3-18-2011

After waking up with cold/allergy symptoms, I decided to take a walk in the woods with the wife instead of a long ride that would wear me down and leave me sluggish all weekend. We saw deer, experienced warm/cold temp variations as we climbed out of the valley and back into it.

It was a good decision. There will be long rides in the near future, and rest is good!

3-16-2011

A ride out the door on my single speed CX beast of a touring track bike.  After 30 minutes of pavement, I hit the dirt and road down to and  around the lake.  It was quiet, it was pretty, and my brain was working overtime. 


I've been dealing with some relationship issues (not with the wife, she is awesome, just for the record) for the past 8 months.  My intentions were good, and still are.  I simply tried to express my feelings, express how the other party was making me feel.  And I did just that.  But, for some reason, it was not received as intended.  Then things got quickly out of hand. 

Fast forward 8 months later, after lots of stress, pondering, and trying to figure out what to do.  In the past month or so, I came to the realization, that anger is not the driving emotion behind the intent.  And I am not angry now.   For me, in this situation, it is sadness that prevails.  Sad for broken relationships.  Sad that I tried to do what was right and things fell apart.  

Then as I was cruising through the woods,  I distinctly heard the voice in my head say: " This is not about them, this is about you.  Let it go".   To which I responded " WHAT? Let it GO?"  And the voice said " Yes, let it go!!".   

And so, I let it go.  I have learned a whole lot about myself and the positive things I am capable of doing.  And yes, the voice is correct,  this has been more about me than the others.   It is interesting sometimes what happens when I set out to help someone else, and I end up growing through the process. 

As I pedaled back towards home on the pavement,  I felt like the light at the end of the tunnel had grown brighter.   That I was going to be able to move past this circumstance and focus on what lies ahead.

It's a good day.

3-13-2011

 After Saturday's interestingly fail/success ride, I set out again on Sunday for my typical Bent Creek Loop.  Riding down the Parkway, up Hardtimes and into the little corner of Pisgah called Bent Creek.  There were lots of people but I still rode alone the whole time.  

I was feeling good and put some speed into my workout.  Pushing up the little grunt climbs, up and over, breathing deeply, coasting down,  catching air (little air).

I had two goals today:  1.  clear my mind,   2. ride some logs.  

There is a log somewhere on Sidehill that has been bugging me for years.  I rode it once, but for some reason have not ridden it since.   I've been practicing, though.  At the local playground on the skinnies,  in the backyard etc.  I hoped today would be the day. 

 

 As I wound down Sidehill, the adrenaline was pumping.  The sky was bright and the views were clear,  the trail snaked out in front of me, leading me to the log.  I rolled up to it, gently lifted the front wheel up, shifted my weight and brought the back wheel up.  I was on the log and froze for a split second, let out a breath, and pedaled across.  Off the other end I let out a whoop.  (just to make sure it wasn't a fluke I turned around and rode it two more times).  

As I rode back down the road to my house, I felt good,  relaxed and had accomplished my 2 goals.  I ate some lunch with the fam,  loaded up the bikes and took the kid to the pump track......it was a good day.

3-12-2011

 

I've had the bikepacking bug for a while now, and it finally looked like I was going to get to use all the gear and knowledge that I have been collecting. I had planned on leaving Friday morning, but then the temps dropped and it was snowing,  with a low forecast at 30,  I could have still gone, but did not feel like spending the night shivering.  In addition, I didn't want to have to carry the extra gear that would keep me warm.  So, After talking to the wife, I made plans to head out first thing Saturday morning.  

It was 28 degrees when I left the house, but was supposed to warm up to 65 with a low of 40.  It was looking like it would be a perfect time in the woods.  

 

The kid gave me monkey to take along with me,  I strapped him to the seatbag.  The funny thing is, there was a monkey on my back as well.  I could not shake it.  I felt good on the climb up Yellow Gap Rd, then turning onto Laurel mtn...my body felt good.  But, there are things going on in my head lately that drain my thought process.  As I pedaled, I tried to enjoy the scenery,  I did a little, but even with all of the sunshine there was still that monkey.

 

 

After an hour and a half of grinding up the hill, I stopped in the middle of the trail.  I knew what I had to do, and stood there chewing on it.  I decided to pull the plug on the trip.  I have a goal of riding 100 miles in the woods and even have a route picked out.   But this was not the weekend that it was to happen.  

Interestingly, after I made the decision, and committed to bailing, I felt lighter.  I knew that it was the right decision and as I made my way back to the truck, I had no regrets. 

The hugs from the wife and kid when I got home would have erased all doubts about my decision, had there been any left. 

Instead of a long ride battling my own demons, I got to load the kid up and ride 4 miles in Bent Creek with him.   That was  a much better way to spend the day...this time.

Hub Cyclery

Cool news from my frame builder in Idyllwild, CA.  He and his wife are opening a bike cafe Hub Cyclery, in there town.  Among other fine products they will be selling the famous Performance Art Siren Bicycles!!  I ride one, and you should too!

Check out their grand opening the weekend of April 9th.

Sunshine

My nephew, Garren, is still laying in the hospital.  There are a lot of thoughts and emotions going through my head right now that I won't share.  

What I will share is that Garren is being discharged on March 23rd.  He will be moving home where his family will need to re-vamp their house to accommodate him.   This will take time and constructions materials.  Can you help?

The other huge pressing need the family has is a wheelchair accessible mini van.  Can you help?

As we say in sports, "dig deep".  It will take a whole community in this situation.

If you can help,  contact them:  geoffrey@thejaneses.com

Thanks

2-24-2011

I got two rides in today.  I was supposed to have meetings all day, but the kid got sick and the wife had school so I stayed home.  I tried to ride the rollers but due to being in a funk lately, I only rode for 30 minutes. 

It was rainy and chilly all day, it didn't help my head space, but I did my best to keep a positive attitude.

The wife came home and I made it to an afternoon meeting which was very encouraging and exciting. 

I got back home in time to get outside on my road bike.  I had about 2 hrs so I headed south on the parkway for 45 minutes before turning around and heading home.  

I recently got fit at Liberty Bicycles.  The fit was long overdue and I have not been able to afford it,  but things worked out and I went for it.  It turns out that even though I was riding stronger than ever before, I was too far forward and too low in my position on the bike.  Now that I'm more stretched out, I can feel a huge difference,  only the muscles are not used to the activity, so it's a little like starting a couple of months ago.  But,  I'm sure that the legs will come around pretty quickly and the guys at Liberty will wish they had left my fit alone!!

Since I did not have much time, I pushed hard,  made the legs burn, recovered, then did it again.  Several times.  It was great and now I have my legs propped up,  content and recovering. 

I look forward to another ride.

JB Janes

My Pepa is being buried today.  His funeral is at 11 am in Memphis TN.  Pepa took me fishing when I was a kid.  He also told me when I was 13 yrs old that I needed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,  it kind of freaked me out.  We stopped by his house on my bike ride across America in 2001.  He fed us and gave us a dry place to sleep. 

I'm sorry I won't be at the funeral Pepa.  Some weird things are going on that prevented me from coming.  But I will be there in spirit. 

Rest In Peace!

2-21-2011

Another great day in the woods, in the sunshine,  in the universe!!   I don't have much to say about this ride, other than " I rode".   It was a good day to get out and sort through my thoughts.  The things in life that are trying to drag me down were left behind.  As I pedaled my Siren up and over hills and through the woods, I focused on the positive,  the people who love me unconditionally.  

It was a good ride.

2/20- 2/21/2011

 Saturday I took the kid for a ride around the woods.  We have a strap attached to his bike so that I can pull him up the longer hills.  And we can go farther.

 This Siren is relaxing in the warm sun after a long gravel road climb.  We spent an hour riding around Bent Creek.  The kid rode some techy single track for the first time and decided that he likes roots.   My kid is the coolest.

 Sunday I headed down the river towards Marshall.  I just got a new fit at Liberty Bikes and it feels awesome.  I didn't want to push too hard until my body adjusts, so I cruised down the river at a steady pace. 

 Interestingly, without thinking about it, I got my fastest time ever on this route. 

It was all good until I flatted about 1 mile from home.  I called for a ride, didn't feel like fixing the flat as darkness was falling.  It gave me a great opportunity to let the kid help me patch it later too. Still, it was a good ride.


It's monday morning, and time to do it again!

WBR and Cape Abas Epic

My friends at World Bicycle Relief have a really cool project going on.

3 teams, 8 days, 707km, 1 goal: Bikes to 10 schools in Zambia

Some of cycling’s most talented athletes have joined forces to raise $150,000 for World Bicycle Relief’s Bicycles for Educational Empowerment Program (BEEP) in conjunction with the 2011 Absa Cape Epic mountain bike stage race, March 27-April 3.

An all-star combination including Bart Brentjens, Jeroen Boelen, Jukka Vastaranta and Jelmer Pietersma of the Trek-Milka Mountain Bike Team, the rag-tag duo Andy Ording and Todd Winget, as well as downhill sensations Anka Martin and current World Champion Tracy Moseley, will endure this grueling 8 day race, covering 707km across South Africa’s Western Cape to raise awareness and funds for World Bicycle Relief.

Anyone donating $134 or more to The Cape Epic Challenge is eligible to win a host of great prizes including clutch items from TREK and SRAM, an actual World Bicycle Relief bike, as well as an incredible list of additional prizes to be announced on the Cape Epic Challenge Blog and Fundraising Page starting February, 1st.

In addition, $75,000 has been pledged by a small group of anonymous donors to match all donations raised through the Cape Epic Challenge finale on April 3rd, 2011.  All donations benefit World Bicycle Relief and their current efforts to provide 50,000 bicycles to Zambian students (70% girls), teachers and educational workers seeking access to education.

The Cape Epic Challenge Goal to raise $150,000 would provide students at 10 schools with World Bicycle Relief’s specially designed, locally assembled, rugged bicycles.

You can donate to the cause on the Cape Epic Challenge fundraising page: http://worldbicyclerelief.kintera.org/capeepicchallenge, follow the rider’s stories about Africa and their training for Cape Epic on the Cape Epic Challenge Blog: http://capeepicchallenge.blogspot.com, and find more about World Bicycle Relief and it’s mission to provide access to independence and livelihood through the power of bicycles at: www.worldbicyclerelief.org


For additional inquires please contact:
Rebecca Much
World Bicycle Relief Grassroots Fundraising Coordinator
rmuch@worldbicyclerelief.org
312.502.8468

Happy Birthday Garren

This is my 14 yr old nephew, Garren.  Today he is lying in the hospital,  being kept alive by the miracle of medicine while his brain recovers from AVM.  (geoffreyjanes.blogspot.com).

Today is Garren's birthday.  We are hoping for a miracle of complete healing.  Please pray.

Happy Birthday Garren Ziggy Janes!

Hike

Rhonda made me go hiking this morning in sub freezing temps:

 

 I have beard-cycles, she thinks its funny

1-30-2011

What? Another 3 hour ride,  outside, without freezing?

I rolled into Fletcher Park at 10 am for a 3-4 hour ride.  I was feeling confident until Will Black, Matt Dinsmore, some others, Chris Larsen? Matt? Eric? and of course Robert Watkins showed up.   8 people total.

We rolled out and set a moderate pace.  A flat course with some rolling hills was chosen, and after about 30 minutes, I didn't know exactly where I was.  It is so much easier knowing the terrain and what is coming up.

It was a fairly uninteresting ride, pulling and dropping back to recover.  It was great to meet some new people and to catch up with I know. 

We wound around for a while, through some really pretty country side, enjoying the views and keeping a steady pace.  After a while I realized that we were almost out at Dupont State Forest.  I know then that I better hang on, because it would be a very long ride back to the truck, alone.  

I was able to hang on, and actually felt pretty good.  I stayed hydrated, and fed, and while it was painful,  I felt better than I have in previous years.

3 hours  and 55 miles later we rolled back into the parking lot. 

60 degrees and sunny,  great way to finish January!!

1-29-2011

With a forecast high of 50 degrees, I decided it was time for y first ever Bakery Ride.  Marios, the president of Asheville Bicycle Racing Club had invited me to come out several times but my schedule never worked out.  Today it did (and Marios did not show up...)

But, all was not lost, Keving Hessler showed up, and I knew it was going to be a good day.   We farted around for a few minutes until about 50 roadies got ready and rolled out.  Downhill to the river, with no one pointing out holes or debris,  I thought about moving farther up in the pack.  Less than 3 minutes later I was on the side of a road, rear tire flat, watching the whole pack move up the road and around the corner.  Then it was like a dream,  a vision of sorts,  a lone rider pulled out of the pack and rode back to me.  It was Kevin.

In my haste to try to do a quick change, I was not making any headway.  Kevin, being  a seasoned veteran bike mechanic, took over.  In minutes we were on our way, alone.    We pushed the pace for a while, and decided we should not push the pace because we would blow up,  we both agreed,  then we continued to push the pace.

 Our thinking was that they could be just up around the corner.  So we shifted through our gears, climbed and descended.  Coming around a corner we saw a lady walking her 5 dogs, off leash down the middle of the road.  Since Kevin was pulling, as he did for most of this ride,  he squeezed by and left me surrounded.  After much yelling and screaming, I got away with one little yapper on my heels.   I unclipped my left foot and took a swing, kicking the little punk right on the nose.

 As we rolled around the last ridge above Marshall, we could see some folks gathered at the bakery below.  We pulled up, I went in to fill the water bottles, peed, and came out,  2.5 minutes max.  I looked at Kevin, in a matter of seconds, the group left,  we decided to wait for stragglers. 

Erica Chard came out of the bakery where she had been hiding,  then the last two riders, Carla, and Wendy rode up.  So, there were 5 of us left to ramble up the river.   Everybody took some turns at the front, until we came upon Bob Wright, who had flatted. 

We stopped to help him get going again, then let Wendy and Erica set the pace, which was a great recovery from earlier.

After 45 miles and about 3 hrs, we got back to the parking lot and headed our separate ways. 

Enjoy the ride!!

1-26-2011

It was cold,  low 30's, snowing and getting colder.  The wind was whipping too.  What made today any different than any other day that it was too cold to ride?  Any different than any other day with the same condition?  I don't know,  but there was something inside me that needed to be let out,  so I went.

I headed down the parkway,  when I got to hwy 25, the rangers were shutting it down.  No traffic was great.  What I needed was solitude and that is what I got.  The icy snow crystals lightly stinging my face and I spun down the road on my single speed cx bike.  When I took a right at the 191 ramp, the wind coming around the bluff tried to knock me over,  I stood up to gain ground, going down hill.

 Into the Arboretum and up Hardtimes rd.  It was thick and slow.  The dirt had taken on the form of playdough.  Not sticking  to the tires but soft enough that my wheels sank to the rim.  I was forced to stand on the pedals to maintain forward motion.  At the top of the gap the wind was blowing with force.  If there was not a forest, I am not sure I would be able to stand.  The trees were groaning and creaking,  I was alone.

  

After a little snack, I headed back down the icy soft dirt hill,  out to the parkway and back home.

It was a good ride.

Have a great day.

1-22-2011

I finally got some knobby tires for my single speed- cx- flat bar- commuter- touring bike.  I was excited to see how they handled on dirt as opposed to the slicks that came on it.    I mounted the clincher Kendas and headed out the door.  Not sure how much air to put in, I went with 80-psi to avoid unwanted flats.  The temp was around 35 and was going to drop like a rock when the sun went down. 

Rolling down the parkway with the happy buzz of cx wheels on pavement,  I was content.   A bicycle can do that;  provide freedom and contentedness in a crazy world.

I rolled through the Arboretum and up Hardtimes rd taking note that the gates close at 7pm.   I had to make sure I could access the water fountain on the way out.  Once I reached the gap and started the decent, I cautiously let the bike pick up speed.  I was surprised how well the tires gripped, and I let it roll faster.  Surprised by the white field of ice and snow on the road in a bend, I slowed and readied to slide around but the tires held. 

As I was riding, I realized that this was my first time being back in the woods in 2011.  It felt great to be back.

I circled around, heading back to the Arboretum, back up Hardtimes from the lake, just as the sun was going down.  Stopping to fill up with water, I took a deep breathe and continued on.

1/2 mile from my neighborhood, dark was starting to settle in.  I rode up and over the last little climb, greeted by smoke coming out of the chimney. 

Walking inside to the warmth of the wood fire, and the love of my wife and kid,  a feeling like no other.

Have a great day.

For Sale: Garmin Forerunner 405

Brand New: in box

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11039

Asking $250

stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com

To You

to you, the oppressed, repressed, suppressed and depressed,   

this is your time to fight, or take flight so you can one day come back and fight.  

stand up, be proud, take charge

let your emotions guide you, not control you

stand up for what's right,

stand up to the ones who wrong you, 

who disrespect and belittle you, 

who tell you you can't do what you can do

when you do, they'll tell you you are wrong, but they are wrong,  

until they admit they are wrong, they will be wrong,  

but when they admit they are wrong, then they will be right

and they will be free

free from the bitterness and rage that is trapped inside

trapped by the pride that covers their eyes

but don't be concerned with that

look at you and what you can do,

its a new day, a new year

do whats right, start today, seek the way

and do what you love

love your neighbor as yourself

to you oppressed, repressed, suppressed and depressed,

this one is for you, I did it

and so can you

stand up and be proud, proud of who you are and what you can do

what you can do for you and your community

stand....

Wanderlust

So much to do, so little time.  So much that I wanna do, and so much that I was told I couldn't do, or it wouldn't be practical.  Practical for who?  You?  I'm not doing this for you.  And no it's not practical,  but what is practical?  Practical is based on presupposition, and each person seems to have his/her own presupposition.

So, I'm gonna follow my heart, my travelin' bone. Gonna pick up my wanderlust where I left off.  I'm gonna pack my bags and hit the highway. Let the wind blow through my hair, the sun burn my skin,  smell the fresh air.  I"m gonna get out of this city, and see some stuff. Maybe see the world. It's gonna be grand.

And then when I get to work, I'm gonna do my job.  I'll mingle around the water cooler and talk about the hardships of life.  I'll answer the phones and push the papers.  I'll explain things, encourage things, discourage things.   When quittin' time rolls around, I'll head back out into the great wide open.  I'll roll those wheels down the road.  I'll head south for a bit, then a little east,  and I'll be home again.  With the ones who love me, unconditionally,  who care about me and don't give up on me.  The ones who I live and work for.

And then tomorrow,  I'll get up and do it again.  And the next day, and on and on.  Until the weekend,  then it's the same, just no work.  Just fresh air and travelin' dreams,  all day long.

Have a great day.