Alaska

I've traveled home for the holidays, back to the "last fronteir" they call Alaska.  Normally bike riding isn't something one associates with Alaska, especially when the show falls, but due to an increase in snow bikes people are changing their tune.  There are two shops up here that have started producing their own fat tire bikes, and the cyclists are going nuts for them.  It's so great to see small shops create a new niche and help keep their lights and heaters on during the cold months.  Coming from a motorcycle shop background up here, I'm more than familiar with the issues and stresses of running a seasonal business.  The ability to branch into once before uncharted territory for boosting profit margins, is a huge win, especially when there is no transfer or scale costs.  Those shops are still selling bikes, therefore the tooling is the same, the knowledge is similar, and come spring, they just change to road/mtn bikes, albeit with most of the same customers.

I don't own a fat bike primarily because I'm seldom in Alaska, but I did build a snow bike of my own to leave up here.  I was able to pick up an old Klein Rascal mtb frame for fairly cheap, and it came with wheels.  The frame is structurally fine, but has plenty of nicks and scrapes.  I used parts laying around, and a few purchased to make my own winter cruiser.  I already had some studded tires so the project went together pretty easily.  The fat tire bikes are great for fresh snow, but they don't make studded tires for them.  Most trails in Anchorage, especially after a cold spell, are cleared and frozen, thus making studs a wonderful option for some winter training.  Granted it's not the same as riding with my coach and a couple local motors on my road bike, but in a pinch it'll do just fine.

Training and Bikes!

Too much time has passed since I last posted. I have since recovered enough to start riding, and continue my therapy with some mild lifting in the gym. I have a few new updates to the herd, and some great training stories, stay tuned!

car 1, B 0

Last Wednesday I embarked on a training ride with a couple of teammates.  These guys are pure motors and know every gravel road in a 200 mile radius of Salem, so usually I hang on for dear life.  We rolled out of town around 9:30, and about 20 mins into the ride, while passing an intersection to a park, a lady decides to gas it through the intersection we've just entered into, making a left hand turn from oncoming traffic.  She clips the rear wheel in front of me, and the Scion Xa and I become fast friends as I slam into the side of it.  After careening off the car I land in the road clutching my shoulder.  There were a few other cars that got a front row seat to the action as they were stopped at a red light. 

After a short ambulance ride, xrays show a stage 3 spearated clavicle, and a compressed rib cage. 

A visit to an orthopedist results in a sling for 4 weeks, no surgery, and lots of pain during sneezing, coughing, and laughing.

It's now the end of October, been off the bike for over 2 weeks, slowly losing my sanity.  Though I've been racing since Febuary, I felt itchy to get back on the bike after only a few days, 4 weeks is torture.  Coach says to use the time to get a nice mental break, then back at the base miles...he's always right.

Since I was on my cross bike, my only geared bike, during the crash, it's toast, and now I'm waiting on a 2011 Specialized

shoulda, woulda, coulda

I have learned many things from my dad over the years, but there are a few gems that stick out.

In my life, I have participated in two motocross races, both times finishing mediocre in the novice category.  After the last of the two, I was recounting the race for my dad, when I remarked that there seemed to be many people afterwards who kept playing out hypothetical race situations based on assumptions.  For instance "if only he hadn't cut me off in that turn, man, I shoulda just taken the inside line, I woulda passed him, and I coulda gotten on the podium."  The response from my dad was simple, "Ah, I see you've found the 'shoulda, woulda, coulda' racing team, there's a few members at every event."

 That was in 2008, and I have not been on my dirt bike since.  I took up cycling that summer, and have just completed my first season road racing.  I'm not quite sure why that thought stayed with me for so long, perhaps it's because most people have a tendency to use the 'SWC' in times of race reccolection, no matter what the dicipline. 

At any rate, I obviously intend this blog to cover my coming 2010 cyclocross season, as well as any racing from here on out.  Hopefully I won't 'SWC' much and rather say 'thank got he didn't do that, and I get to keep my top spot on the podium.'

Thanks for your time.