car I was standing there putting on some shorts behind the car door( some decorum is necessary some of the times) and a T-shirt and some deoderant so that I would not totally gross her out and off we went to get a cold one at the Wasatch Brewery and a burger. This similar routine allowed a full day of work, 2 hours of great riding up at Park City and a beer and a good meal before we got up and did it all over again every day of the week. She was astonished and said,” Pat- if you would not have taken me up there every evening, I probably would have just stayed in my room and done nothing.” I said, “Jamie- you need to enjoy every moment in life. Carpe Deium girl.” She laughed and shook her head in amazement.

One time the Art of the Change was challenged by an Ambridge,Pa. police officer as I was coming from skiing in the Laurel Highlands and dressing on the fly for a funeral in Ambridge. At one point, I was down to my boxer shorts and the lights from the police car came into full view in my rear view mirror. I pulled over to the side of the road like a good motorist and scrambled with my dress shirt and suit pants as the officer came to the window. He greeted me and fortunately did not notice my bare feet on the gas pedal. He said,” Not you sir- the guy behind you is who I wanted.” ” Thanks for pulling over though and have a nice day.” I returned the pleasantries and sighed with relief that he had not seen me two minutes earlier driving down Rt. 65 basically in my birthday suit.

One other time, I was in the Reno Airport and frantically ripping through my bag to put on my ski clothes right at the carousel. People laughed as I strapped on my ski boots and schlepped my skis and bag to the curb to be picked up by my friend Eric to ski up at Mt. Rose. He laughed when he saw the blue Lange boots in the distance and said that he had only missed three runs when we arrived back at the area. That quick carousel change assisted us with gaining some valuable vertical feet.

One thing about cycling and skiing is that you spend some time changing clothes to participate in the apres activities. As important as it is to be able to change out of your clothes, it is perhaps more important sometimes to be able to quickly change into your clothes especially if you are meeting some folks and you are late. This is where the Art is fully employed. Traffic lights are the friend of any car changer and it is most important to know what can be accomplished between red and green lights. After putting the car in park, a shirt change, sock change,and cycling short change can easily be accomplished. Ski pants can take a little longer and your timing must be perfect otherwise you travel “au naturale” until the next light allows the completion of the change. If you are really skilled, you can even put in your contact lenses between traffic light cycles. But safety first!! I have often been tempted to change by steering with the knees and completing a final change cycle but I consider that like texting and driving and opt for the completion down the road a bit. Some things can throw you off like a big toe stretching the lycra of cycling shorts down to the brake pedal. Or perhaps a ski sweater put on inside out. Or even a clumsy change of a sock. But the better you get, the more you can utilize traffic lights, heavy traffic, and quick pull-offs to a rest stop on the Interstates.

One of my mantras is to always pack what you need before your day starts. A rookie would stop at home first and risk having a series of “honey-do’s” befall him or her. You can get sidetracked if you do not focus on your exercise after work by the faux pas of not packing ahead of time. Similarly you do not want to sit around drinking a post ride or ski beverage still attired in your workout or ski clothes. The change is necessary for full comfort and the more skilled you are at the Art of the Change, the better the experience and with a little effort, you can enjoy some things that you might not have even considered. Timing is everything in life and you must reach out and go for the gusto. Use your vehicle or rental vehicles for the appropriate changes, be courteous to your fellow travelers but never let decorum stand in the way of a good time. If they catch a glimpse of your Steeler boxer shorts, so be it. Life is short- grab it for all its worth. Thanks for reading and use those red lights.

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Trail Transformation

photophotophotophotophoto This summer and fall, the trails in the Laurel Highlands and our own trails in our county park were dry and flowy. The mountain bike riding was spectacular and even when the time change came, the night riding was done in rather temperate conditions. That all changed at Thanksgiving when the winds of November came blowing. The snow came and the trails were transformed into winter conditions. When this happens, it gives the 59 year old kid a chance to switch gears a bit and do more trail running and hiking. My friend EJ Sigety used to drag me out all winter on the trails to mountain bike ride no matter what the conditions, but these days, I use good judgement and enjoy the trails in different ways.

I spoke in one of my last posts about dialing it back a bit and that on occasion, it is a good idea. Hiking is very enjoyable way to dial it back and I see things on the trails that I don’t see riding in a pack or pounding up a hill in the heat with my eyeballs bulging out of their sockets. Hiking in the snow can allow you to experience the silence of the woods, and the smell of a distant fireplace. You can experience a buck eyeing you up as you enter his domain. The trails look different and the footing dictates that you carefully place your steps so that you remain upright. Where this transformation may discourage some folks from enjoying the trails in the winter- hiking, trail running and snowshoeing can be a great alternative to the riding that we enjoy most of the year. I usually take my ski poles with me to help with the footing and balance in the icy conditions. These can also be used with snowshoes. Sturdy hiking boots are a must and I usually use my old reliable Vasque Hiker IIs that are 40 years old and still kicking. Dialing it back over Thanksgiving was enjoyable and I ran into some of my die hard friends who were still riding . They harrassed me but I enjoyed the hikes and was glad for a change.

Now if you are the hearty type and want to keep riding on the icy trails in the winter, you can use studded mountain bike tires as shown in the picture above. The new rage is the “fat bike” which has oversized tires that aid in the traction. These were developed originally to race in Alaska and have seen some major acceptance in the mountain bike community here in the lower 48. The curious thing about riding in the winter is that once you get going, the heat builds up and if the traction is good, you can enjoy a good ride when perhaps you would have thrown in the towel. Sometimes I will ride, other days I will run or hike. But the main thing is to keep enjoying the trails and the woods in all seasons and have the mental and physical preparation to do so. My friend Mark “the Shark” Sauers has a great expression for winter as well. He says there is never bad weather……only bad clothing. I would agree in that if you have the right winter weather gear, you can be comfortable even if the conditions are raw. Gore Tex, wool socks, good winter riding shoes, trail running shoes or hiking boots can make all the difference in the world and allow for that “go for it” attitude that you need in the winter. Good lights as described in my earlier posts about night riding can make a big difference too. There are a lot of good choices for lighting that are essential for enjoying the trails after dark. I try to avoid indoor exercise at all costs and good water proof clothing can allow outdoor activities even in the coldest, winter rain or snow. You get that fresh air, good exercise, come home and take a hot shower and sleep like a baby. Nothing like it.

Winter is just starting so why not think about continuing to use the trails at your own pace and sometimes with different tools. Nobody is going to think badly about you if you put the bike away and run or hike. Just as long as you do something and not let the winter get you down or allow for added padding which is painful to lose in the spring. Hydration is important as well. You lose a lot of moisture exercising in the winter and the need to drink fluids is as important in the winter as it is in the summer. Take your hydration pack with you at all times. Chistmas is coming folks and maybe Santa has some new equipment for you to use. Gear up, pick your poison on exercise, and enjoy the winter. Thanks for reading and think snow.

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The Internal Amplitude Dial

photoCottonwood-20120216-00019IMG00132-20100208-1434 We all have an internal dial or dials which are like radio dials. We have the ability to turn up the dial, turn down the dial, look at a second dial which might indicate how we approach fun, aerobic limit, or competitiveness. Everyone’s dial is different based upon experience, age, physical fitness, and the ability to assess risk. I have written previous blog posts entitled Risk versus Reward and I would encourage you to re-vist them for a perspective on that subject. Outside Magazine’s current issue is dedicated to the topic of risk. But all of us have the ability to adjust those internal dials based upon where we find ourselves at the moment when we are partaking in a physical activity.

If you look at the picture above, this is our skiing group that gets together once a year in Tahoe/Mammoth for a week to 10 days of pretty hard core skiing for a bunch of guys who are pushing 60.( Some of the group are already there). The good thing is that this group is extremely enthusiastic and skiing is very important to all of us. Last year, I turned the group on to the I-Phone App “Alpine Replay.” This is one of many apps that measure vertical feet skied, speed, calories burned, and other measurements. We all got sucked into the technology and spent one day during the week at Northstar at Tahoe skiing perfectly groomed trails with no crowds. We actually had the perfect day to beat the single day record because there are several high speed chairlifts,and we have the equipment that makes it easy to turn and control at speed. The dial was turned up a little that day with our enthusiasm. We ended up skiing 57,833 vertical feet (each of us). The next day, Hutch and I logged 52,000 vertical each. That is a lot of runs in two days but again, we had perfect conditions which allowed us to turn up the dial a bit.

Even guys our age can get caught up with modern technology. I-Phones, Map my Ride, Go-Pro cameras which allow you to video document your own experience as you race to get it on You Tube for the chance to go viral. Equipment advances, high speed chairs, over-sized racquets and clubs, dual suspension all carbon mountain bikes, carbon road bikes, power meters, the list goes on and on which allows mere mortals to venture into the expert zone. We all know our limits and the amplitude dial is relative to each person. But the outside influences on the dials can increase the amplitude sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. The secondary dial is more important to me. As the 59 year old kid, I love the challenges on the trails and the slopes. But the competitive mark on the dial is seldom used any more. It is more of an adjustment between fun and aerobic fitness. I love the roller coaster sometimes with friends on the slopes and the trails with all of the modern technology. But sometimes, I like to get off the roller coaster and stand on the platform or have a seat on the bench and dial it back a bit. Take today. I was running trails in the rain and ordinarily I try to push myself to the best of my ability. The amplitude and the secondary dial were not that high but I enjoyed the run and even stopped to see two beautiful bucks. I took the time to count their points. In the old days, I would have just kept running. My wife and I were hiking up at Glendorn a few weeks ago and I stopped to observe a beautiful salamander on the trail. Other days, I would not have even noticed. This week, Mark Sauers and I rode with an old friend who has had some extreme physical problems yet keeps on riding. Bill Belch is a testament to fortitude and continues to ride even at night with some serious vision issues. Mark and I dialed it back a bit and we really enjoyed our ride with our friend as it was great for us to reconnect and great for Bill to be pushed a bit. His dial was turned up pretty far but the outcome was very positive for a very positive guy. John Staab is another friend who rode with us yesterday and wanted to stop for a bit to have an energy bar, sit on a rock and enjoy the scenery for a little bit. You know, he got off the roller coaster and wanted to sit on the platform for a while. Really, nothing wrong with that. John had the longest ride of his season, his dial was up a bit, but he also enjoyed the experience. The secondary dial was turned to …..FUN.

I have been reading some interesting commentary lately about smaller ski areas and how they do not necessarily have high speed chairs. It is part of the experience. They even talked about the single chair at Mad River and mocked it as “stupid.” I tend to disagree and respect the history of the single chair. I remember riding the one at Stowe,Vermont when they would give you a blanket for the ride up. Sometimes, the slower double chairs allow for longer conversations. Skiing is a great sport and a fun activity, but it is as much social for me as it is making turns and runs. Sometimes, I am fine with not constantly taking the high speed chairs and maybe turning the dial down a bit and enjoy the slow ride up the mountain. Kind of like listening to the Frank Sinatra station on Sirrius Radio. As much as I like to stay up with current music, sometimes listening to the Chairman of the Board and even the Spa Channel, relaxes me. Sometimes that dial needs to be turned down a bit. Not all the time. But sometimes when you need it.

My friend Eric drove down to Mammoth this week to catch the first ski runs of the season. Eric has had neck surgery, shoulder surgery, and foot issues which have limited his ski time a bit. But he was enthused when he made his first runs down there and had no pain. The ability to ski like that and to enjoy the sunny weather caused him to turn his dials up. It is funny that his doctor told him he may want to “dial back” a bit but he ended up skiing between 23-30 runs per day and then going for a mountain bike ride. Somehow, I don’t think Eric will be dialing back any time soon. He will be pushing us to break the 60,000 vertical feet in a day record this spring on the Alpine Replay app and that is ok. The dial may be turned up a bit that day, but all within reason for a bunch of older dudes. So pay attention to your inner amplitude dials. They can be adjusted many times during the course of a day or a trip depending on how you feel. Go for the gusto but know that the dials can be adjusted to the fun zone and ……………..that’s ok. Thanks for reading. By the way, that is a Porcupine on my skis. I stopped to look at him too and he liked me. Also- this is my 100th post. Thanks for reading. This has been a lot of fun.

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Cyclists- those that have crashed and those that will.

mountain-bike-crash-31029803518_95d38ab91d_o

Google Image Result for http--www.mcalcio.com-wordpress-wp-content-uploads-2007-12-7cycling-crash-in-the-giro-ditalia.jpg (2)1029803518_95d38ab91d_o My friend Bob Reading broke his brand new Specialized helmet a couple of weeks ago when he crashed on his mountain bike up at Rothrock State Forest in State College, Pa. A couple of weeks later, he went down twice on his road bike near his home in Florida. His lovely wife Valerie provided us all with pictures of his road rash which brought back a lot of memories for me and they are not too pleasant. Bob is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and a very fit and talented rider. But things happen on a bike sometimes that just sneak up on you. John Howard, who was on the U.S Cycling Team and the first winner of the Race Across America says there are two types of bike racers or cyclists for that matter. Those who have crashed and those who will. It happens and when you are the 58 year old kid like me, you ride to ride another day.

That was not always the case. When I used to ride in criteriums, which were an accident waiting to happen on a tight course with a lot of riders, the slightest mishap like a touched wheel, a rider hitting the brakes in a corner, or someone who had not glued his tubular tires correctly on a rim resulted in riders going down. I had my share of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and went skidding across the course getting that all too familiar road rash on my legs and hip. I sailed over a haybale in a corner in a crit in Parkersburg, WV. and ended up in a mall parking lot dazed and confused. I was fortunate not to break the collarbone which was a common cycling accident. My friend Art Bonavoglia was not so lucky as he did it during a contested sprint. I witnessed another friend George Sagan go skidding under the announcers stand at the Vet Nationals one year. I rode a criterium in the rain one year in New Jersey and there was a huge crash where I was forced up onto the sidewalk, made it around the crash and ended up in front with a bunch of Jersey guys who would take you down for a $5.00 prime.(lap prize). I stayed out of their way and was happy to finish in one piece.

Road races had the same issues and you always tried to stay as close to the front as possible to avoid any crashes. But sometimes you just could not avoid problems due to weather or the careless riding of those in the pack. One race, we had to finish the sprint going over a railroad track. Guys who didn’t research the course didn’t know about the track at the end and had issues when at top speed they went across the track carelessly and went down hard. Another crazy race, the promoters handed out index cards with places written on them. Guys were diving to get the cards and taking riders down right and left. When you are younger, you think you are invincible and do some dumb things on a bicycle. My friend Eric and I went from the entrance of Killington, Vermont to Woodstock in a 60 MPH descent. I did think what could happen if the front tire blew, but I was committed and escaped an issue successfully at the bottom of the mountain. I had a similar experience coming down County Line Road up near Seven Springs Resort when I raced Reggie Zipko down the road to his house. Anything could have happened on that road and I was not too smart with that antic. I remember another time on a ride in Pittsburgh with a bunch of guys when I followed a garbage truck down a hill and into the left turning lane to Forbes Avenue. Much to my chagrin, the truck was leaking grease and as I made the left turn, the back wheel skidded on the grease and I went sailing through the intersection and landed in some hedges in front of a gas station. The grease cushioned the slide a bit but I still ended up with the nasty rash and a painful ride home.

These days I ride to ride another day for sure. One of the things you learn from experience is that you just don’t rally back as quickly when you are older. You have to back off that throttle a bit and know that you don’t have to fly down that hill, ride up over that big log or obstacle, to prove you can still hang. Use the ride for fitness because the days of being competitive are really over. Again, things can sneak up on you and you can’t help the crashes sometimes. But if you can ride with a little more caution and use your experience on the bike, you can stay upright in most situations. I think a rider as skilled as Bob Reading has had enough falls for a while. He will also ride to ride another day. But like John Howard says, the crash will happen to all of us. Lets just hope as the years go on that we are spared anything traumatic. Look ahead, ride smart in a pack, and let caution be your guide. Then we all can be the 60 year old kid riding for fitness someday. Thanks for reading. Be safe out there.

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The Married Bachelor

IMG00251-20100811-2242NiteRider2IMGP1917 I was out the last two nights on the mountain bike in absolutely beautiful, starlit conditions riding the trails with my new Cree light. Amazing technology for a very low price. But, as I rode along the trails and daydreamed a little bit, I thought about the seasons of my life as the 58 year old kid. I was a bachelor until just about 34 years old, then I was engaged, married to a great gal, became a new father and currently just celebrated 25 years with the bride and 18 years with our son Jack. One of the interesting seasons was when I was first married and Janet still was a flight attendant for USAirways. Jan had to get used to living with the bachelor. For instance, when she spotted my toilet in the bathroom in my townhouse, she wondered what the hanger was sticking out of from under the lid. I said that it was to shim up the float device so that it wouldn’t leak. I said all she had to do was remove the hanger, do her business, and then replace the shimming device. She said,” This isn’t going to fly Mr. Bachelor.” We laughed and I had to figure out how to replace the device with a new device. I became an expert at toilet repair.

When Jan would go out on a trip, I was basically back to my old ways in riding after work and coming home after eating with the boys. My neighbors called me the married bachelor and laughed at my life having it both ways. Night mountain bike riding was a staple and I had several crews. The one group liked urban rides in the city parks of Pittsburgh with an intermediate stop at the Penn Brewery. After a couple of nice micro brews, we ventured to some more parks and over some rather harrowing railroad bridges. The lights are great but sometimes you couldn’t spot the holes in the boards that were the catwalk alongside the tracks. If you were not careful, the front wheel could nosedive and the ultimate over the bars onto the wooded walk was the result. Also, the final uphill at 180 BPM on the heart rate monitor with the beers in you was a little unnerving. But these guys were fun and by the time I came home, I had a good workout, some good comraderie, and my neighbors who were still up marveled at my life.

The other night riding crew was a more non-traditional crew to say the least. Mountain bikers tend to be free spirits and I ended up out in the woods in the eastern part of town later at night than I usually intended. This crew was fun, good riders, but stopped often to light up a few fatties and sit and look at the moon. Being a non-partaker, I liked the company and the ride, but was anxious to get rolling( not the fattie) and get back to my car and back to my house before it became insanely late. Again, the neighbors would laugh as I returned even late at night because from out of their window or out for a late night stroll, they lived vicariously through me as the married bachelor. ” What would Jan say if she knew you were out mountain bike riding at night, on railroad tracks,in city parks or suburban parks, drinking beer and carousing until now?” I laughed and said, ” she knows I ride. She just doesn’t know all the details.”

The Married Bachelor also went on ski trips when the bride was working. We had no children at the time and if she was working, sometimes I would get a wild hair and use my airline pass and book a flight to see some of my skiing buddies. I would run into some of her flight attendant friends who would ask where Janet was and I said…..”working.” They would laugh and say “nice life you have because of her labor, McCloskey.” I said,” Marry me, fly for free.” Only sometimes I took it to the extreme. But all in all, the neighbors would see me packing my ski bag and just shake their head and say, “what are you going to do when you have kids?” I said, ” I will cross that road when I come to it” and headed to the airport. Lots of powder, groomed trails, and fun with the ski buddies.

I was always dilligent in keeping in touch with my flying bride and oftentimes it was from somewhere out on a trail or in some watering hole with the dirtheads. But the transition from bachelor to married life was a little easier than most guys have it. Looking back, poor Jan had it worse than me. Gone during the week and coming back to a leaking toilet, or surprises in the basement because of the hole in the foundation that allowed visitors into the basement unattended. In my usual bachelor ways, I promised my bride that I would have that fixed and while she was away, I got an old 8 track tape box and jammed it up against the hole with some cement blocks behind it. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t much to the dismay of the bride doing wash in the basement and being greeted by either a living species or a dead one in a trap. She was a trooper and the married bachelor slowly came around to being a respectable human being.

When Jack came along, things changed a bit. Jan was no longer flying and my riding was confined to the butt crack of dawn during the week before work and on the weekends. The skiing was altered in the same manner but married life was wonderful especially with the new boy in the house. Lots of adventures since then that included skiing, riding, baseball, basketball, and now the boy is 18 and off to college next year. We all wonder what happened to the time and as we look back at the seasons of our life, Janet and I have a lot of laughs about the married bachelor days and the transition to fatherhood and settling in with the bride. I am so glad I did it. I had a lot of fun in the single days but nothing compares to being married with a son. Now the rides are in the evenings again because the time constraints have eased a bit. As I make my way through the leaves and the cooler weather on the trails, I enjoy them with friends, or by myself, or better yet………with the bride who saved the married bachelor. Thanks for reading and …………..think snow!!!

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Cycling in the Buckeye

dome-tentsphotophotophotoIMG00179-20100424-0947 Throughout this spring and summer, I have posted about all the cool places to ride a bicycle out west,in West Virginia,in New York State, and accross the pond. These travelogues have been supported with the stories and adventures of the 58 year old kid. But I would be remiss if I did not include the good times that can be had in our neighbor directly to the west- The Great State of Ohio.

Lets start with the MetroPark System of cycling paths in the Cleveland area. As I told you in “Don’t be a Slam Clicker”, I usually take my road or mountain bike with me on work trips. I also took it with me during our visits to Cleveland during AAU Basketball season. We spent a lot of time in the Independence,Ohio area and the MetroPark Towpath is an excellent place to get some riding in on a most unique path. A Towpath is a cycling and running path that was originally a dirt road that horses used to tow boats along the canal system to get product from Lake Erie to the upstart towns and cities to the south. The canals were a cheap way to transport goods and after these paths became obsolete, they were revitalized as part of the Emerald Chain of “rails to trails” in the Cleveland area. Check out the picture above to see and envision how barges were first towed back in the 19th century. I have ridden a mountain bike and a road bike on the towpath system and really the more comfortable way is with a mountain bike. There are miles and miles of these trails in the area and along the way you can see riders, runners, walkers and lots of folks fishing in the canals and the Cuyahoga River.

Out in the western part of the state, close to Springfield, Ohio, is the Little Miami Trail System. This is a paved roadway where cars are not permitted and it heads north to south all the way past Cincinnati close to the Kentucky line. I always stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Springfield and the entry to the trail was accross the street. You can easily cover lots of miles because there is no traffic and you wind your way past horse farms and estates that define the beauty of the mid-west. Beautifully manicured fields and colorful barns are showcased for the riders gliding along the Little Miami. You can easily pull off into little towns along the way to experience coffee shops and shopping as well as restock your fuel for the rides. The best restaurant in Springfield, by the way, is in the Courtyard. Excellent cuisine highlighting local produce, and locally grown beef and chicken.

If you are looking for a 100 mile Century Tour, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV) is an excellent choice. This ride is also in the western part of the state and ends up also near the Kentucky border. There are several overnight options including the local high school gym at the end of the century. Also, camping and hotels are close by to refuel for the return trip the next day if you desire. I was amazed at the signs that warned the century riders about the ominous hill ahead. Now a hill in western Ohio is not what you would think and when we came to the infamous “hill” of the TOSRV ride, it was over before it began and by Western Pa standards it was not imposing at all. I asked,” was that the hill?” The resounding answer from fellow Buckeye riders was “yes- that was tough wasn’t it?” I kept my mouth shut.

Another Buckeye adventure is to take the ferry out of Port Clinton near Toledo out to Put N Bay,one of the Lake Erie Islands. You can take your road or mountain bike and once you arrive, avoid the touristy town area and head out to the airport on the island. It is a nice relaxing ride along farmland roads and then return to the Perry Memorial near the ferry port. I am a big fan of Oliver Hazard Perry and his much heralded victory over the British Navy in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. Don’t miss the visitors center for the memorial and take in the film that is so well done by the Ohio Historical Society detailing the unlikely but successful victory of one of America’s most courageous Navy captains. After a quick bite at the outdoor cafe near the port at Put N Bay, head back via the ferry and relax and enjoy the view of Lake Erie and the other islands along the way. Turnpike to Port Clinton- piece of cake.

Lastly, you would never think that mountain biking existed in flat Ohio right? Well one of my favorite places to ride a mountain bike is in Loundonville,Ohio in the Mohican State Forest. This very well marked trail system basically climbs from the Mohican River up along the ridges above the gorge. The elevation is only about 1300 feet at it’s highest but the views of the gorge below and the deeply canopied forest trails are not to be missed. They have an annual 100 mile mountain bike endurance race here as well as a 100 mile trail run. It is very popular among the ultra enduro set but for most folks, the 24 mile loop is daunting enough. It is amazing that when you start at the trail head off of Route 3, you don’t have to go far to hear absolutely nothing in the woods except the falling leaves and the chipmunks and squirrels getting ready for winter at this time of year. You can stay at the famous Mohican Lodge and Conference Center where you can take in the views from the patio, of the scenic Pleasant Hill Lake created in the 30s by the Army Corps as a flood control project. In the evening, relax at the indoor fireplace and nestle into one of their padded rocking chairs and read Dirt Rag or a good book. The classical music played in the lodge adds to the charm. The lodge itself was built in 1974 and is constructed of stone and large picture windows for views of the forest and the lake. The restaurant uses local farm produce, dairy and meats, in its sustainable cuisine that mirrors the ambiance of a lodge that blends into the beauty of the Mohican State Forest. The best thing about the trails here is that there are no real brutal climbs. It is a fast and flowy trail system once you reach the top during the initial climb. The rest of the ride is along the ridges above the river and the occasional rock garden and rooty sections keep your interest in what is a dreamy ride through a hardwood and pine canopy.

All in all, I have had some really good times riding in the Buckeye. Recently I did some road cycling with my buddy Heff up near Lordstown,Ohio. The roads were so smooth that it felt like each pedal stroke yielded way more pavement than my roads in Pa. The farms and houses along the way were way scenic and I remarked to Heff how wonderful it must be to come home from work and hit any of these paved roadways for a comfortable and scenic workout. I will be back to do more of those rides. If you are in the local area, don’t miss riding out in Ohio. There are lots of options and I have only scratched the surface. Thanks for reading.

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The Pittsburgh Off Road Cyclists

photoMcCandless-20130303-00102 I usually schedule my blog posts about two weeks in advance but I had to jump the line here to tell you all about a perfect day of mountain biking with a really fun group of riders……of all ages. The cool thing about PORC is that it is a mountain bike club http://www.porcmtbclub.org which is open to riders of all ages and abilities. The club focuses on rides in the Western Pennsylvania region. There are nightly rides during the week in a lot of different venues in and around Pittsburgh, with weekend rides in the mountains east of us as well as more local venues.

Today was the annual PORC Pignic(not a spell check-haha) As the riders assembled, it was a gorgeous day here in the ‘burg and the venue was North Park. The air was cool with a temperature in the high 50s, the sun was shining and the leaves are starting to turn color here and fall gently on the 42 miles of trails that we have in the park. It was a perfect day and there were over 50 riders participating in many different types of rides ranging from fast to beginner. Like my other passion, skiing, the neat thing is that folks can participate at their level and then enjoy the comraderie after the ride. The nice thing about mountain bikers is that they really like to eat and also drink their beer-post ride. The grills were lit, the beer was tapped after the rides, and for most of the riders the post ride hunger and thirst was satisfied at the pignic. Elizabeth and Lee Klevens shot some amazing photos. They are a talented couple who provided a really great mosaic for the new OTB Cafe in North Park which will be opening soon. http://www.otbbicyclecafe.com

Most of the rides lasted for 3 hours so you can imagine the appetites and the thirsts that developed. PORC has attracted a most interesting and eclectic group of outdoor enthusiasts. John Hinderliter is a real outdoors guy as well as a world class illustrator. Don Cunningham,a television sports engineer, brought his homebrew and poured it over fresh hops which really enhanced the taste of an already excellent brew. Dr. Jack celebrated his 65th birthday. The guy doesn’t look 45 because he keeps himself in excellent shape riding almost every day. Bob Bannon- the fearless leader of the group is one of the strongest riders and he is older than me- the 58 year old kid. You wouldn’t know it riding behind Bob with his excellent technique over the rocks and roots that define riding in our area. Johnny McWilliams had the fast guys in tow as they set a blistering pace that burned off several of the ambitious riders who joined them. I picked up the stragglers and had a more reasonably paced group where you could look at the leaves and enjoy the conversations and the laughter instead of concentrating on the guys wheel in front of you and trying to hang on the climbs. That is the good thing about being a leader. The group has to follow you and you can dictate the pace. That Johnny Mac is tough and he is the only one in that group that had some gray hair starting to sprout. But as I first commented, there were young gals and guys and older guys and gals who rode together in various groups and all had a great time with the common denominator being the love of the trails and the joy of pedaling a bicycle off road. The gray hairs and the young set together enjoying one of life’s pleasures as a team in the woods. I saw a lot of groups where some of the participants looked to be the age of other riders parents or even grandparents. It was a testament to inclusion. It just goes to show you that if you continue to exercise and enjoy sports or activities, you can stay in good shape, and meet a lot of people both young and old. The old guys live vicariously through the exploits of the fast guys and the younger set marvels at the shape and conditioning of some of the older riders. We learn from each other. The younger new riders benefit from the experience of the older folks and us older folks are brought up to speed on the cultural changes of todays society by riding with the young guns. A truly wonderful dynamic and all meet at the melting pot of the post ride meal.

Mountain biking is fun and it is a strenuous activity that keeps you in good shape. There are a lot of folks my age who have thrown in the towel. They come home, put on the boob tube, eat and go to bed. But the PORC crew kind of espouses what Jimmy Buffet says when he sings,” I’d rather die while I am living than live when I’m dead.” If you are older, don’t give up the ship. Be the Oliver Hazard Perry of life and rage against age and complacency like Oliver did against a much stronger and powerful British Navy. Riding or skiing with younger folks keeps you in the game. Riding with your peers acknowledges the fact that mutually you are still in the game. Take a tip from the PORC crew and enjoy the trails, the leaves, and all that the great outdoors has to offer. Thanks for reading.

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How to torture your relatives.

Saltlick-20130109-00082IMG00242-20100809-1556IMG00243-20100809-1600photo My father had a great saying whenever I returned from one of my adventures. I told him about the event, the adverse weather, the rain, the snow, the cold winds, whatever. My dad said, ” Kind of sounds to me like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer. It feels so good when you stop.” He was right in a way. For some strange reason, I like foul weather. I have all the Gore Tex gear. I was always fascinated with weather and for reasons that I can’t really put a finger on, I always did better in events when the weather and the conditions went to hell. Snowstorms in the Month of Mud Mountain Bike Races, torrential rains in NORBA events, wicked cold weather and snowstorms on ski trips. I liked it when the weather was a factor. Even today, I try not to let weather ruin my fun. I put on the foul weather gear and go for it. Around here, if you don’t ski or run or ride in the rain, you don’t get much activity. Even when you go away, you run the risk of bad weather in any season and I always try to prepare for it and enjoy it in a quirky way.
Now that attitude does not necessarily apply to my family. Take my sister for instance. She is game, but I have tortured her in many ways on many different trips. We stood at the top of the Cirque at Snowbird in a raging snowstorm and our friend Mike Smith took a header down the slope and didn’t stop till he hit the bottom of the run. I looked at Molly and said,” You’re next.” She also gave me the deer in the headlights look when she started to see the snow slide on High Rustler at Alta after a harrowing trip accross the High Traverse. I made her ski on bullet proof ice at Killington,VT, then drive 5 hours to Sugarloaf, Maine to ski on ice balls the size of baby heads. It’s not that I am a tough guy or anything like that. It is just that I like to ski and will do whatever it takes to slide on snow. My sister likes it too but not to that degree. But she was a trooper in all that adversity. One year I took Molly and her husband Ray on a charity bicycle event which seemed tame enough except when we were about 5 miles into the event, the heavens opened up. They were soaked and hadn’t ridden a bicycle very much. As they were sopping wet, they faced a daunting hill and Ray quipped,” Looks like a walker to me, Molly.” I felt badly as they pushed their bikes up the hill while I tried to lift their spirits telling them that the rest stop was not far away. Yes- I tortured Molly and then her husband had the good fortune of being tortured by the jagoff brother in law. Again, not that I am vindictive or tough, or anything like that. I just try to make the best of adverse situations. Sometimes my positive attitude gets me a “Go suck an egg, Pat.” But eventually after the day is over, the furor dies down to a few laughs and good memories of athletic and meteorological torture.

You have seen the picture before of my wife skiing in the freezing rain. I have also had her and my son out in raging snowstorms in places like Eldora, Colorado. They try to smile and embrace my zeal. But oftentimes it generally breaks down eventually and a trip to a fire and a hot drink is in order. I have taken my wife on 4 hour hikes here in the Laurel Highlands to see a scenic overlook between Rt. 653 and Seven Springs Resort. She also was subject to a 6 hour hike in Nevada with the master of athletic torture, Eric Durfee, only to be comforted by Eric’s wife Helen and the teenage comments of my son Jack who endured the hike as well. But the views of Lake Tahoe and Reno were spectacular. Those views were a little lost on them at the time, but the pictures that are on our coffee table remind them that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you strong. They laugh but they think, ” What a putz.” Unfortunately I put the icing on the cake two weeks ago when Janet and I went hiking on our local trails and she fell on a rock and broke her elbow. I am not mentioning that the leaves will be changing soon and the hiking will be spectacular when she heals. I also am not mentioning that it is not far from ski season around here. I might leave that one alone while the poor soul is still in a sling. You see with not much effort and a lot of positive energy, you can torture your family on outings to the point where they question whether they will ever go anywhere with you again.

Maybe I do hit myself in the head with a hammer? Maybe I torture my family. But even my cynical teenager says, ” Dad- I know your heart is in the right place.” He will be off to college next year and I will be limited with potential torturous outings with him. However, my lovely wife will always have the opportunity to participate in “fun outings” only if she wants to do it. Sometimes I have pushed her and she responds in a positive way and has a good time in the great outdoors. But I will be discerning in the future. But, then again, our good friend Debbie Sagan says,” Hey Pat, we are active people. Things happen.” She just got over some broken elbow issues herself and is back on the trails running with her pal Mary Jo Neff. Deb fell and got hurt on her bike a few years ago and now competes in and wins triathlons. Torture is a state of mind. You either embrace adversity and grab the experience for all it is worth or you punt. Nothing wrong with punting, but you might just miss a good time in the rain, snow, or heat. One thing I know, my sister, my son, and my wife will always have memories of the crazy outings that they have participated in with the 58 year old kid. They did real well. They just don’t want to know details of the amazing adventures I have had in really crummy weather. “Hey- my head feels good now?” Thanks for reading.

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Dogs Like Me- I taste like chicken!!!

220px-Rj_boxer220px-European_Dobermann Now before I begin this rant,I will make all of my disclaimers on man’s best friend. People love their dogs, there are a lot of loving dogs, there certainly are loyal dogs especially when you look at law enforcement and see the love between master and best friend. My experience with the visually impaired has taught me the value of guide dogs. Dogs are great…………for most people…….except people like me. Don’t get mad at me. Don’t berate me. It is just that dogs in general do not like me. I thought they did until I began to realize that they really didn’t and could sense my fear and trepidation. Now you ask,” Pat- you are the outdoors guy?” “How can you not have a dog out in the woods with you while you ride, hike or snowshoe?” Seems likely that I would have a dog -right? Well let me tell you why I do not have one and it is not anything against dogs or dog owners. Ok Dave?
Years ago, I used to sneak through my neighbor’s back yard waiting to hear the panting, hot breath of Buster the boxer as I came in from the old neighborhood. If I could get the jump on him, I could stay ahead of him until I yelled for my mom at the top of my lungs,” Mom!!!!!- Open the door!!!!” My mom would open the screen door and I would dive into the kitchen and Buster would bang his head on the screen and bark until my mom told him to get lost. This was a ritual every day and the neighbors would understand but didn’t pay too much mind to control Buster until the day that a car controlled him out in front of our house on Siebert Road. Too bad for Buster but a sense of relief for the rattled kid.

Fast forward to my road riding days. I had two routes that had canine adversaries on the way. One was a rather large St. Bernard on the road to Brush Creek Park. It was a farm dog and for some strange reason, it liked to rush into the street and chase bicycle riders. It would not bite but delighted in trying to bump you off of your bike with it’s bulbous, monstrous head. This was un-nerving because a crash on a road bike is not fun especially when you are knocked sideways by a beast of a dog who was bred to rescue people? On another route, the Freedom Road route there was a very savage Doberman Pinscher. This canine predator was also a farm dog and was pretty intelligent as well as vicious. This is where I thought I tasted like chicken because he always went for my legs. The tactic for me and also told to my friends, was to charge the downhill before the farm and get a good start up the hill because the Doberman would try to head you off at the pass. I can remember time after time racing down the hill, looking for him to my left, seeing him, sprinting up a rather steep hill to try to outrun the animal. Every time it seemed he tried to cut us off higher and higher as he was getting the idea that we slowed down at the top of the hill. I had a few close encounters with him as I barely escaped his open jaws and menacing teeth. Another menacing Rottweiler always came charging at us out of a graveyard up near Mars,Pa. I often thought it was Satan coming to get us as I checked my head for the number “666.” Always got the jump on us out of the tombstones. Very eerie.

A few years ago, I was running on the local golf course when a Rottweiler came charging after me as I saw his owner in the distance. They had been walking on the course and when the dog saw me he bolted in a dead run towards the 58 year old kid. He jumped up on me as his owner was yelling. I was startled and kept saying,” Now nice dog. Lets go to your dimwitted owner and see if he can get you off of me?” He kept jumping up and barking until I got within 5 feet of his owner and then he turned and bit me on the arm. Fortunately it was winter and even though he broke skin on my arm, he had to bite through some clothing. The owner wrestled him down and when I asked about his tags, he said they are all up to date. He gave me a very muffled “Sorry man” and then took off with his beast into the distance. My wife was appalled that I didn’t get his name but I figured I was ok and proceeded to treat my wounds with peroxide and hit the shower.

When I go to a party, it is amazing how the dogs of the house sniff my crotch. WTH? Why is it always me when there are perhaps 20-50 people at a party? My wife says the dogs can sense fear and they sure can sense it in me. I go mountain biking with my friends and when we come up on some hikers walking their dogs, they always go after me. My friends all get a kick out of it and they feel safe because they know they can ride on because the dog will always go for Pat. See, I must taste like chicken. So when my wife says that we should have had a dog for my son Jack, I always state that it was a pre-nuptual agreement not to have a dog. I know that boys like dogs but I am sure that I would have been the one feeding the dog, walking the dog, and picking up the discarded cigars after the dog. Yes, my wife would have done it, my son would have done it for a while, but I would have had my fair share of droppings retrieval and walking a beast who probably would have growled at me daily in my own house.

So if you see me some time and I sheepishly reach out to pet your dog and say the obligatory,” Hi there- nice doggie, hahahahahahah.” You will know that I am nervous as hell and that maybe you should pity me and keep your dog in the garage or something. Sorry all you Facebook dog people. Nothing against dogs. They are great for most people. But when you taste good to them, you are living a life with one eye open all the time. Thanks for understanding and thanks for reading as always. “Hey mom-open the doooooooooooor” Boom!!!!!

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Take back the night!!

photoNiteRider2McCandless-20130303-00102 “Oh its a long long way, from May to December. But the days grow short…..when you reach September.” ” When the autumn weather…..turns the leaves to flame. One hasn’t got time …..for the waiting game.” This Kurt Weil lyric rings in my head as this time of year rolls along. Tonight I brought out the lights for my mountain bike and used them to finish the ride. In not too long a time, we will need the lights for the entire ride but for now, it is rather enjoyable to ride in the evening with just a jersey and shorts.

A few posts ago, I spoke about riding at night in the 24 Hours of Canaan. This 24 hour team mountain bike relay has become an extremely popular competition since Laird Knight first started Granny Gear Productions in Davis, West Virginia over 20 years ago. For those of you who remember, the bowels of West Virginia can become pretty desolate at 4 o’clock in the morning. As the race progresses, the field spreads out and oftentimes you are riding by yourself and hearing and seeing things in the woods. I remember coming up on the section called the “Moon Rocks” and seeing a marshall who was decked out in a long poncho with a staff by his side. He looked just like the Grim Reaper as I rode by his campsite and fire. He didn’t say anything to me and it seemed a bit spooky as I rode up on to the rocks and continued a night lap in Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia. I had similar experiences in the 24 Hour races at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in the Champion Challenge. Backwoods Westmoreland County can be pretty remote as well as the race spreads out and those familiar trails can become challenging and unfamiliar with only the bright beam of the light to guide your way. You are pedaling along following your beam and all of a sudden someone comes up behind you and freaks you out. I suppose I did the same thing to others as I came up on them. But being the guilt ridden hell guy that I am, I always gave them polite notice and slipped by them in a most proper way. ” On your left, thank you, have a nice ride.”

Competition using your lights was a lot of fun and the adrenaline rush of a race together with dark woods and single beams of light became the hallmark of very enjoyable and challenging race experiences in the mountains of West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. But the most fun riding with lights is just what I did tonight. Riding with friends on trails that look totally different at night illuminated by a single beam of light. I have always been a proponent of riding with a light mounted on my handlebars but a lot of guys use a helmet mounted light as well. Personal preference, I suppose, but the dual beams seem to be more efficient. I can remember first riding with lights in 1987 at our local park where I still ride today. If you refer to my post on North Park, you will be reminded that we have 42 miles of trails in a park that is 10 minutes from my house. But these trails at night look different and it is always a new challenge riding them with the lights. In 1987, we were persona non grata with the County Police and the horse riders. I can remember hiding with the lights turned off while we were chastised on the bull horns coming from the police cars and thinking to myself,” Hey- just go get a coffee and another jelly donut and leave us alone.” The horse people were polite for the most part but I did get into some conversations with some of them about how these were horse trails and not to be used by bikes. I politely responded that I pay my taxes too and the conversations went south after that. Today, it is a whole different story with lots of folks riding mountain bikes on the trails and in the fall and winter, you can see streams of riders with their lights illuminating the trails in a chain of lights that seem miles long.

In the picture above you can see two guys. John Staab is my friend who you might recognize from my post on snowshoeing. John is a fun guy who loves to be outdoors and on his mountain bike. Last year was the first year that he rode at night and he became an instant expert on Chinese lights that you can order from Amazon. He is a real fan of night riding and has marveled at how it has extended his riding season. He even said to me tonight that he likes riding at night even more than he likes riding in the day. Amazing!! The other guy is none other than the Lord of Lumens himself…Bob Bannon. Robanco@verizon.net. If you ever want expert advice on riding in the winter with lights, Bob is your man. He knows all about lights, lumens, batteries, and can fix almost any lighting system. Besides that, he leads rides all over our region all year long. No matter what the weather is brewing. Bob is the smiling gent with the chin warmer.

The night is another world. You are riding behind a beam of light and you hear all kinds of wildlife that you can’t see. Sometimes you see eyes and you wonder what is looking at you. I have turned corners and looked straight into the face of a rather large buck. When it is real cold and you are by yourself on the trail at night, you start to hear and see things. It can be a little un-nerving but exciting at the same time. Remember, I was in two horror films- right? But other nights that are drenched in moonlight can be some of the most memorable riding nights that you can have. The night air smells different, the trails look different, and the comraderie of riding with a group or the peace of riding by yourself in the moonlight or the solitary beam of your own light is a great experience. Why let the summer fun end? Get some lights and take back the night!!! Thanks for reading.