Category: Blog Posts

Ah, greetings from Missoula, Montana, where the sun has decided to grace us with its presence, albeit a tad shyly. Despite the thermometer flirting with the thirties, it seems we’ve got a snowstorm rolling in to spice up the weekend. So, there’s a solid chance my plans to hit the road for a race might get snowed out—again. It’s like Mother Nature herself is plotting against my cycling calendar, having already thrown a wrench in the works for some high school sports that are usually in full swing by now.

Last evening, instead of painting the town red, I opted for a cozy night in. The agenda? Some R&R and tinkering with a new cleat position. Gotta say, it’s not every day you find joy in adjusting bike cleats, but here we are. Managed to sneak in a bit of extra prep on my race beast, gearing up for what I hope will be a smashing time at the Devil’s Slide in Lewiston, Idaho, next weekend. Fingers crossed the weather gods are on our side this time.

Oh, and speaking of good times, tonight’s the shindig over at Missoula Bike Works. We’re bringing our TNR (Tuesday Night Ride) crew there. How about it? Fancy joining a bunch of bike enthusiasts for an evening of tales and trails? Come on, it’ll be fun!

Speedwagon Classic Next

Matt Seeley in Polson, MT, is hosting the inaugural Speedwagon Classic Bike Race this Saturday at 10 AM, and I strongly encourage everyone to participate and enjoy themselves. He promises it will be a memorable ride, and best of all, it’s free! Racing without a fee – that’s exactly what I’m excited about. Below are the details and the map.

The race begins at 10 AM, with a barbecue to follow at 5 PM.

APRIL FOOLS … Spring is NOT here! Good morning from Missoula Montana. We just got hit by another snow squall and it is cold enough that it isn’t melting any more.  The parking lot is getting coated as I blog. Last nights hike with Marcy afforded me a great view of white nothing. Were have all the flowers gone ??? On top of all that I am getting a back log of bikes to clean, repair, and ready to ride.  The weather is killing the parts.

I plan to leave work today and go snow biking (yes, snow biking) to Blue Mountain Rec. Area.  I plan to explore what will be doable for Thursday.  Anyone want to go … contact me!

On a cool note I have posted some Google Gadgets on my site, sort of like a health dashboard.  Check it out!

Hello from Missoula, Montana, where we’re expecting 6 inches of snow, and it seems winter’s decided to overstay its welcome with a flair for the dramatic. Just yesterday, this reminder hit me hard, and today, I find myself in desperate search of a sliver of sunshine—anything to break through the monotony and reignite our hope that summer isn’t just a myth.

What kicked off as a promising day and a journey to a breathtaking spot quickly turned into an epic saga of endurance. I embarked on a road ride from Plains to Thompson Pass—a whopping 91 miles that, despite the ordeal, I don’t regret one bit. The beauty of the area is undeniable, a true classic in its own right.

Campin’ out at City Brew ’til the clock strikes 10, then I’m homeward bound by 11. Got this itch to hit the trails at Thompson Falls – think secret passage to Idaho vibes, just asphalt and the open road, no bumper-to-bumper nonsense. Anyone up for a map quest? Wouldn’t say no to a bit of company… Hit me up! Planning to roll out at the crack of half-past noon, by which time the sun should’ve done its bit to thaw us out.

Splashed some snapshots onto my My Picassa Gallery. Morning kicked off with me tinkering on my mountain bike project, then it was all systems go for the day’s race. Got there, already signed up and all, to find tumbleweeds. Did a victory lap solo and crowned myself champ. Home next, for a winner’s nap, then back to greasing the gears on my mountain bike ’til the stars came out.

From City Brew, I’m building up Lolo, my racing bike, as I prepare for the MJCF Missoula Road Race #2. With registration looming, the race’s status is uncertain, but I’m ready to head out, hoping it’s on or to find a riding partner at Missoula Bike Works.

Tomorrow’s big plan involves a pass ride from Thompson Falls into Idaho, exploring a lesser-known pass to the West. Interested in joining? Let me know!

Check out the photo I’m smiling about in my Picasa Gallery and more about the race at MJCF Missoula Road Race #2. Planning a ride? See the route on Google Maps.

Greetings from Missoula, Montana! The sun’s up and shining bright, but don’t let it fool you – it’s still nippy out here. March is doing its usual dance, teasing us with light but holding back on the warmth. Had a bit of an adventure last night checking out the local trail scene. Decided to give Treasure Ride a go, only to discover it’s more of an ice rink than a trail right now. Clearly, the trails aren’t quite spring-ready.

But, not all was lost! I found solace in the new trail up South Sentinel – that one’s good to go. It intersects the fire road and, let me tell you, it was a treat. Managed to get in 6 laps before the sun dipped, basking in what felt like a preview of spring, soaking up those warmer temps.

The descent, however, was a whole other story. The temperature drop turned my ride back into a chilly endeavor – Brrrr, indeed! Here’s to the sunny but deceptive days of early spring in Montana.

So there I was, gallivanting across the great outdoors with Marcy—our so-called “active recovery mission” (fancy talk for hiking with a purpose), when lo and behold, a splash of color caught my eye amidst the monotony of the earthy terrain. I stooped down, half-expecting to unearth a rogue piece of litter, perhaps a strip of plastic tape gone rogue. But then, I paused. My brain couldn’t quite make the connection; this splash didn’t seem to belong in the otherwise dormant, frost-kissed field.

After a moment, the proverbial light bulb flickered on. Holy guacamole, it was a flower! You could’ve knocked me over with a feather. Considering we’ve been living in a snow globe since just before Thanksgiving, this little bloom felt like a herald of a long-awaited thaw. My apologies to my tele-buddies—oops, I mean tele-tubbies (darn you, spring fever, you’ve got me all mixed up!). Get it? Because it’s like the end of our own wintery episode. Ha!

On a whimsical note, if this little encounter has tickled your fancy for some floral escapades, why not check out a gallery of wildflowers? It’s like nature’s own version of a rebellious art exhibit, splashing color where you least expect it. It will be updated in the future with images uploaded to this blog.

Good, wonderful, sunny, and courageous Monday!  Well, it is not great because although it looks sunny out it is brutally cold.  If the wind were not blowing 140 mph we could maybe, just maybe, warm up.  Yesterday was good though and I got in a good ride to boot. Check out my photo gallery for an album full of awesome pictures, look for “March 23rd, 2008 – Bearmouth Road Ride”.

I went with my buddy to ride from Bearmouth to Drummond and back.  It takes just a tad under two hours at a moderately easy pace.  it was the perfect ride for yesterday.  Heck, the temps even got into the upper 40s. Now that is spring weather!  Keep it fast!

So, yesterday marked the debut of the season’s racing shenanigans, and it took us to the scenic roads of Clinton, MT. Now, our dear Mr. Jedzilla decided it would be a brilliant idea to toss me into the ‘A’ group. You can imagine me there, sweating bullets, paranoid about either stepping on the toes of the ‘big boy’ peloton or, heaven forbid, causing a spectacular tumble. The main mission? To clock in a 30-minute time trial. Why? Oh, just a tiny quest for my anaerobic threshold data – no biggie. And would you believe it? The stars aligned, and I hit an AT of 172! How’s that for sweet?

As for today’s agenda, it’s looking like a 1.5-hour joyride to shake off the cobwebs and get the legs spinning – Bearmouth is calling, and hopefully, it’s not a solo adventure. Oh, and get this: I might just be inching closer to the team life. Team NRO threw a line my way, hinting at a spot on their roster. So, what’s the moral of the story? Keep those pedals turning, and who knows where the road might take you. Ride hard, folks!

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!

After work, I was greeted at the door with a box from Price Point. My new kit from my new team ‘Unattached’ had arrived. I couldn’t help but try on the new gear to see if I would look out of place at the races. I must say that I really like the Fox Racing jersey; it’s lightweight, has a full zipper, is inexpensive, and even has a sunglass wiper – how cool is that?

Last night, my buddy Josh showed up with some beers, and a simple shifter replacement turned into a mild overhaul of the cable system. You know how it goes when you’ve had a bike for a while and it’s been a bit neglected. You take off one thing to fix it, and you have to replace or repair all the adjoining parts.

Tonight is the Thursday Night Ride (http://thursdaynightmtbr.org/). I’ll see you all there!

Last night threw me a curveball, giving me the perfect excuse to swap out my tires for those slick road bike tires, gearing up for this weekend’s race.

Good morning from Missoula where I just woke up and feel like another three days of sleep would feel so good. Yesterday I rode my bike from Drummond to Georgetown Lake and beyond.  In all I rode 90 miles and that completed my 222 mile week.  Now it is time to rest. Another big milestone is that I have reached the 1000 mile threshold and now can officially call myself “in shape”.  Time to race!

The drive to Drummond was spectacular and again just like the day before it was sunny and very nice which was in stark contrast to Missoula’s dark overcast and snow storm.  But just like the day before, a sunny drive doesn’t mean a sunny ride.

I left Drummond starring straight into a cloud that looked like it was dumping precipitation.  Entering into Hall the clouds looked like they were on the move and I was bracing for a long day in the saddle. After cycling an hour I reached Maxville and discovered that the clouds had passed and the sun was coming out.  The entire ride it seemed as if the sun was following me around.

At the 2 hour mark I finally reached the climb up the pass. I remarked to myself that now the fun would begin.  It was a blast and I must say this is my favorite pass.  It seems dramatic and the views can not be matched.  Once on top the Pintlers are astonishing. The road is great and to my surprise the driest roads I have encountered this year.  The best part is that there is barely any traffic.  If found myself reaching for the camera one to many times.  Stay tuned for video!

The trip back to the car was fabulous.  The sun came out in force and the all downhill route went by so fast I had to do a side trip once I got back to Drummond.  All I can say about this ride is, thank you sun.  This is the best one of the year so far. Next week is a road race and the week following I am working on a 150 miler … stay tuned.

Bundled up and carbing on a bagel while snowflakes dance outside… life indeed goes on. I’ve uploaded some photos to my web album to share the experience.

Yesterday’s venture to Lost Trail Pass was a repeat of the blizzard challenge from two years back. The drive there was stunning, but as I pedaled towards the pass, Mr. Blizzard decided to join the party.

This year, I may not have ‘won’ against the elements, but I completed my ride and had a blast.

The cold was biting, especially as I returned to Sula. My knees were stiff, almost as if my muscles had turned to ice. A detour down East Fork Road into Badger Gulch brought some warmth back into my limbs and lifted my spirits. From that point, the ride was fantastic, despite the earlier discomfort.

Stay warm and enjoy your own rides!