Change In The Air

After my weekend of windsurfing fun,  I was wiped out, lethargic.   I farted around getting stuff done and waiting for my body to recover. Feet bruised from the foot straps and just an all over good body soreness.   A little hour long ride brought me around though.  

I headed out to Bent Creek to spin around, nothing too hard, just a good solid medium paced loop.   I barely broke a sweat.  

It is that time of year when the air temps are changing, foliage color changes and brain patterns start to interrupt daily life.  Memories of days gone by and longing for the innocent childhood days creep in.   It is funny how memories tend to lose the negative and the mind longs for the positive.  I snap my mind back into focus, realizing and fully believing that I made the right choices.  I practice focusing on the positive and the now,  the good life that I have been blessed with,  the good choices (although not always easy) that I have made for myself and my family.  

I am "living the dream"  and am thankful for the life I live,  the friends I have, and my little mountain family.   

It is easy to slip into the old patterns of thought that tend to bring me down,  but just like anything,  consistent practice will bring about positive results!  

 

Hurricane Winds

And there it was,  the thing that was wreaking havoc across the East Coast of the US,  was the same thing that was keeping me up at night, excited about finally being able to windsurf in some strong winds.

I watched the forecast for 10 days (actually)  I look at the wind forecast daily, sometimes multiple time per day.  The forecast was for strong winds in WNC on Saturday and Sunday. Miraculously,  we had nothing planned, and the wife was not working.  I had both days free to roam. 

Saturday, the winds rolled in and I decided to stay in the area and see what Lake Julian would deliver.  It turned out to be a battle with strong gusts in the 30 mph range.  I watched several sailboats on the brink of capsizing as I scooted around the lake.  The winds picked up mid afternoon, but since I had been out there close to 5 hrs, I decided to head in and save some energy for Sunday.

Sunday morning, I headed down to Lake James.  I had been eyeballing the area at the mouth of the Linville river and was excited to give it a try.  Wind around 10-15 mph with 40 mph gust was going to make sail choice tricky. 

 As I rounded the bend and could see the water, I saw whitecaps all the way across the lake.  I rigged my 5.5 sail and headed out.  The air temps were warm and the water is still warm from the hot summer. 

I'm always excited and nervous when I head out in a new area, and I start off shaky.  It take an hour or so to get settled in and feeling comfortable.  The wind was blowing and I was flying.  I was overpowered though so I headed back in to re-rig the smaller 4.5 sail.  Perfect. 

I sailed back and forth for a couple of hours before the wind let up a little, then I headed in for some lunch.  I decided to drive around the lake to find a better access point with onshore winds.  The Linville river access where I was is good, but with side shore winds, if something happened, it would be a fight to get back to the beach area. 

No luck so I headed back to the same place. The wind had calmed down pretty good with no whitecaps to be seen so I took a chance and rigged the 6.5 square meter sail.

 It was on,  the wind started to pick up again, but now the gusts were long and wide.  Rather than the quick bursts that I had this morning, the wind started to fill in and I could rip back and forth across the lake several times before it let up. 

I was feeling comfortable and was getting used to the area.  Windsurfing on the edge of Pisgah National Forest under the shadow of the mountains that make  the Linville Gorge was new to me.  It made me feel really small, but thankful to be where I was. 

 Windsurfing is a passion,  it is in my blood.  When I was in college, land locked in the N Georgia Mountains,  before my internet access days,   I had no idea where to go to windsurf.  Whenever the wind blew, I would head to Mt Curahee to sit on the edge of the cliff and just feel the wind.  The movement stirs up good childhood memories for me.  Memories of being the underdog and having to find my own way, to figure things out and pursue a passion.   

I stayed out until my turns got sloppy and the wind picked up some more.  I thought about going in to rig a smaller sail, but decided to head in and call it a day.  I was tired and my heart was full. 

Fall

 I fell, on the first day of fall.  Just a little strawberry for me,  my front wheel and other components are pretty scratched up.   Got to close to a sidewalk, and back,  metal screeching and body thud....

 Got a nice load of poplar,  that stuff is great for fall and spring,  nice quick n bright burn.

AVLCX is in full swing.   This is a photo of the REEB ranch edition.  Fun times seeing friends.  That's Kevin Hessler down in the center of the pic.  Cool peeps doing cool things. 

The wind forecast looks great for this weekend... stay tuned for tales from the lumberviking windsurf safari.

Lake Search

Hermine winds reached into the Piedmont of SC and I had some free time, so I headed down to check out some lakes and possible windsurfing hidden gems. 

I had 3 lakes on the list to check out and with winds forecast to reach 30mph was excited to get on the water. 

I pulled up to Lake Robinson and was stoked to see that conditions were perfect.  Wide stretches of open lake water, small chop with some whitecaps.   I read all the signs and went to check in with the ranger.  He told me that paddle boards are not allowed on the lake.  I told him that this was not a paddle board, but classified as a sailing vessel.  He wasn't buying it, telling me that "they" were really picky about people being in the water, seeing as how it is a reservoir for the city of Greenville.  (odd because outboard motors are permitted on the lake). 

After a bit of friendly discussion, I asked who "they" were and could I call them to clarify the rule?  He said that would be his supervisor, and before we called, we should read through the hand book. 

We went to the office and started reading.  Then my fate was sealed as I read page 8 under section 5, Boating, rule number 4..... "There shall be no use of ........  and any wind surfing craft".  

So much for Lake Robinson.  And lake #2 on the list was run under the same rules.   The ranger was super nice and felt bad.  I asked him about Lake Saluda, he told me that is was a mud hole and to watch out for the shallows that were not marked. 

Desperate for a ride, I headed over to Lake Saluda.  I found the Lake Saluda Boat Ramp, the place was deserted.  It would be tricky getting out into the main channel where the wind was blowing, but I was game.   I paid the parking fee, rigged up and headed out onto the water. 

Once I got out there, it was on.  20mph wind with gusts up around 30mph, I was flying.   The lake is small, so it didn't take me long to cross, about the length of 3 soccer fields.   I sailed back and forth, getting a feel for the area.  After about 30 minutes,  I sailed a little too close to a log that was floating just under water, gently bobbing to the surface every now and then.  That spooked me a little bit.  I definitely did not want to wipe out in epic fashion, on a strange lake with no one else around to see it! 

I stayed out for about an hour total before packing it in. 

Lake Saluda lived up to the reviews and I won't be coming back unless there is nowhere else to go!  

But,  I did get to ride some great wind and I'm thankful for that experience!

Back Into a Rythym

 It is nice to be back into a rhythm.  Drop the kid off, get on the bike for a ride or pull on the shoes for a run.   Get some bikes fixed up, bills paid etc.  And in the vein of taking on too much,  I have accepted the position of asst coach for the Reynolds Middle Boys Soccer team.  The kid is on the team, and I am excited about learning from a coach who has been in the game for a while.  I'm not really adding too much too my plate, because I would be at all the games anyway.   We have a great group of kids this year. 

I finally got to ride again with my bud Kevin.  He is my connection to what is new in the cycling world, what works and what doesn't.  If you need new clothes, parts or a new bike,  go to Liberty Bikes and ask for him! 

My passion for windsurfing has been rekindled big time.  The problem is, in her absence, I found another love: cycling.  I still want to race my awesome Salsa El Mariachi though.   I think I'm going to be multi sport in the fall/winter and focus on racing in the late winter spring when I get ramped up for the Pisgah Stage Race.  That way, I can take advantage or fall hurricane season, when the winds blow strong and steady,  and not have to worry about missing a workout.  When the wind is blowing, windsurfing provides a complete body workout anyway!   

Sail Away

Back to School

The end of summer has come and today we head back to school.  I don't personally, go to school, but since we are pretty involved in helping out at school,  well.... back to school.

Growing up, I never liked school.  Maybe because by the time I went to college I had attended 7 different schools.   I never found a rhythm and was always behind.  I was terrible at math and got yelled at because I didn't understand simple math stuff. 

I learned to get by- by the hair of my chinny chin chin.  Just doing the minimum in order to pass.  That didn't always work.  I think that someone must have pulled some strings to keep me from repeating a grade here and there. 

I carried those habits through college.  I could not find purpose or passion in my classes and so D's and F's were common.   I did a lot of extra credit work to maintain my C average. 

Once I got into the brand new Outdoor/Experiential Ed program, I started to excel.  I got straigth A's in that class and finally had instructors who believed in me.  Having someone who believes in you makes a difference too!

Ocracoke Island

 Summer Vacation 2016.   Back in the dead cold of winter we decided to splurge this year and rent a house for an entire week.  We have never rented a vacation house for an entire week before, so the cost and commitment was a bit daunting at first. We made the reservation and then waited through a very busy spring and summer.

The day finally arrived and we rolled out for an uneventful 2 day drive.    The rest of the story is difficult to put into words.  So,  I'm just gonna say that this trip was good for the soul.  I was able to share some parallels between this island and Bonaire, with the family.  That was good.  Getting the 3 of us to Bonaire is pretty cost prohibitive, and I was glad to be able to share the vibe with them.

The loooong drive proved to be worth it.

Jockey's Ridge

Southern Point, Ocracoke

Low Tide

Sailing across the Pamlico Sound at low tide,  about 20inches deep!

Simply Beautiful

Appalachian Dream in her temporary berth.

Awesome Bakery Trailer

Awesome Tacos

This is the last working Fish House around,  fishermen sell seafood here and locals, tourists and restaurants buy them

Shane,  an example of the friendly locals, was always there and welcomed us with open arms

The long drive home: Full Hearts, Clear Eyes

Stolen Bikes

Well,  just before I left for the beach vacation, I got word that a bunch of bike club bikes were stolen.  Click the link below for details: http://tripsforkidswnc.com/news_updates/bikes-stolen/

Spread the word and help us get this bike club rolling!

What is Winning?

 I've been trying to figure out, for a long time, what drives me to compete?  How far do I want to push myself? How much of the non bike aspects of my life do I want to sacrifice to potentially win?  And the big one,  is winning worth said sacrifice?    These are not easy questions to answer.

I have learned over the years of training, that I don't like a strict routine.  I have to work my "training" into regular rides to keep it fun.  I do enjoy training, especially for endurance events, because that involves endurance rides.  Long rides are what attracted me to mountain biking in the first place. 

We watched a documentary on Netflix last night: The Great Alone, the story of Lance Mackey,  who one the Iditerod dog sled race 4 times in a row.   One thing he said at the end of the movie, after winning the race, overcoming cancer, working through his crap filled childhood: " If I win again, nothing will change". 

That statement struck a chord.   There are people out there racing for all kinds of different reasons.  I learned in the first couple of years of training and racing to find my own reasons.  But when it comes down to it,  if I happen to win,  nothing will change. 

This is specifically to the level that I am racing at though.  I 'm not seeking sponsorship product or dollars.  I'm not seeking fame or making a living off of my results.   If I were, I would approach racing from a much more serious, regimented standpoint. 

 I'm thankful for the position I am in though.  I don't have to feel pressured to train to win.  I enjoy training, I enjoy lining up against others, I enjoy turning myself inside out.  If I happen to get on the podium,   that is icing on the cake. (Although I prefer pecan pie)!  

Smoked chicken wangs are good to! 

Tired

I'm tired.   Worn out, spread thin, ragged.  But, it is summer time and I don't know how to do it differently.   I feel some pressure, because I normally have an 8 week window to get kids out into the woods.  This summer we have an extra 2 weeks.  So, naturally, I took advantage of that time and booked extra rides.  

It turns out that those 2 extra weeks are difficult.  And now I'm running on fumes.  

I remember working at residential camps when I was younger.  The first 6 weeks would be great,  weeks 7 and 8 a person starts slowing down and then the last 2 weeks was so hard.  Mentally and physically. 

I think the mental effort and fatigue contributes a lot to the overall fatigue.  It is amazing how much brain power is consumed, making sure the whole group has what they need and is safe. 

I have somewhat of a morning off so I might go for  a little trail run,  gotta dig up some motivation.

Don't mean to complain here, but this is my life, and sometimes I get a little ragged. 

Mebbe next year I limit the ride program to 8 weeks and spend a little time relaxing.   But then I feel guilty for not working.....  The wife says I work hard and a lot. 

And that leads to another issue.    I have this little voice in the back of my head that is seemingly constantly telling me that I should be working instead of playing.  That voice that was ingrained from childhood,  the one that tells me that there is always something I am doing wrong.    I work hard to shut that voice up......  

Here's to the dog days of summer!!! The finish line is in sight along with some family vacation time (well earned according to the wife)!   I cannot wait to put my toes in the water and my butt in the sand!!

Jerdon Mtn/ORAMM

 Jerdon Mtn and ORAMM weekend is complete.  I have been involved in this race for 10 years now.  ORAAM was my second endurance race, after surviving Cowbell Challenge in Charlotte while is was still at the Whitewater Center. 

I raced the past 2 years and made my peace with the event.   This year I was back in my support role, recruiting a fine group of folks to help me at rest stop #2 both days.  People asked me if I miss racing.  There is not a simple answer to that.  But, yes, I miss racing, I just don't miss the suffering that goes with the racing in this heat.   It was  a "cooler" year, but still hot! 

I had awesome people around me this weekend, with absolutely no negativity, no power struggles, just a bunch of good ideas making rest stop 2, #1!! 

Will I race this again?  Mebbe.

It is always cool when someone who reads this blog comes up and introduces themselves.  Sometimes I'm so surprised that people still check in here, that I'm not really sure what to say and end up not saying much at all.  For the record, I love meeting people and learning what type of life you lead!  

 Thanks to all the awesome folks who were out there this weekend getting it done!  See you at the next one

Summer Heat

 Summer has been super busy, hot and fun.  The heat is killing me.  Saps my energy.  Once I get done with a ride, and get bikes rearranged for the next group,  I'm so worn out.   The mental strain of keeping up with a dozen kids on bikes in the woods is hard to describe, but equally draining.   But,  I would not trade it for anything!  I love what I do and love the kids who I work with.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be in this position! 

 I got a visit for Mike K last weekend.  He pulled me out on a road ride and bought me coffee.  I took him on a tour of the Swannanoa River Valley,  stopping at Dynamite Roasting for some joe and a scone.  It is always great to see Mike and ride with him.  He hosts a Warmshower location if you ever need a place to rest your head in Shelby, NC!

Another day at the lake was in order.   Soaking in the water,  trying not to get burned etc.  Fun times with the fam!  I'm glad to be able to get the kid around water more this summer.  He is loving it too. The water (Caribbean ) was such a part of my childhood, and I'm glad to be able to share that with him.  Strong swimming skills is a good life skill to have as well.
 

Summer is Funner

 Running my self ragged and having a fun time doing it. 

We have had some pretty great times on the lake this year.  I'm so thankful to get the kid on and in the water more often this summer.   Learning how to swim and be comfortable around water is such an important life skill. It has been so hot lately that the kid is loving it too.  

 The Trips For Kids WNC ride program is going amazingly well.  Weekly trips are going great and our schedule is booked with some groups on a waiting list.  If you want to help us keep the program rolling and getting kids on bikes in the woods, please consider donating here : Donate Now!

 A friend gave me some old windsurf equipment and it turned out to be perfect for teaching the kid.   I did have to order a tiny sail for him.   He has gotten out on the water a couple of time and now we are waiting for a windier day. 

I finally found time to replace the old gate/fence at the entrance to our house.  The chicken coop on the left is next, and then the fencing project will be complete. 

 It is a big, beefy, ranch style fence.  The gate opening is 2 feet wider than the old one, which will make it a lot easier to back trailers into the back yard. 

And ,  I cut down 2 of the neighbor's trees.  These Bradford Pears had been obliterated by recent storms, and they need the remains cut down.  With some wedges and rope work, they fell exactly where I wanted them too.  

New Mini Van

 We started having some issues with the Ford Deathstar that we have had for close to 8 years.  Nothing major, but enough to wonder if it would last through family vacation at the end of the summer.  And I definitely didn't feel comfortable sending the wife on a road trip to visit her parents.  We have been saving for a couple of years now, once I realized that in order to get something nice, that will last.

Neither of us have ever purchased from a dealership and after hearing the horror stories of old,  I was a bit nervous.  After researching and deciding on  a Dodge Grand Caravan,  we did some "window shopping" at some local dealerships before finally driving one.  We were pretty sure that this would be the type of van for us, until that test drive.  Then I wasn't so sure.

I called our mechanic and chatted,  got some recommendations.  Frankly,  I was tired of the search and research and we had enough saved for a large down payment.  (My goal was to pay the full amount, but it didn't look like that was feasible).  We have never had car payments either,  new territory.

I started looking at Toyota Siennas.  Mike and a bunch of other friends have them and they are still rolling with over 200K miles.  I found one online Friday night at Jim Barkley Toyota in Asheville, ( highly recommend them).  I sent an e-mail reserving it for a test drive and drove it at 9am on Saturday.  2 miles into the drive, I called the wife.  "We don't want a Dodge Caravan,  we want this Toyota Sienna".   So many packages and options,  this van had what we needed and wanted.  Rear folding seats, rear AC/Heat control, and middle row roll down windows.  And it is the sport model so it looks really cool.  I like that. 

We sat down to make a deal and it was going so smoothly, and I was so ready to be done that I failed at negotiating.  But considering the price had recently been dropped, and I felt like it was  a fair deal, I rolled with it and drove it home on Monday.  

Adventure van is ready to adventure!

In other news, I have not gone on a ride in 1.5 weeks.  With the kid out of school and me getting ready for summer ride programs, things are crazy.  So when a neighbor called and offered to keep the kid for the day,  I jumped at the opportunity! 

So hot, but so nice.

Takin a Break

 I've taken some time off the bike for a couple of weeks.  It is too stressful and nearly impossible to ride this time of year.  With Rhonda's weird schedule, the kid out of school etc.  So,  I don't try any more.  Instead, I spend time doing things that I have not had the time for.

Things like scrubbing the hull of the sailboat..... and going windsurfing.

 While spending 6 yrs in the Caribbean,  I picked up the sport of windsurfing.  This was my go to, my get away.  I would get a ride out to Sorobon, one of the windsurfing meccas of the world and stay out there all day,  jumping waves, and chasing sunbeams.  When I move to Charlotte I held onto the sport, but then moved to NE GA,  for college and it was not practical to keep chasing wind anymore.

Fast forward 19 yrs later, and I'm once again riding the wind.

That first day back on the water early this fall was simply amazing.  It was like reuniting with a child hood friend.  A friend who had taken me under her wind and guided me those day,  had helped me escape the life that had been chosen for me.  The friend who helped me see that I could be good at something,  helped me see outside of the boundaries that had been laid around me.

As exhilarating as that first day back on the water was though,  the experience woke up a lot of sleeping emotions that I had no clue were still there.  Once again, my old friend was helping me work through life! 

The wind is a quite different up here in the mountains than the trade winds in the Caribbean,  lots of gust and swirls,  but, I'm thankful that I can get back out on the water.  

I promised the kid that we would learn how to fish this summer.  He wants to catch bass.  I have only a slight clue how to catch bass.  We went to Dick's Sporting Goods, got some advice, bought some supplies and went fishing.  We have gone out  a couple of times over the past week with no luck.  Finally over the weekend, the kid caught a nice sized one!

I'm not that great at fishin',  but maybe the kid has hope!

Another Amazing Weekend

Selfie at 60mph is difficult

 One year ago, we bought tickets to Navitat for the kid's birthday.  We weighed him at his doc's visit a couple weeks before to make sure he met the  70lb min.   We excitedly drove out to the site, checked in and got weighed.  According the Navitat's scale, he was 64 lbs.   I accepted the lame dad of the day award and the kid cried.  We were all very frustrated.  Navitat was kind enough to refund 2 tickets and give us a voucher for the 3rd. 

Winter rolled around and we monitored the kid's weight.  He is growing and active but had not gotten much over 70.  I bought 2 more tickets on with a groupon type deal.  We weighed the kid at the dentist, at home and at school.   His weight was just under 75, subtracting 4 lbs according to the Navitat scales, he should just make it. 

We decided not to push the reservation back but go for it.  We arrived again, checked in, got weighed....  he was right at 70lb.  Good to go. 

The experience for me was.... meh.  The wife and kid had a blast.  I was having  a little bit of stomach gurgling, and had to constantly focus on relaxing so it didn't turn into an emergency "run" in the woods.  Might have been more fun if I didn't have to deal with that.  I don't do well in situations where I am not "free to move around".   I would recommend it though,  I just don't plan on paying the money to do it again.  But, the family wants to....

Sunday, the Fletcher Flyer loomed.   It was 2 weeks since P111K, and I had ridden my bike 2 times since.  What was I thinking?  I dusted off the single speed and got out to Oskar Blues for the start.   There was a good chance of rain and thunderstorms so that was exciting.  

They started the ride a little early and the leaders rolled by as I was getting ready.  I saddled up and almost caught the lead group before settling into  a good cadence.  

I was geared at 46x16,  a pretty spinny gear, but one that I could manage.  This was the first time I had tried this gearing,  last year's 46x17 was not quite enough.   I found that I was rolling on average around 20-22mph.  If I kept that average, I would wind up close to 5 hrs for the century.  I have never broken the 6 hr mark, and 6:10 was my fastest time a couple of years ago.  I held a steady pace, riding with several different groups and enjoying the scenery.   

The last 15-20 miles was the most difficult.  It was warm, around 80 and probably about 90% humidity.  My body just wasn't cooling off.  I force myself to keep drinking and ate another gel. 

I was thrilled to cross the finish at 5h34 mins!  PR by 31 minutes!   I'm not sure how or why, since I only rode 2x in the past 2 weeks.  The only thing I can figure is my legs were super rested... something to consider for the future!  

Fast Forward

 This week has flown by.  Memorial Day I spend with the kid.  I always know he had a great time because he won't stop talking from the time we are done with whatever activity, until bed time!   This was one of those times!  I think I'm going to name the boat "Zippy".  It is a little 12 foot fiberglass motor boat, but with the 20hp motor on it, that thing "zips" along.  We were the smallest craft on the lake too! 

 We started saving for new appliances last summer.  Just setting aside a little every paycheck.   I'm not sure why it took us so long to learn to save and plan ahead, maybe it is due to the fact that the wife and I both have steady income and we have some extra to save (so we can spend?)  It feels good to exercise the discipline though, and  save up $1000 to buy some nice appliances.  And the wife loves them!

Next on the list.... mini van. 

 Mid-Evil days are the topic in Social Studies, they were having a field day and we were invited to chaperone.  I dressed up as a castle. 

I'm averaging 1 ride per week now that my race season is over.  It feels good to get out, but I can't wait to get out more.  In a couple of weeks, I'll be riding every day, thanks to the Trips For Kids WNC ride program!  Can't wait to get some kids in the woods. 

 To finish off the week, we said goodbye to our pup, "Texas".  He was 15 years old and lived a full life.  He taught us how to be good dog people!  I definitely learned some things about myself and how I needed to improve, from working with him!  Letting go was hard, but I know that he is better off, and I got some good sleep.  He typically woke up to go outside a couple times each night.  I have not slept through the night in a very long time.   Ollie is the alpha dog now.  I'm looking forward to seeing him get more spunky without the grumpy ol' Tex barking at him every time he makes a move!

Life After DNF

 Got a gravel grind in out at Bent Creek.  Saw a little black bear,  about 100 lbs.  It was alone, but didn't want to snuggle.  Must have recently left momma to make a life for itself. 

 The views are amazing, and the weather perfect. 
This has been one of the best May that I have had in a while.  I backed off of two commitments that I have had in previous years,  opening up some free time (that I promptly filled with bike rides and family time!).   I feel so much more rested and energetic than in years past.  May is no longer my month of mayhem.  Relief.  I guess I'm learning my limits and working on my quality of life!

 I was thinking a little more about the P111K this year and what I learned from my time on the bike and my DNF.  The route has become less ominous and I realized that with a little more focused training and not screwing up my nutrition, that the finish is definitely attainable.  The past couple of year have been rough, as mentioned above, esp during the month of May. 

I actually felt good on the bike up until I started getting too hungry, around mile 45.  That's when I started going into deficit, and making that up is possible but difficult.   Gotta be preemptive with the food!

 My smoker skills are getting pretty good,  I cooked up some mean chicken breasts and some potatoe, corn and onion mix in tin foil, steamed in it's own juices with salt, pepper and butter....