Leaving Mampong, Final Travel

The last week in the community has been amazing; we really bonded with our families and settled into the way of life in our small village in such a short time.

This past week we put a lot of hard work into the library which included mixing cement, painting and even learning to plaster! Thanks to your generosity we were able to finish the building and it looks amazing. It now has a roof and finished floors and has been painted to match the surrounding school buildings. The community will shortly be assembling the doors and windows with materials we supplied. Your fundraising efforts also helped us purchase the first books for this new library!

With the help of community members, we gathered bamboo in the jungle and built bamboo benches next to the school and at the sidelines of the school’s soccer field. When not on the work site, we spent time teaching in the school and practicing our Fante language skills.

Last night we had our final ceremony which was incredible to say the least. We were treated to many speeches from community members, school officials, district representatives, village elders and the acting chief. The community made us hand-sewn outfits from traditional fabric which we wore with great pride. Several of us also gave speeches thanking our homestay families for this experience that we’ve shared over the past few weeks. Later in the evening we were treated to musical performances from school children along with performances from various dancers and drummers. A highlight of the evening was receiving a goat as a parting gift which was later cooked and served to us for dinner!

This morning the whole community gathered to see us off and there were many tears shed by both students and families... some host moms
even climbed on the bus to try to go with us because they didn't want to let us go.

After we left the community we had an amazing visit to Kakum National Park. We are now looking forward to spending some time on the
beach where we can relax and take in some drumming and dance lessons.

Best,
The Ghana Group

Life in rural Ghana

It's been an amazing couple weeks in Ghana, after orientation we made the transition to the community and all that entailed. We have been fully welcomed into our host families and feel very much a part of the small community we are living in. Life in the village is at a different pace for sure. Each afternoon we walk to one of the two wells in the village and carry our water back on our heads to shower with, as we walk to work in the morning we are constantly greeted by the families and usually followed by a parade of small children not to mention goats, sheep, and chickens. we have really enjoyed talks with our families, working and playing with all the kids in the communtiy, and the hospitality the village has shown us despite their lack of resources. In the interest of time I am just gonna list out some highlights,


Highlights, things going on etc

-amazing welcome to the community, all the kids and adults cheering and dancing, gave us a village tour, welcome cerermony, dinner and introductions to our homestay mothers.

-Learning our daily rituals has been fun, bucket showers, hauling water, doing laundry.

-students have all been teaching in the school and really enjoying this

-the worksite is coming along excellent, we have the walls and foundation all done, we have been moving a lot of sand/dirt and mixing lots of cement. we will do floors next week and then hopefully plaster, paint, roofing...

-the students have all had their first taste of fufu and are finding all sorts of ghanian food they love, especially the coco yam leaves and their eggs at breakfast as well as the kenke and banku.

-they are adjusting well to life in the community and on the worksite, they have really loved being with their host families and especially their host brothers and sisters.

-work has been tiring and rewarding, its been amazing to see the progress and see our work begining to pay off. the community has been so appreciative and hospitable, its been really heartwarming.

-using and learning more and more fante and getting to speak with members of our community.


That's all for now, we are in town for some saturday errands and a trip to the beach for swimming. Hope this finds everyone well.

The latest from GHANA

I pasted below the update we sent off to parents...I don't have a separate update for all of you as time is short. Suffice to say, things here are incredible...tiring, hot, and sometimes stressful, bvt we wouldn't trade it. It's been amazing and I look forward to filling you all in soon.
Without further ado...

Greetings from GHANA! wow what an amazing first week we have had. After arriving in Accra and getting out of the city we made our way to the Volta region in the eastern highlands along the border with Togo. Here we settled into our surroundings and began learning the first of our Fante words which we have been studying since (we are getting better all the time). Our very first full day we were treated to an amazing hike to Wli falls, an amazing waterfall set in the jungle with the most perfect pool for swimming at its base. We were able to walk behind the waterfall, swim, and cool off. Words cannot describe the beauty of the falls and the surrounding mountains and jungle. The students agreed it was an amazing day and a perfect welcome to the country. We have been treated to a variety of amazing activities so far...Visiting the monkey sanctuary, hiking mount afajato (the highest mountain in Ghana) and visiting a traditional Kente weaving community where the students got a chance to try weaving. All these amazing adventures don't even begin to take into account all the friendly people we have met, the delicious food, the sights, sounds, smells, and the friends we are already making. We arrived in Cape Coast this afternoon to do errands and prepare for the transition to the village. The group is in good health and high spirits as we prepare for our entry into community life. We can't wait to share more of our adventures with you and fill you in as we go. Hope this finds everyone well.

Team Ghana 2010

Update from Cape Coast Ghana

Wow, it's been an amazing journey so far and it's been less than a week. Mostly I have been getting tasks done for the students arrival (confirming reservations, checking out accommodations, visiting the community we will live in, holding meetings with local villagers, checking out health facilities and pharmacies) but I have gotten to spend some time with some amazing people and check out the village where will live. It's going to be rustic to say the least...they are building a few toilets for the students to share now, currently there is just the trees. But the community is so thrilled for our students to arrive and to work with us and host us. It's very encouraging to feel so welcomed. They are planning an elaborate welcome ceremony which sounds incredible. What the village lacks in resources and comfort it makes up for in hospitality.

It's been tiring, hot, and a lot of work, but well worth it so far. Currently I am in Cape Coast near the ocean, it's a crazy town with a mix of both urban and rural settings right on the water. The country is absolutely NUTS about their "football" and Ghana will play the US tomorrow in the world cup. Everyone I meet wants to know if I am supporting Ghana...Tough decision, but I think I better stay safe and root for Ghana while I am here. Anyways, I have to get errands done now, because with the soccer game tomorrow I will not get much done as literally everything stops for soccer games if Ghana is playing.

The students will be here in 3 short days, but we are feeling ready at this end of the world and anxious to share more stories with you soon.

PS. Thank you so much to those who have donated, we have been buying supplies this week and the project site is ready for the students to dig in. If you can still help even a little bit it's not too late, please visit the firstgiving site

Adios Amigos

It's been a crazy last week or two and with school getting out early I am off for Ghana sooner than I had originally planned.

This is just to say goodbye and to wish everyone that I didn't catch an amazing summer. We will be back by the first of August. I'll be trying to put updates on the trip here so check back occasionally.

Enjoy whatever adventures this summer brings you!

Toto!

A classic, straight outta 1982

Fun Times

Down to the last few days of work and riding for a while. I haven't had the time or energy to put into writing here. Here's what's up in bullet format.

-Been riding the new trek road bike a bunch...it's sooo choice. 6 series madone with Sram Force, it both climbs and descends like nothing I have ridden and weighed in right around 15 lbs with the DA wheels.
-Chopping wood for the fireplace
-It's been rainy
-Lots of mountain biking without having to feel like it's a training ride. Been really enjoying the funner trail and the new trails being built around Wanoga. A kick ass run of going down tiddlywinks, up funner, down funner, across to storm king, down whoops, and home with Serena
-The new Smith glasses are ridiculously nice. Got hooked up with a pair of the VXE's and some Evolve Lockwoods, still waiting on the PivLock V90's.
-Deadlines, editing, so many deadlines.
-Trying to get ready for Ghana (please help out if you can)
-Herbs in the garden.
-Saw some amazing shows the the tower thanks to the PDXChange program. Please support this endeavor, it's bringing some amazing talent to Bend. Helio Sequence with Empty Space was one of the best shows I have seen in a very long time anywhere.
-3 and half days of school left...damn that went fast...it's gonna be cross season before we know it.

Thats it for now peeps. Stay tuned for some Africa updates.

ps. Bendcyclocross.org is also now Bendcyclocross.com (your links should still work...if they don't it would be awesome if you fix em.)

More on Ghana

As it gets closer we get more and more info on our upcoming trip to Ghana.

We will be starting our trip in the Capital of Accra, and in Cape Coast. The community we will live with and spend the bulk of our time in (Manpaong) is north of Cape Coast in mountains. Manpong, is a rural, picturesque and traditional village nestled in the lush coastal landscape of the Mfanstiman District in south-central Ghana. Manpong is located about 30 km from Cape Coast, a historic coastal town approximately 80 miles west of Accra, the
capital of Ghana. A small, farming community with a population of roughly 600, or 50
households, the main crops grown are citrus fruit, cocoa, palm trees (for nuts, fronds and
oil), cassava, and other sustenance vegetables, as well as maize. The community we will live in has many needs, but while we are there we will undertake the construction of a small library.

It's coming up quick and we have been soaking up as much info as we can and getting ready. There is a ton of info about Ghana online (this site is particularly good if you are interested). We watched an amazing movie about a disabled athlete from Ghana who rode his bike across the country. Emmanuel's Gift is an amazing story, definitely worth watching whether you are interested in Ghana or not.

What I think is really amazing is that the project we undertake is entirely funded by donations, Ruth and I as well as the students will fundraise and 100% of the donations will go to the project we undertake while we are in the community. Anything we raise above and beyond what it costs to build the library will be used to buy things like books or a computer. I will literally go down a week ahead of the students and start purchasing building supplies. As we prepare, we would love your help. There are a bunch of folks who have donated so far and we really appreciate it. If you want more info on our organization go here: globalroutes.org. If you can donate (even $5 helps) Please visit our donation site. We will update here as we can with info on how the summer is going. We wouldn't be able to undertake these projects without the support of friends and family, so thank you!

Winding down...?

It's been a few tough weeks of racing, some double weekends, windy training rides, rain, sun, snow...spring in Central Oregon.

It's been a humbling season to say the least. I read a comment by Don on Serena's blog about expectations. Don is one of the people I most respect in all of bike racing and he knows his stuff. This year I decided to race in the pro category for mt bike season. I had been coming in the top few of the cat 1 races last year and just decided to mix it up. It's been extremely humbling and hard mentally to watch the field ride away at the start of the race and be racing alone. You have to remember that the pro racers are mostly guys that have been at this for a decade or more and in some cases have a lot more time and resources to dedicate to racing. I have been racing mt bikes a short 3 seasons in earnest. What Don said that really rang true is that to expect to be racing at the level of the top pros really doesn't honor the commitment and time they have put in. Mountain biking is really about the long term commitment, hours of training, and serious dedication. These are also the things that make it a beautiful sport, it rewards dedication, patience, and persistence. I'll keep at it.

I looked at a calendar last week and suddenly realized that my bike racing season was coming to an end rather quickly. I leave for Ghana within two days of school being out (June 20th) and that leaves me with only two races left to do. I had visions of doing the Mt Hood Cycling Classic, but realized that it's a little too much to take on so close to the end of the year and without my own road bike which has been delayed. All I have left is one proper mt bike race out in Sisters which I can't wait for, it should be an awesome race and my last race of the season, the one I think I am most psyched about. I will head down to Ashland with a pile of teammates, spend some time enjoying the area, ride the Umpqua trail, and race the super D which is a discipline I have not done before, but know will be a blast. That'll be it. I'll be bound for Africa the next weekend and not bike till August 1st at which point cyclocross training will kick into full gear. A good month and a half off the bike seems to do me well. I'll try and run while in Africa to keep the lungs going, but nothing serious. I look at this way...Cyclocross is almost here.

Eugene Roubaix / Mudslinger Double Weekend

I doubled up last weekend and had a great time racing around the valley. Not a lot of energy to write up proper reports of the races. Suffice to say, I was left tired and happy. Regardless, here's a brief attempt

Eugene went well, I sat in most of the race, a few breaks looked like they would stick and I tried to get into a few, but nothing ever got too far out. We went as a bunch into the gravel on the last lap and I wasn't in the best position, but tried to be patient. I waited till the pavement and tried for my same move from last year going a little early up the right side, it was too little too late though. I moved up quite a bit, but not enough for the W.

Mudslinger was a blast when it was going downhill, the rest I would just assume forget. I felt as sluggish as possible and went backwards the entire race. Not the result or effort I knew I could do, but a good time none the less.

Another double weekend coming up with Bend Don't Brake on Sat and Chainbreaker on Sun. Should be awesome, the trails are perfect. See you out there.

(photos Pat Malach Oregon Cycling Action)

Bear Springs Trap XC Mountain Bike Race

Oregon mountain biking doesn't get much better than this race. Tight twisty single track, grinding climbs, views, creeks, roots, rocks, gravel...all good stuff. This is one of the tougher races on the Oregon calendar, but it's also one of the best for the same reasons.

So for my race... I felt really strong, really felt like I was racing for the start loop. I was moving up, feeling ready, strong, having a blast. I came across the first scree field (riding it) and jumped off at the very end of it when I caught some of the riders in front of me...I jumped back on to start the quick descent and climb and it felt like maybe my cleat was loose or something was wrong with my pedal. Maybe it was walking across those rocks that loosened my cleat I thought, but I was moving up, starting to pass people on the climb, I didn't want to stop at this point. I was hoping that whatever it was would just last long enough for me to finish. I think though I knew I would have to stop, but didn't want to admit that to myself. Well, turns out I didn't have much choice. I came around a corner and stood up to stomp up the next steep section and my whole non drive side crank arm came off, still attached to my foot...Well, guess it wasn't my cleat. I did a little damage assesment. I have a multi tool with some allen wrenches, no big deal I thought. I pieced it back together, threaded things into place grabbed my tool...TOO SMALL, DAMN. I had a 7mm, no 8mm which is what I needed. Riders began passing me, I tried in vain to hand tighten it and make it up the hill (there were some volunteers at the top of the climb, maybe they would have the right wrench), it popped right back off. I threaded it back on, I began asking riders that came by for a wrench. All my sunnyside teammates doing the long course came by grinding up the hill, everyone just had air and tubes. No luck. I began walking, as people passed I would ask, but without much luck. Eventually someone stopped and threw me their tool and took back off. Solid. I tightened it on and mashed up the rest of the climb.

Into the single track I went, now behind riders that were struggling on the rocks and roots that I knew I could ride. I was incredibly frustrating, but eventually the singletrack opened up and I made enough passes that I could go at my pace. My "race" was done, but I had a lot of riding to do and I got a great workout in on some amazing trails. I really love this race and this course.

Got to ride around in the sun on amazing trail, race with friends, catch up with friends, get in a great workout, so no complaints.

Sunnyside was out in force, we must have had almost 15 riders racing by my count...and I am probably forgetting someone. Great performances by all, I think we had at least 4 or 5 podium spots. Serena took another win and was right on the tail of those pro women. But one rider in particular deserves a huge shout out... Don who won his category in a race that has eluded him for a while. Don is an amazing rider that has had a lot of success in mountain bike racing in Oregon and he has been doing it for a while (since the early 80's). I only hope that I can be doing the same in another 25 years. Don is an inspiration, a mentor, and a wealth of knowledge. Great race Don! And great race to all the Sunnyside folks!

Racing in the Sun - Table Rock Road Race

High 60's and Sun. That's my kind of racing weather. A good 70 miles and some fast riding was just what I needed. It was great to get the legs going and do some racing.

A great evening and relaxing morning in Ashland before the race. The race was a combined 1/2/3 field so I was psyched to be racing with some fast guys and putting some miles in. I was on a rental from Sunnyside (you guys are the best) and things were looking good.

The race started out real reasonably and the first few climbs were a preview of what was to come. The pace definitely was fast, but nothing unmanageable and I was glad to be feeling strong and sitting in. We crested the steep finish climb and immediately hammered down the descent (which proved to be almost harder than the climb as folks were all over the road and just flying.) The middle of the race saw us losing a lot of folks off the back on the climbs, but still with a solid field of 20 or so going into the last lap. I was feeling tired, but still like I had enough. The pace picked up slightly, but I was still hanging. A few folks had gotten away but we began to pull them in on the long climb and that's when the field shattered. Seeing the break, the front of the field picked it up and chaos followed. The field splintered, folks were coming off the back and I was off the back. Pretty soon a good bunch of folks grouped together to chase the 10 or 12 folks who crested the climb about 30 seconds ahead. We were almost at the top in a good group, I was glad to be with some folks and thought we might work to pull back the group, there was still 5 or so miles and one big steep finish climb. We crested the top together and I stood up on the pedals to get a little stretch...that's when the cramp hit, I felt it coming on, but this was to the point that I had to unclip and stop for a second, that was the race for me. I watched the pack slip away as I limped my way along trying to stop my right leg from seizing up...I finished the last few miles by myself and passed a few other stragglers to come up the climb in 8th in the cat 3 field.

I wasn't too disappointed as I had gotten some good racing in and it was a great workout. A beautiful day and a super well organized and run race. It was awesome to race with the 1/2 guys and was a lot of fun. Serena crushed as usual, taking her field, and hanging with some seriously fast ladies. I have no doubt she will continue to crush the 1/2 field with her upgrade. Solid.

Project Ghana

Ruth and I recently found out we'll be leading a trip to Ghana this summer. This will be my fourth summer leading these trips, and we couldn't happier about heading to Africa. We'll be leading a bunch of High school kids in some community service work for an organization called Global Routes. The idea with Global Routes is that as peoples of the world become increasingly interdependent we must all recognize that we live in a global community. The future of this community depends upon our self-knowledge as well as upon mutual understanding and respect among diverse cultures. Global Routes deepens these roots of our shared community as they foster personal and international development. Undertaking voluntary work overseas allows North American youth the opportunity to push past stereotypes and misconceptions to build strong relationships and self-understanding, as well as buildings. Their foreign exchange programs help the global community to flourish.

Ruth and I both couldn't be more impressed with the mission of the organization, and what it ends up achieving. It's a lot of work, it's certainly not a vacation, but we wouldn't be doing it, nor would we ask for your help if we didn't think is was really worthwhile and valuable.

Global Routes is a tax-exempt non-profit, non-governmental, non-sectarian organization committed to strengthening our global community through voluntary work overseas.

All of the participants (leaders included) are asked to fundraise for our project. We need to raise money to to pay for materials, pay local villagers who will teach necessary skills and buy books for the children with whom we'll also work. I realize it's a tough time to be asking for money so I am trying to ask as many folks as possible. The donation is fully tax deductable and the nice thing is One hundred percent of your donation will go directly to our groups project. It just goes right to a project fund for our group...I literally take the money myself to purchase supplies and pay for help, the more money we get the more options we have with the project and the more we can supplement the project with things like books and supplies for the community we live in.

If you can even find a way to donate $5 that is greatly appreciated. Please pass this along to friends, businesses, family, anyone you know that can help. With the Economy the way it is we are really trying to find all the sources we can for the project.

Here is the link to a site where you can Donate...Thanks so very much for all your support and thought. We will most definitely keep everyone up to date with photos and stories from the trip.
Thank you so much,

http://www.firstgiving.com/mfox

Limits

"the bike is the most efficient machine for suffering ever created"

Listened to a radiolab show about limits, endurance, pushing ones self...so interesting. Check it out when you have some time.
Here
Here's their description of the show. I don't think I'll be spitting out my gatorade anytime soon, but sooo interesting.

Limits of the Body
Jad and Robert talk to two Ironman competitors, Julie Moss and Wendy Ingraham to find out how they do what they do. Physiologist Dr. David Jones tells us how to trick the voice in your head that tells you you're exhausted. Then we follow two men, Patrick Autissier and Jure Robic, as they bike across the country as fast as they can in a crazy race called The Ride Across America. Producer Lulu Miller brings us their story and New York Times writer Daniel Coyle walks us through the process of physical and mental breakdown RAAM competitors face.

Mountain Bike Racing: Hornings Hustle

This was the second mt bike race of the season for me and the beginning of the season in earnest. This time of year in Oregon and especially in the valley can be tricky conditions. In years past Hornings was a mud bog, plenty of years have seen the early season races filled with snowy sections. That's what one expects with mt biking in April in Oregon.

I prepared accordingly going into Sundays race and had the mud tires on expecting it to be slop and pouring rain. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day with near perfect conditions, slippery in sections, but not really what I would call muddy.

I decided at the start of this season that I would race pro this year. I was finishing in the top few riders of the cat 1 last year and figured racing pro would be a good push and motivator. Well, I guess it has been both of those things so far. After yesterdays performance I am certainly motivated to get a little faster on the mt bike and I was definitely pushed yesterday. These guys are FAST.

The race started up a good steady dirt road climb and I hung on till we hit a short steep dirt climb and some singletrack. I had pushed a bit too hard trying to hang on up the first climb and started losing ground. I recovered a little and caught back up to a few folks but never really moved up from my back of the pro field position. The course was TOUGH, lots of power climbs that left you with little time for recovery on descents. It was a great day regardless and awesome to be racing mt bikes around in the sun with friends and teammates.

Per usual the Sunnyside team was out in force. Lots of great rides including 3 podium appearances from Don, Serena, and Bruce (Who was absolutely flying!). Serena, Lea, and I rolled the van down leaving at 5:30 am. It was so great to have company and ride and race together. Mt biking isn't really a team sport, but having teamates around and a group of friends sure makes it seem that way. Thanks guys and gals...and thanks Lynne Rosetto-Kasper! Can't wait for the next one.

Road Trip Photos

The set is here and below

A Tough Training Week

I stand at the stove cooking, legs ache and feel weak. I shift my weight; hungry and tired, but happy. The shaky legs, the ache, are a good sign. It's a build week and I should feel it. It's been beautiful in Bend, warm and sunny. The weather has brought a renewed focus to the bike. As spring approaches, daylight drags on just a little longer, and more races fill the calendar. Afternoons are a rush to get into spandex and on the road or trails. It's a good feeling to put in the miles, to feel the legs come around. There is a focus, I know that as the work day ends another work day begins. I look forward to the work. Putting in work that doesn't show immediate results requires patience. I will be patient, I will do the work.

It just doesn't get much better- Powder and Mountain Bikes

Couldn't have asked for better weekend. This is one of the many things that makes Bend incredibly special. It seemed like everyone in town had a little bit of a buzz from being out in the sun, the snow, and on the trails.

Sat - The best day of skiing I can remember in a long time. Deep, light, powdery snow and blue sky. The whole mountain was open and it was just a great day of skiing. Ran into all sorts of friends and got a ton of good skiing in.

Sun - Sunny lazy morning filled with coffee, followed by a beautiful mountain bike ride with friends in short sleeves and shorts. Grilling on the porch with cold beers.

Just another spring weekend in Bend. Loving the daylight!

Echo Red to Red XC Mountain Bike Race

Who drives 8 hours for a two hour mountain bike race? Well, when it's early March and you're itching to do some racing, it's not a tough decision, especially when the weather is sunny and warm.

Fri night saw Serena and I loading up the car and getting on the road for a while so that we weren't leaving at 5 in the morning. We got to hwy 84 around midnight and got some shut eye in a state park just across the river from Biggs.

Some coffee and food and we were on the road in the morning, arriving in Echo around 9. It was a beautiful morning and there was a great crowd of folks out for a mountain bike race in some unseasonably warm weather. Echo is not surrounded by mountains or trees, but just endless rolling farmland, not what you would think of for mountain biking, but the race, the course, the crowds of racers...couldn't have been better.

A mass start saw the cat1/pro/single speed combined fields roll out. A little chaos on the dirt road leading into the single track caught me off gaurd and with a gap between me and a good group of folks we came screaming down the hill towards the single track. I got around a few riders at the last second, but immediately found myself slowing my pace in the twisting and turning that would continue for another 20 something miles. I made my way around folks where I could and extended a lot of effort in doing so, but would quickly recover and chase down the next group. I was getting into a good rhythm when an old teammate in front of me had a quick crash, without anyroom to avoid it we got tangled up and crashed, meanwhile some of the 10 riders we had worked to pass went screaming by. Back on the chase. Again I was picking people off one by one, feeling good that I was still moving up and feeling like I had some good legs. Some short fast climbs led into a rocky side-hill descent that was full of sharp rocks. Coming around the next corner I felt my rear wheel slip out and make the tell tale noise of a tire running way too low and rolling off. I pulled off the course and inspected the tire. I couldn't find any leaks or sealent coming out. I figured maybe it just burped some air out. I only had two c02 cartridges to work with so I decided to give the first one a shot and see if the tire didn't just seal up...no such luck, sealant came squirting out of a decent size gash right on top of the tire. I dug through my pockets again and fished out a tube and a gel wrapper to get the tire back going. My last co2 cartridge did the trick and I was rolling again after what seemed like the entire cat 1/pro/ singlespeed field had passed me. I knew my race was over at this point, but I wasn't about to soft pedal so I kept chasing and making my way up. I never made it even close to where I was when I flatted, but it was an amazingly fun course and a great day of racing around in the sun. Miles and miles of sunny snaking singletrack up and down over the prarie...Not a bad way to spend a saturday. A long finish section of dirt road and pavement rolled back into the tiny town of Echo and a welcome burrito.

Great races by the crew of sunnyside folks that were out there. A great win for Don. A great win for Serena. A bunch of second places and just a lot of happy racers!

It was great see so many people out and racing. It seemed like one of the bigger mountain bike races and its only March. I think between the weather and having a winter off, most folks were pretty anxious to get out. It's nice having some early races where conditions are excellent, makes me think we should have some more early races in around eastern oregon...Horse Ridge?

Screwed up and lost my photos, but I can assure you Serena sleeps with her bike, I had it documented.

Flat Tire!

Damn, a flat tire. That was my race, but certainly not the end of my day. What an awesome day ripping around the pastures and vineyards of Echo. Race report and photos coming soon.

Thanks for the words

From Belgium Knee Warmers

When the sh*t goes down and the screws are turned, we all wage the war against the ingress of doubt. Like cold, salty ocean water, doubt will find its way inside a breach and then… it’s only a matter of time before the ship goes down.

Following an effort so hard that it leaves the eyes bloodshot and your feet fried, a rider tries to sort out the race’s details. How can one’s fitness vary so greatly on back-to-back days? All things being equal, one can point to doubt.

At times, denying doubt is harder than any of the physical efforts doled out. When the group is strung out into a razor sharp point and riders begin popping, doubt becomes tough to ignore. At that moment, the difference between a good day and a bad day is determined by the mind’s willingness to ignore the persistant whisper of that f*#ker doubt."

Bend in Bike Magazine

We already knew that mountain biking in Bend was amazing, it's possible to mountain bike mostly year round. Just head east in the winter to Cline Butte, Smith Rock or Horse Ridge and all of sudden you've got a whole new set of options. In the spring and fall most everything is great. Once summer hits, head up into the woods to avoid the dust. Well, Bend got some props for being a great spot to bike. Not that we didn't know that, but it's great to see Bend getting it's dues. Check out the March issue of Bike magazine. When people ask me about how I like Bend, one of things that I always seem to bring up is how easy it is to get out and be on the trails. I can pretty much ride dirt from my house to the trails and not ever need to load up a car and drive to a trail head. It's not lost on me how fortunate I am for this. It's a privilege to be able to live in a place where this opportunity is available. It's one of the things that makes Bend a special place to live.

Here's the link to the article (pdf file)

Masters Road Nationals to Bend 2011-2012

Yet another reason why Doug Laplaca and the amazing folks at visitbend are kicking some serious ass. USA cycling clearly realizes that Bend is a place dedicated to bikes and bike racing as well as bringing serious events to Bend. With the recent success of Cyclocross Nationals and Elite/Junior Road Nationals, and all the greatness of the Cascade Classic it's not a suprise that Bend pulled in another great race. Be sure to stay tuned for all the info. I am sure BendCyclingEvents will have it covered. Can't wait.

Here's the press release:

2011 and 2012 Masters Road Nationals to Bend, Oregon

USA Cycling has awarded the 2011 and 2012 Masters Road National Championships to Bend, Ore. Following the city’s successful hosting of the Elite/U23/Juniors Road and the Cyclo-cross National Championships, the cycling hotbed is now poised to host another round of the nation’s best. Held in Louisville, Kentucky 2008 through 2010, the USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships are scheduled to go off in Bend, Aug. 30 – Sept. 4, 2011 and August 27 – Sept. 2, 2012.

The two-year agreement between USA Cycling, the sport’s national governing body, and Visit Bend is expected to bring more than 800 competitors and 2,500 visitors to the Pacific Northwestern city for seven days of racing leading up to the Labor Day Weekend. Bend expects to continue to enjoy a significant economic impact in conjunction with the cycling championships. According to a study by Oregon State University, the two USA Cycling National Championship events hosted by the city in 2009 brought Bend $2.5 million dollars in direct tourist spending.

“The National Championships we hosted here in 2009 left no doubt in USA Cycling’s mind that Bend’s enthusiasm for and appreciation of competitive cycling makes it unlike any other destination in the country,” said Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO of Visit Bend. “It is our goal to turn that enthusiasm into a long-term partnership that provides USA Cycling with consistently world-class championships, while providing Bend with a substantial amount of visitation tourism spending during traditionally slow times of the year.”

In 2009, Bend hosted the USA Cycling Elite, Junior and U23 Road National Championships, as well as the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships. Both events will return to Bend in 2010.

“In hosting the 2009 USA Cycling National Championships Bend showcased an entire community who passionately embraces the sport of cycling and its various disciplines as a lifestyle,” said Steve Johnson, CEO of USA Cycling. “That type of support is critical to growing the sport across the country and is a large reason why Bend was awarded the Masters Road National Championships for 2011 and 2012.”

About Visit Bend
Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit economic development organization dedicated to promoting tourism on behalf of the City of Bend. For more information or to order a complimentary Official Visitor’s Guide to Bend, contact Visit Bend at 1-800-949-6086 or visit www.visitbend.com.

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 66,500+ licensees; 2,200 clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,650 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.

Geting back after it.

This time of year is tough, the urge to get outside on the bike is tough to balance with the reality of the conditions outside. There have been a couple mt bike rides that involved pushing the bike through snow, frozen toes, icy ruts, and less than ideal conditions. There have been the road rides that no amount of layers or embrocation can help. So what does one do when reality takes over. This year found me helping coach the nordic ski team at school, this meant twice weekly workouts in the weight room, plyometrics, and weekends at the races. I've thrown in plenty of tele skiing and some skating. I've been on the bike plenty too, but it's been a balance. Isn't that what it's all about, finding the balance? I love skiing, it's always been a passion. Last year as this time of year rolled around I began feeling guilty for not being on the bike as much and I skipped some great weekends of skiing to drive over the mountains and race my road bike in the rain. This year I told myself that it's going to be different. I can be on the bike and ski.

What I have already found is that I am that much stronger than I would be if I had focused solely on the bike. I did a road race a couple weeks ago that I wasn't sure how prepared I was for. It wasn't the longest, toughest, or fastest race, but it was a good test for me. A crash in front of me at the finish didn't help my position for the final sprint, but I was happy with how I felt and how I rode...and it was great to be out.

The weather the last couple days has been stellar. It's that time of year in Bend where everything seems possible. On Sunday we skied for a few hours in the morning went home for lunch, then it was off to horse ridge for a couple hours of mountain biking that couldn't have been better. I know Don was out there, I saw his car, and although I never ran into him, I smiled knowing that we shared an amazing afternoon out in the sun.

It looks like it's going to rain and snow the rest of the week. The skiing this weekend looks to be great!

On heavy rotation:
Local Natives - world news.mp3
Vampire Weekend - run.mp3
Monsters of Folk - say please.mp3

A post about music

This is just to say that I have been spending some time on the internets and digging through a lot of music lately, blog lists, my own collection. I don't think I have discovered anything new that isn't already being written or blogged about, you could find a lot of "best of" lists from the last year with these same bands/songs, but I wanted to drop a few links of what's really been in heavy rotation and mostly the newer stuff. I have been sorting and listening more lately, going back through the year a bit, cleaning out, a bit of adding to, but here is what has been impressing me as of late. There are links to a few of my more recent favorite songs and you can snag the mp3s, but check out the bands, lots of good stuff.

-Grizzly Bear (two weeks mp3)
-Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (Home mp3) definitely gonna make this one part of the wedding.
-The XX - (VCR mp3)
-Andrew Bird - (Fitz and Dizzy Spells mp3) Can whistle like nobody's business. Amazing live, have a listen.
-Animal Collective- (My Girls mp3) I know, predictable, but I am hooked on this album lately.
-Phoenix - (Listzomania mp3) These guys from France have gotten huge, but check out some of their older stuff too. Phoenix- If I ever feel Better (mp3 from back in 2000)
Bat For Lashes - (Daniel mp3)
Fever Ray - (Triangle Walks mp3) Electronic, but not what you'd expect.
The Antlers - (Bear mp3)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - (Dull Life mp3) Try any of this while doing a hard workout. GOOD.
Hathbanger - Party and Bullshit (In the USA) (Notorious B.I.G, Miley Cyrus).mp3 -Ruth's a big fan of this little mix, I know I know, Miley Cyrus?...It's catchy. Try it on the trainer today.


Okay, that's all I've got the energy to link to. Lots more good stuff. I'll keep sharin'

Disclaimer:Any mp3's posted here are just for sampling. These samples are meant to benefit the bands. If you are the owner of a song I posted and want it taken down, please shoot me and email and I will delete it right away!