The Divergent Mountain Biker

Ah, life’s rich tapestry, where the rhythm of our hearts spins yarns more enthralling than any campfire story, particularly when you wade into the murky waters of heart rate variability (HRV). Embarking on a quest to decipher my own HRV’s rises and falls has been nothing short of an epic,… …o/o

Jinjer’s “Teacher, Teacher!” has me diving back into my school years and has been like ripping off a bandaid to reveal a still-festering rage. Those days, clouded by offers of “he will never be able to read, so let’s just put him in a special class” and dismissals like “he… …o/o

Well, Mo and I have been under the weather thanks to Mr. COVID, which got me thinking (or rather, not wanting to think too hard about crafting a brand-new blog post). So, let’s take a stroll down memory lane, shall we? A sort of “on this day” compilation, if you… …o/o

Mo’s back in Missoula, and has returned from her travels, though she’s a bit under the weather. This morning, I found myself lost in admiration of her cactus snapshots. This prickly character seems to be a towering saguaro cactus, a true native of the Sonoran Desert’s wild west. Saguaros are… …o/o

Mo’s finally back from her globetrotting gig, and guess what? It’s show-and-tell time, people! She’s unloaded her digital trove, and nestled among the pixels is this dazzling snapshot of Tanque Verde Falls. If you’ve never had the pleasure, picture a slice of desert paradise that’s so stunning, you’d swear it… …o/o

Today kicked off with the kind of thrill only a library card on a rainy day could rival. I dove headfirst into an epic binge-watch session of autism documentaries, a heroic quest for knowledge. The plot twist? I was out cold on the sofa before you could say “educational enrichment,”… …o/o

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… …o/o

Day 3 at the Pipestone Training Camp, and folks, it’s as if Coach Bear took it upon himself to personally redefine human limits—and my ability to stand without looking like I’ve just discovered gravity. We kicked off with what I’ve lovingly dubbed the “deceptive saunter” spanning a breezy 0.72 miles.… …o/o

Day 2 at Pipestone Training Camp, and it seems Mr. Bear has morphed into Coach Bear, a drill sergeant in disguise. Picture this: me, bleary-eyed, reaching for my coffee like it’s my lifeline, only to be told by Coach Bear that my morning ritual is now replaced with sprints. Coffee?… …o/o

So, there I was yesterday at 5pm, basking in the afterglow of what I’d arrogantly dubbed a “triumphant” bike ride, when reality decided to slap me with a wet fish. Imagine me, dismounting my bike, only to find the ground beneath me had transformed into a spinning teacup ride from… …o/o

Ah, the first day of spring, a time when nature decides to play a little prank on me by gifting me with 10 ticks—yes, ten of those little buggers—after a leisurely stop at what I’d affectionately call a “creep crossing.” Snapped a pic for the memories, of course. So, let’s… …o/o

Ah, Lake Como, tucked away in the Bitterroots, just a stone’s throw from my buddy’s Red Barn. It’s our go-to escape every so often. Sometimes she’s a frozen wonderland, other times she dazzles under the summer sun. This last visit, with her icy cloak on, we trekked around on foot,… …o/o

You know, I’m still riding that merry-go-round of meh. But hey, it’s not all gloom and doom on the horizon—I’ve been stirring the pot a bit more lately. Got some plans brewing, and if the stars align, I might just yank myself out of this funk with a good ol’… …o/o

Back in the mystical land of ’04, I found myself perched on the edge of destiny, with the “2004 EFTA Race Schedule” (link) in hand. Picture me, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to etch my name onto the unforgiving terrain of cycling lore. Zip through time to 2006, and you’d catch… …o/o

Kicking off my digital escapade way back in ’03, I tossed out a post that, looking back, was kind of the “Hold my beer” moment before diving headfirst into the whirlwind adventure the interwebs had in store. “Embracing the Chaos” (link) was me, trying to make sense of the beautiful… …o/o

Cuddles isn’t the four-legged, furry kind of support system; she’s my partner, my better half. Imagine being so in tune with someone that they just know when you need a little extra TLC. That’s Cuddles for you. Yesterday, she was like a beacon of light in what felt like my… …o/o

My coworker catches a glimpse of a scene so chaotic, they’re halfway through dialing 911 before they realize—hold up, it’s just Bill having another one of his “Survival Mondays.” At first, the scene’s a mess—looks like a garage sale after a tornado. But then it hits me: this isn’t the… …o/o