Winter

Another winter storm rages outside this morning. No precip this time, just high wind advisory...I hope it's a tailwind.

I had my first piece of equipment failure that could have been catastrophic, but fortunately I found the problem before it was a problem.

As you can see in the picture, that is a crack in the clamp on the stem. I'm not sure how that happened, but it did. I sent Thomson an e-mail with the picture attached, and they said to send them the clamp, and they will send me a new one. Easy!

Training is coming along well. I have been fortunate enough to get my riding in. Getting snow and ice, instead of rain has made that possible. I'm in a stage of training that I really enjoy. Lot's of pushing big gears and climbing hills, and some tempo. It hurts, but if it doesn't kill me it'll make me faster!

We have less than 6 weeks to go until spring. I have been enjoying the snowy, wintry weather, but I am looking forward to feeling the sun warming my skin.

This post represents my life right now. Not a lot going on.

Last night was nice, I got home and it was light outside until 6:15pm. I stayed outside and worked around the yard. I'm really looking forward to some long bike rides again. And looking forward to some races with friends! I missed out on Snake Creek Gap TT this year, but at this point, I'm not bummed as much. The first 2 races were extremely cold and I have heard several stories of numbness, frostbite and the early stages of hypothermia. I'll pass!

I'm working on bringing some movies to town to benefit World Bicycle Relief. Stay tuned!!

Have a great day.

Chains

After getting stuck in Bent Creek in 4 inches of snow a couple of weeks ago, combined with getting stranded on the Interstate behind giant tractor trailers, in a snowstorm a couple of months ago. I decided to buy some insurance that would help prevent similar situations in the future. The funny thing is that we might never have to use this insurance, now that we have it. But I guess that is how it goes.
I purchased snow chains for our vehicles. We had chains for our cars when we live in Colorado and since we only had two wheel drive vehicles, they were a huge asset.
Saturday was the day to test them out on the truck. We headed out to Bent Creek and up Bent Creek Gap road, until the road went up and we started to lose traction. The snow was about 8 inches deep and there were ruts of compacted snow/slush/mud; a perfect testing ground.
I got out and put the chains on, which took about 5 minutes. As we started moving forward again we were excited to find that we actually had traction...until we came to a sharp right turn that was heavily cambered, to accommodate water run off. The tires spun and the rear of the truck started to slip towards the edge of the drop off. I backed up and tried again a couple of times to no avail.
We backed down the road, defeated, until we found a turn around spot. Not wanting to give up, we looked around for dead weight that we could put in the back. I was figuring that that is why we had failed. After finding a small stack of water soaked pine logs, and throwing them in, we headed back up.
We got to the same spot, and slipped again, although not as much as before. I backed up and took a little bit wider turn, giving the chains some bite outside of the ruts and we eased through the turn! Success. We continue up the road another mile. Up into the trees that were still covered with ice. It was a different quiet world up there.
Confident that we could keep going and make it to the top, I opted to turn around and head back down. I had had my fun, and now it was time to have kid fun.

We headed back down the hill to the creek, where we proceed to throw snowballs at each other, into puddles and into the creek until it was time to head out!

Rear wheel drive in the snow? Not ideal but definitely possible:



The reason it is possible: ( the chains and the co-pilot)


Hopefully, we will have a couple more whopping snow storms and I will get to put my insurance to good use before the warmth of spring returns!!

Have a great day!!!

Ice

Another winter storm is in full affect for Western NC. I'm having a blast with this weather. It's something new and different and we have to adapt to the weather. The weather is not going to adapt to us. You can quote me on that if you want to.

Fortunately for me this is a rest week and I only need minimal riding. I got in a good work ride yesterday. It was one of those days that felt kind of odd, and the things that I saw confirmed that.

On the way to work, riding along the Parkway, I saw this creature:
This thing was about 4 feet tall, looking towards the northbound lane of the interstate. If it had been dark , I would have been startled! Pretty cool.

This next picture is not odd in and of itself, but it is an example of the lighting that was present all day long. It never really got light, just different shades of dim:


On one of my routes, I pass Asheville Christian Academy. Everyday, some kid volunteer (or are predestined.....) to put up the American flag. This morning I had to do a double take:
Had the school been taken over and renamed the Anarchy Christian Academy? I don't know, but the flag is definitely upside down. There were two kids putting up the flag. When they realized their mistake, they tried to lower the flag; one lowering and one catching, but it was too big for the one little boy to catch.

I thought about going down to help, but was far enough away, that I figured with all of the adults, walking/driving by, someone would stop to help and my help would not be needed by the time I got there. Sadly, the adults who passed within 10-20 feet did not even bother to help.

Suddenly, the catcher, took off running towards the building. He had run off, deserted his buddy holding the ropes. Left him to take the heat. 30 seconds later, the door of the building where the catcher had run, burst open. Now, 6 little kids came running out of the building, full tilt towards the flag pole. I waited for a trumpet to blow or someone to yell "Charge" but it never happened.

It was cool to see these kids so dedicated, figuring out what to do and doing something about it. It was not cool to see the adults walking and driving by, either oblivious or ignoring the opportunity to lend a hand. Go ahead, take the time today to lend a hand.

I made it to work safely, did my thing and then it was time to go home. ( 8 hrs later).

I suited up and made my way out the door. 3 miles into my ride, it started to sleet and I rode in "wintry mix" all the way home, which was fine with me.

And to top off the weird things I saw today? Ducks, crossing the road. I have never seen ducks crossing the road on my ride, but here they were, in the middle of a snow storm, crossing the road....

So, I made it home as the winter storm began to rage. This morning the temps are hovering right around freezing. I woke up to hear 2 inches of slushy snow being washed off the metal roof by some heavy rain. I'm not sure what today holds!!!

Have a great day.

Wind

These are some guys who inspired me to go faster, to fly higher, to reach farther; Elvis, Patun, Tonky. Some inspiration from my past, and now they inspire me again:




Have a great day!

LOST

I fell into it, I let myself get sucked in. I was fooled and lied to. I was told that it was awesome and wonderful. That it would rock my world, and I would never see things the same.....etc.

No, not drugs and prostitution, LOST, the TV show. But somehow I still feel dirty.

So, we started the series late and watched the first season on DVD, without commercials.

We watched as they crashed on the island, how they bonded and fought. They stuck together, split up and got together again, only to split up again.

They wandered around, shot things, people animals. They ran from things, people and animals.

They went home, then they went back.

I'm even too confused to give a decent description of what is going on.

Up until last night's show, I was hopeful that the series would end rather well. After last night's show, I am not at all impressed. The writers had a two hour block in which they could give us some direction, some glimpse of what to come. What happened instead? People died.

I posted that on some one's Facebook page yesterday, just joking of course, that they all die.

And you know what? I think I am right. As a writer, when you get stumped, and you cannot figure out a suitable story line for a person....the only logical out is death.

So, my prediction is that the main characters will all die..... oh wait, they already have. But that's ok, its the island ( not " My island" like in Braveheart, which was time better spent) but the supposed magical island. The island where the lame can walk, and the dead are not dead, and the lovers can make babies.

Some people call it brilliant, I call it desperate.

I will continue watching it, but my hopes are not high for a solid ending.

At least it does not interfere with my training schedule.

Have a LOST day!

Hike

Saturday, I was scheduled to go for a 4 hr ride. That would be the longest this year so far, and I was really looking forward to it. But, with the approximate 1 foot of snow that fell and accumulated, I knew that I was not going to get that much time on the bike. Maybe an hour on the rollers which I would be thankful for, but I really wanted to get outside.

I decided to go for a hike. There is a route that leads to the Mtns to Sea trail which leads past Starbucks. I have always wanted to hike this but did not know how far it was or how long it would take. Today seemed to be the day to find out.

I filled my pack with water, food, an extra layer and set off. The roads were pretty dicey, but the walking was fine. About 10 yrs ago, I picked up a set of aluminum ski poles at a thrift store to use as hiking poles. This was when I was doing an up and back hike on Mt. Mitchell. The first hike using the hiking poles, I took 45 minutes off of my total time, on the 12 mile trail.

As I hit the grade to the Mtn to Sea Trail, (MST) I was hoping to be the first one out. But soon enough I saw a fresh set of footprints in the snow. It was nice because now the trail was broken and I was able to walk faster.

It was quiet out there. No cars, birds or squirrels. Just the steady crunch of snow under my boots. It was peaceful. The skies were filled with grey clouds, which let loose an occasional flurry of sleet or snow. There was a stiff wind blowing, but where I was down in the valley, it softened into a slight breeze.

As much as I would have rather been riding my bike, I was thankful I had this option, so close to my house, and did not have to drive anywhere.

After about 1.5 hrs of walking, I found myself at the Starbucks parking lot. I had brought a thermos with me so I could bring some hot Chai home to Rhonda. Unfortunately, they were closed. The Harris Teeter was open though so I stopped in. The deli had some pre-made Brie and Ham sandwiches that look to good to pass up. The cashier and store staff looked at me oddly as I made my way around the store, decked out in hiking gear. I went outside and sat on the sidewalk to eat before making my way home. Kona Kola nuun paired with ham and Brie sandwich was perfect.

Satisfied, I made my way back home. I got in 3.5 hrs of hiking and my legs were heavy and tired. It was good to be so tired, and I hoped that this trip had only made me stronger. It was definitely fun.

Have a great day!

Adventure

Friday after training, I headed over to Bent Creek to get a ride in before the snow hit. I got to the parking lot and could see snow flurries higher up on the ridges. Excited about a ride with snow falling, I got changed, and hit the road. It was cold, but I was dressed perfectly..for now. I took my time warming up on the gravel road before hitting the first single track. Again, staying away from the lower trails that don't dry out very quickly. Soon enough, the red clay that is Ingles Field showed around the bend.

This is about 20 minutes into the ride:
I rode on up Ingles Field, thinking that a couple of Dirty Thursdays will have this trail draining and drying really well. I also realized that, now that I was riding solo, and slower, I had pushed too hard on Thursday's ride...and I was feeling it today.

On up Ingles Field to Five Points, then up the double track towards Greens Lick. The view of Candler/Asheville and the mountains beyond was impressive. Dark clouds above, snow falling and collecting on the ground.

45 minutes into the ride:
I got on Greens Lick and headed down, it was frozen and sketchy so I took it slow, the slowest I have ever gone down this trail. It was in good shape except for one spot that needs to be drained. Once I finally made it down, forearms burning from braking, I considered Hickory Top, but decided to head down the road to Sidehill.

At this point, the snow was still coming down, and it would for the rest of the night and into the next day. I considered heading back to the truck and leaving, knowing that if much more snow accumulated, I would not be able to drive out of Bent Creek. 2-wheel drive F-150's don't climb well in the snow.

I made the decision to keep riding. I figured that if I got stuck, I could just ride my bike home. As I climbed Sidehill, I was again impressed at how well the Siren climbs. A friend has likened the 69er climbing ability to that of a mtn goat. I would agree. Up and around the contours of the trail and eventually down to Bent Creek Gap Rd.
1.5 hrs into the ride:

I took a left and knew that I should head to the truck. I also knew that I would not be getting a ride outside for a couple of days, and possibly more. So, I did what any sensible endurance racer would do....I kept riding.

Taking a right on South Ridge Road, the snow was starting to cake onto the bike. The brakes, drivetrain, tires and wheels were starting to be affected. The chain started to skip on the rear cassette, but I found that when I shifted several gears, back and forth, I could settle into the gear that I wanted.

On the road were a set of paw prints and two sets of footprints. It appeared that I was not the only one out here. I was feeling good but starting to think about heading home. My thighs would accumulate snow on the downhills, and they were stinging.

When I reached the Explore Loop connector, I heard voices. I finally caught the runners, and they were contemplating direction. I tried to tell them where to go and how to get back to their car, but it didn't work to well. The went on down the road, and I decided on the shortest route back to the parking lot. I road gingerly down to Explore and followed that past Pine Tree. The last bit of Explore, the techy rooty part to the lake, I ended up running with the bike. The snow was really caking on the bike and I had to stop every 20 step and bounce the bike to shake it off. The snow was sticking, caking to the bottoms of my shoes. I found roots to scrape them on as I ran. hmmm, cyclocross!

I had worn an old pair of gloves that were warm, but not at all waterproof. The snow had melted on them and my fingers were getting cold. Once I finally got to the road, and got back on the bike, I upped the pace to get warmed up again. I headed past the lake and out to the pavement, then back to Rice Pinnacle.
After 2.5 hrs of riding:
That was the fun part, but the excitement was about to start. I had already passed a couple in a pick up that had run off the road and smashed into a tree. The couple was not hurt, but could not get a tow truck to come out, apparently they were all busy.

I got changed and loaded up. I knew that I was going to get stuck on the last uphill going out of Bent Creek, there was now way my 2-wheel drive F-150 was going to make it up that without help. I knew that if I could get into the Arboretum I could get out the front gate and to the main road. I called the Arboretum Public Safety and he basically told me that they could not help me...

I got back in the truck and headed down into the valley, sealing my fate. There was a bout 2-3 inches of snow on the ground, and sure enough, as the road headed back up, I spun and slid. I tried, without any progress, to inch my way up, but it was not happening.... and it was not even the steepest part.

After about 15 minutes a guy on a bike rode by. He told me that he was parked at the top of the hill, and would give me a ride if I wanted one. I declined. I was not ready to abandon ship just yet. I sat on the road, with the heat on trying to decide what to do. Although it was an option, I did not want to ride my bike another 9 miles to get home. After about 30 minutes, an H-3 (Hummer) appeared in the driveway next to where I was sitting in my truck. I got out and the guy rolled down his window. He asked if I would like to be towed up the hill. I sheepishly told him yes, if it was not too much trouble. I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I hooked the chain under the truck. Less than ten minutes later, I was up the hill and heading home.

The roads were dicey, and the drivers dicier. As I headed towards the interstate, I got my momentum going and kept it up. I saw a car spinning and watched it stall on the side of the road. I got behind a slow car and was thankful that it was a downhill stretch. The car turned to get on the interstate, I followed. Once on the interstate, I was pleased to see that both lanes were plowed. I passed and was on my own for a while. 200yards ahead was a snow plow which I quickly caught. It was in the left lane, I passed on the right.

Another two cars in front of me, not going very fast. I got in the left lane and got some momentum. In a quarter mile the road when uphill. Going at this pace, there was no way we would get up the hill. I passed on the left without problem. I had good momentum and had to give it a little gas to get up the hill. I felt the rear slipping several times but had the momentum to get to the top. As I crested the hill, I look in the rear view mirror, to see one of the slower cars doing 360's and finally resting next to the guardrail...they lost momentum and used too much accelerator.

I figured that I would have to park about a mile from my house, on the outskirts of my neighborhood. I knew that the roads were not plowed yet, and I was right. But when I got there, a couple of vehicles had already gone through and I decided to try it. For some reason, I'm calling it a miracle, I got traction, slippery traction, but traction and made it all the way up the hill and home.

I backed into the drive way, unloaded, went inside and had some homemade soup.

Have a great day.