Category: Blog Posts

It was a good summer. At 70 degrees it was tee shirt weather. Spring started on Wednesday and by Thursday it was summer. The Thursday Night Mountain Bike Ride was very well attended as we rode over Mount Jumbo Saddle and over to Marshall Grade. We even rode up to the snow line and down some new single-track on the Sheep Mountain Trail. Now today is the last day of summer because fall starts tonight as we go back into winter. Tomorrow as the snow flies once again and the temperatures drop I will be headed to Phillipsburgh for my Pintler Passes Ride a 84 mile ride over two mountain passes, one the Continental Divide.

Today is payday in which I will be getting 10 less per week than normal due to some tax adjustments. Already I don’t eat well enough so what I should cut is not determined yet. My priorities are cycling, food, bills, entertainment, website & communication. So I guess the reasonable solution is to lose the telephone connection and my powerful People PC service. This will save me enough per month to take up the slack. My next phone will be Skype.

Its off to work were I am working hard to sew up my development projects so that I can be a position that is not so obligated. My work is at a point were without a business plan and a marketing agenda it will go underused and not reach its full potential. Some businesses are at a point were they are too small for todays technology requirements. Wouldn’t a grant to get these small businesses up to speed a good idea. Only an idea; I haven’t put much thought into it so don’t put to much stock into it. My ultimate goal is to have my development used by people in a way that sets apart my employer from the pretenders. At work I have written a application that takes an XML feed off of the States servers to produce a tourism site. It is cool to see upcoming events, find events and things to do, and chat with others about the best place to go.

Have a good weekend everyone and thanks for reading my blog.

So here I am, just sitting and waiting. If the attendant’s itching to lock up, well, that’s just too bad for them. I’m stuck running yet another load of laundry when normally I’d be in the Zen zone of folding. Why the laundry encore, making me late for my ritualistic grocery run? Let me spill the beans.

Everything was ticking along fine. I tossed in a load and sauntered over to the Big Dipper for a double scoop of huckleberry ice cream dunked in chocolate—decadence at its best. Now, I bet you’re conjuring images of me, perhaps splattering ice cream on unsuspecting bystanders, or maybe dodging a rogue vehicle only to require an emergency wash to rinse off the gore. Hold your horses! It’s not that cinematic, but it sure did ruffle my feathers.

I sauntered back to the Green Hanger right as my laundry cycle was supposed to end. I lifted the lid only to discover a watery abyss—no laundry nirvana in sight. The blasted machine had given up the ghost, leaving my clothes swimming in limbo. So there I was, fishing out my soggy wardrobe. Much to the horror of onlookers, I schlepped my dripping mess across the floor to another machine.

And here I sit, somewhat pacified that I could vent about my ordeal via a blog post on my Palm while I wait out round two of this washing saga. Time to check on that. Hope your weekend goes smoother than mine!

Last night’s ride almost got washed out by rain, but as I rolled up to the Crazy Canyon trailhead, it was clear that spring fever was in full force. Despite the gloomy skies, a solid crew of eight showed up, all pumped and ready to hit the trails. Sure enough, the rain kicked in, threatening to soak us through, but it barely made a dent in our spirits. Before long, it stopped being a bother, eventually stopping altogether.

We took on Crazy Canyon Road, pushing all the way to the top of Mount Sentinel. The view up there? Absolutely worth it, though we did lose one rider who decided the climb was a bit too ambitious and headed home.

The descent was where the real fun began, especially hitting a stretch of single track. That’s when I felt something off with my bike – it was handling weirdly, probably because the front shock was so blown out, riding it was borderline reckless. And the mud – oh, the mud. It was like nothing we’d faced before, especially for me, being used to the drier conditions out West.

Coming down to the parking lot, I had to speed past some slower riders because my back brakes were practically non-existent, and I was done burning rubber trying to maintain a polite distance. But with the muddy conditions, that tactic quickly turned into a sliding spree. In an attempt to keep upright, I eventually lost the battle, sliding out and going over the bars straight towards a stump.

After a graceful slide into a stump and a generous helping of mud, I managed to pop back up and finish off the ride. This morning? A souvenir in the form of a sore hand, but all in all, I’d say I got off pretty lightly. The bike’s another story – needs a headset rebuild and a new set of back brakes.

All told, we were out there for about an hour and 20, with plenty of breaks to catch our breath. Next adventure? We’re setting off from Lincoln Hills Drive Trailhead. Can’t wait.

Just dropped my list of 2006 mountain biking adventures (and then some) on the site. You can’t miss it—it’s chillin’ in the main menu under “2006 Races”. But hey, I’m only human. Spotted a typo? Got a race that’s not on the list but absolutely needs to be? Hit me up through my “Contact Form” or shoot me an email if we’re already buddies.

Now, onto the juicy bit—tonight’s Thursday Night Ride.

We’re kicking off from the Crazy Canyon Trailhead, and let me tell you, I’m buzzing with excitement. Heard through the grapevine that some of my pals are back from tearing it up at the Sea Otter Classic (pretty sure that’s the one – check it out at https://www.seaotterclassic.com/). One of them even snagged the top spot. Can’t wait to catch up, swap stories about the race, and chat about what’s on the horizon. After a long winter, it’s about time we hit the trails together again. Can’t wait to see who else decides to join. Here’s to good times and great rides ahead!

Today I hit the mountain pass at Lolo Pass on the Idaho Montana border for this weekend’s bike ride. I am going it alone and will be taking limited tools, food, and water. I’ll use my filter to get water from the Lochsa River. I might even stop off at the hot springs for a soak. The weather looks nice but on the pass who knows pass web cam.

I should be back this evening after 8 pm as I start out of here at 10. I want to be on the bike by 11 as the weather is supposed to peak on the nice side by then. I am feeling pretty good although last night Marcy and I hiked University Mountain and I could feel remnants of last week’s knee soreness.

• Date: April 9, 2006
• Distance: 75 miles RT
• Max El: 5,251ft
• Climb El: 8,999ft
• Est. Tm: 5 to 6 hours
• Map: click here

The content reflects a deep passion for cycling, endurance challenges, and the spirit of adventure. It’s inspiring to see individuals push their limits and embark on such extraordinary journeys. The dedication and determination of the participants shine through in these engaging narratives.

If you’re a cycling enthusiast, these links will provide you with a wealth of information about challenging biking routes, personal achievements, and the incredible spirit behind these adventures.

Citations:
[1] https://williammartin.com/mountain-biking/2013-rmvq
[2] https://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/one-big-circle-the-first-90-degrees/
[3] https://williammartin.com/mountain-biking/the-rmvq/
[4] https://williammartin.com/mountain-biking/the-rmvq
[5] https://williammartin.com/mountain-biking/

From Break Espresso, my morning haven—it’s not just about the coffee, which is so well-priced it could make even a night owl chirp at dawn. The pastries? A gamble, sure, but there’s a charm in yesterday’s scone. The service can be a sunrise smile or a backstage scramble. Yet, it’s the unpredictability, the mix of experiences, that reels me back. It’s like trying to recall Spring Break with Paul—bits and pieces, vivid and hazy all at once. Every visit here is a mini-adventure, a nod to life’s unexpected moments, latte in hand.

I woke up this morning determined not to let the outcome of yesterday’s web changes at work not control me the way I let some people do at Sikorsky Aircraft. There were people on my team at Sikorsky that sabotaged my work and thus my reputation. I did not want the latest changes I was asked to do at the MARS Stout website to define or represent my work. As soon as I got to work I sent out a letter:

I don’t like the way our web site looks. Yesterday a new banner got posted and the font colors were changed. The result in my opinion looks dysfunctional and not very professional. … I like to do good work and our current website does not reflect that … in fact I feel embarrassed…

I set out and redesigned the banner and quickly got the site looking a little better. I didn’t ask permission or anything, just sent out the letter, implemented my changes, and restored my dignity. In the end, everyone likes it and I no longer have to be embarrassed to say that I worked on the MARS Stout Website.

Last night I rode the Blackfoot Trail but found that my heart rate was somewhat slower than normal. I may be on the verge of over-training, but I still enjoy it. Perhaps this is why so much at work frustrates me. The rainy weather continues, and I feel like my luck has run out. Tonight I expect to get extremely wet, muddy, and cold, which strangely appeals to me!

{rant section} I was just asked to make some style changes to the MARS Stout website. Personally, I think the new font changes have made the site look worse. While the site does need updating to appear more professional (a future redesign may help), the previous style was pretty good. Now it looks dysfunctional and the design elements are not complementary. So please don’t think this is one of my own sites. Yuck!

Thursday Night Ride Report

I left work around 4:40 and rode to the Blue Mountain Recreation area before the group was to meet at 6. I rode up the Blue Mountain Road and came down the single-track that we usually climb. I met Larry and a new rider, and we set off to do some riding.

We rode for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. In that time, we rode up to the first upper parking lot, turned left, and climbed up and over to a great downhill that I had never ridden before. We ended up by the footbridge at the bottom. We rode back up the gulch and came down my favorite downhill before returning to the parking lot.

Even though we received a record rainfall yesterday (1.68 inches), we were able to enjoy a ride without too much mud. In fact, the riding conditions were pretty good.

I just turned off the TV where forecasters are predicting rain, rain, and more rain. They even lowered the snow line to around 5,000 feet, so we are looking at over a foot of new snow up on the trails. This doesn’t bode well for tomorrow’s Thursday Night Mountain Bike Ride.

Yesterday’s weather promised to be the same, but I lucked out with a dry evening as I rode to Swartz Creek and up the dirt road for about two miles into the beautiful valley. The ride took me two and a half hours and totaled 45.4 miles. Over the last four days, I have traveled 150 miles… nice to be back. Did I just hear a snow plow go by?

Tomorrow will be my third day on the bike, and people at work are going to start wondering if I ever go home. I arrive with cycling wear, put on work clothes, take them off, put on the cycling clothes, and head out the door. They don’t understand.

Last night’s Friends and Family gathering went off as usual with the usual characters. Topics included movies, travel, and site visitors. If it is sunny in your neck of the woods, enjoy it!

It feels good being back in the saddle on my road bike this spring. While it hasn’t been a long cold winter, I do feel like it’s time for spring. Cycling is my life; it’s what my soul craves when I’m not doing it. I love riding all day and then lying around unable to muster enough energy to do anything else. I laid around all weekend when I wasn’t in the saddle. It was mentally and financially draining after last weekend’s race in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Devil’s Slide: Last weekend, I decided on Saturday to go to a race in Idaho. I hastily threw all my gear together and split around 1 pm. The drive was beautiful, even though it was treacherous due to a big rainstorm that pounded me all the way through Idaho. When I arrived, I found the campground that I had called earlier closed to tent sites (RVs only). Then, every time I decided to go for a pre-ride, it started downpouring.

Frustrated from not getting a ride in, I set up my tent in an RV spot and didn’t fill out the campground slip because there was no way I was paying for an RV spot when I was given bad information on the phone about tent space availability. I got it all set up in the pouring rain, and all that was left to do was to quickly throw in the bedding without getting it too wet. I searched the entire car and couldn’t find my sleeping bag. I had forgotten it.

Right then, I decided to drive back home and abandon the entire weekend. I drove around town for quite a while in a daze; my brain was fried. I finally stopped at the worst place ever… Burger King. Now thoroughly disgusted, I headed home.

I passed the Super 8 on highway 12 going back to Missoula and remembered that my friends were staying there. I decided to go and leave them a message about my disappearance. For some reason, I gave up the ghost and decided to use my credit card to spend the night there. I was absolutely done trying to navigate my emotions and the daunting task of driving 4 hours straight back home.

My friends showed up later that night, and we went out for some food. At that point, things started to look up. I decided to stick around the next day and watch them race.

The next day, the sun was out, and it was absolutely beautiful. I decided I wanted to ride. After riding the course, I decided that I wanted to race and headed to the registration table to spend the next week’s grocery money. My friends had saved my weekend, and with their help, I was able to race. The day before was a mess; I shouldn’t have gone to the race as I don’t have money to burn, and it seemed as though it would bite me in the ass. It didn’t, and the weekend turned out fantastic. I got 3rd place, as well as two of my other friends.

Week of Rest: It took a week of resting before cycling had re-entered my soul. All I could think about was getting on my bike and riding all day. I planned some future races and was glad to find out that there was a Montana Series in the works this year. This weekend, I went road riding both days and laid around the house when it was hailing, raining, or nighttime. Yesterday, I went out for a great 67-mile ride to the Nine Mile Valley and back. The entire ride took me 4 hours, and after, I laid in the sun in the front yard. What a weekend! That is what life is all about.

So now it’s back to the grind. There is a race next weekend that I want to do, but I don’t have the cash for it yet. But I don’t care; it’s spring and a new riding season. Isn’t that exciting?

It is suddenly mountain bike season. It seems too early for me but this Sunday there is a mountain bike race in Idaho and I am currently receiving offers to go on a ride tonight. Could it be because of the 60-degree weather suddenly upon us? The problem is the big snow pack in the mountains that will keep us all low in elevation and forever cleaning the mud off our bikes.

The web site I am working on today relies upon a state run database and it is offline permitting me to break for a blog.

I tried a ride last night up Kim Williams and around Deer Creek then to Pattee Canyon and down. There was deep mud and ice along the railroad tracks. On Deer Creek Road it was Ice covered with 2 inches of slimy mud. Pattee Canyon Road is finally dry.

Alden reports that he part of Mount Jumbo south of the saddle road opened on March 15. ”From the saddle road north is closed until May 1. However, one can go around by going up the Plum Creek road on the east side of Marshall canyon to where it crosses the Woods Gulch to Sheep Mountain trail. The Woods Gulch trail is open but probably still has snow.“

So yea! Tis the Season. On tap tonight is a ride with Alden and down to the Kettle House for a beer and maybe I can get a load of laundry done. Tomorrow it looks like a trip to the Pass for some tele skiing! Sunday is the race. I still have not herd back from friends that want to go so if interested give me a call.

Hey from University Ridge! Found myself a comfy log to spill my thoughts. The sun’s dipping low, painting the sky all sorts of gorgeous. Couldn’t make it all the way up—turns out the snow’s still king of the upper ridge. But hey, this evening’s trek with Marcy (my trusty four-legged sidekick) is pretty awesome. Spring’s in the air, days are stretching out, and the nights? They’re finally shaking off the chill.

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.