Day: March 21, 2024

Rolled out of bed this morning, all psyched to conquer the world—or at least, to face the final boss of training camp at Pipestone. But lo and behold, Mother Nature decided to throw a snow party. Just my luck, right? My outdoor escapades got tossed around like a salad, with my day of pedaling hard in the great outdoors morphing into a frantic retreat to Missoula.

Spent the day slaving away (you know, the usual grind), only to zip back home, trying to catch those elusive final rays of sunshine. And how did I mark my grand return? With a nap so glorious, I reckon I might’ve broken some sort of cosmic record.

Now, here’s the twist—my so-called recovery mission? It included more biking. Yep, off to the grocery store I went. Because apparently, that’s what peak “athlete-in-recovery mode” looks like: cruising for groceries on two wheels, in pursuit of milk and bread.

So, to encapsulate this whirlwind of a day in one word? ‘Recovery’. Kicked off with visions of athletic glory, only to wrap up with a gentle reminder to take it easy, one pedal stroke at a time. Cheers to life’s little surprises and detours. Sometimes, they’re the adventure we didn’t know we needed.

Happy Friday everyone.  For us it is finding a place to live weekend. Gone are the days were we just laid around and occasionally headed out for a ride. I have been asked numerous times, “whats your next race”. And I have to say that everything is on hold until we find a place to live. Anyone got any ideas?

Just dropped the snapshots from our epic Thursday Night Ride – take a gander! Somehow, today’s vibe is more “meh” than TGIF, and I’m wrestling with the guilt of maybe ruffling a few feathers. But hey, last night’s escapade was a blast, as per usual.

We tore through the concrete jungle and the trails of Rattlesnake drainage like there was no tomorrow. Turns out, winter’s hanging on by its frosty fingernails – today’s snowstorm barely blinked at us, and it looks like the white blanket’s gonna tuck us in for a bit longer. But we’re a stubborn bunch; we’ll hang tight until the sun decides to grace us with its presence, melting our chilly moods along with the snow.

Now, onto the gossip mill – John W. relayed a note from Jed Dennison, basically saying tomorrow’s training race is a no-go if it’s under 40 degrees and raining or, heaven forbid, snowing. For the adventurers journeying from afar, Jed’s your go-to guy for a weather check-in come morning.

Feeling a bit deflated about the race and still reeling from this morning’s drama (cue the quick palaver). That’s all, folks – signing off with a heavy heart and soggy sneakers!

Hello from a expedited atmosphere here in my apartment in Missoula Montana.  I am late for work but wanted to post a blog to say hello to all my friends and suggest that I may be ok.  I am hoping to feel good enough to go for a workout tonight … maybe a light Tie Bo session or something.  I have been Ill with the flu for the past two and a half days.  It has not hit me as hard as my co workers, one of which is in the hospital.

I have also been able (with the help of the flu) to get my bike parts order in for the season.  Jensen USA, Performance, and Jensens were my final purchase points. You say support the local shops … well you don’t live in Missoula.  It would be a nightmare to track down what I needed.

So anyway there is good news all around.  Ill feel great when I am over the flu and I have bike parts on the way.  Enjoy your week everyone.

So, I once mentioned I’d go all out to protect my dog from aggressive ones, right? Well, today was a real test, and let’s just say, timing could’ve been better. Last week, I had a bit of a mishap with a tree while skiing, leaving me with some serious bruising and painfully sore ribs. And wouldn’t you know it, tonight’s walk with Marcy had us face-to-face with a pit bull attack.

It was a gorgeous evening, temps in the 50s, and the sunset was gearing up to be a showstopper. We headed to Waterworks Hill for a stroll, soaking up the vibe until we were rudely interrupted. Heard someone approaching over the ridge and quickly leashed Marcy, bracing myself.

Then it happened. A woman’s dogs, including a pit bull, charged at us. As the pit bull went for Marcy, I intervened, only to aggravate my chest injury in the scuffle. Amidst the chaos, the other dog targeted Marcy’s leg.

The pain was intense, my chest on fire as I shielded Marcy, shouting for help. The owner? Cool as a cucumber, telling me to calm down while I’m wrestling her dog off mine. She eventually got her dogs and I, clutching my arm in agony, made a beeline in the other direction.

Missoula’s got a serious issue with reckless dog owners letting their potentially dangerous pets roam free. Imagine a child, not just another dog, being attacked. It’s a ticking time bomb. How many more incidents before we take serious action against these irresponsible owners? Pit bulls can be dangerous—denying it doesn’t change the reality.

Hey there, folks! Bill here, and let’s dive right into this Monday, which is, well, feeling like a classic Monday. It’s all coming back to me, especially last Friday. You see, I’m still a software guy at heart, and on that fateful Friday, I was supposed to create a flow chart. Sounds simple, right? Well, not so much. My co-worker and I couldn’t quite agree on what we wanted, and long story short, I ended up working an extra hour. Yep, that’s Friday for you.

But let’s turn our attention to today, shall we? Monday means picking up where we left off, but before we get into the nitty-gritty, I have some exciting news to share. I went hiking yesterday, and it was an absolute blast. A long, 10.5-mile hike that didn’t feel half as long because the sights were simply spectacular.

Spring is in full swing, and everything is turning a vibrant shade of green. I couldn’t resist stopping at times to capture the beauty of this lush greenery. And just when I was about to swing left and head up the Lantern Ridge, guess what? Snowfall! It was like a magical touch to the already stunning landscape.

Instead of tackling Lantern Ridge, I decided to venture a little further on the South Fork Lolo Creek Trail and then follow the creek back to capture some mesmerizing waterfall shots. But here’s where adventure met reality – once I hit the wilderness boundary, things got rugged and thick. It became clear that following the creek back wasn’t the best idea, so I retraced my steps.

As I made my way back, a storm tagged along, but just when I was within 3 miles of the trailhead, the sun burst through the clouds. And that’s when it happened – I captured a magnificent picture of a rainbow touching down right in front of me. Mother Nature sure knows how to put on a show!

After basking in the sun for a while, I headed home, but there was one small hiccup – a huge blister on my heel. So, this week’s project? Fix those boots, no doubt about it.

Don’t forget to check out the pictures from the hike for a visual treat. Until next time, keep exploring, stay prepared for Monday surprises, and always keep those boots in tip-top shape!

Yesterday it rained. It started out snow but turned out to be an absolute downpour. The problem is that I was out there on my road bike doing some big ring climbs. By the time I had descended into town I was absolutely frozen. My core temperature was way down. When I got into the shower I could feel the warmth outside my skin while the inside was cooling down the water. Damn cold! Today the sun is out and I am taking a half-day off to go riding.

In car news, my new car goes in today for its 20,000 tune-up. Boy how miles fly by! This summer I will put tons of miles on the beast. Not as much as if I lived in Plattsburgh because now I am right here in the thick of the entire racing scene.