Published

My first photo has now been published in Schmap (<-- not this photo). Sure, it's an online travel guide with tons of other photos too, but mine is still in there if you look really hard :-)

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. So I apologize in advance, this means that my thoughts will probably bounce around to all the various things I thought about writing but apparently never captured.

In some ways, not much has changed, I have been getting out and enjoying the snowy winter...this is definitely a "good" winter from my perspective. I cross-country skiid (sp?), snowshoed, went sledding and went snowboarding. Of course, I also managed a bit if winter road riding (on the bike) and also checked out CompuTrainers at the local bike shop.

I will digress for a moment. Not sure what is good or bad, but my CompuTrainer numbers were an average of 225 watts and 90 rpm. I have to go again before I know how these numbers will compare, but thought I would capture it now for future reference.

So, all in all I am getting out and enjoying the season, and I really enjoy the time with family and friends. I have a very large relation, and this year seemed to be a return to big family style gameplay. I am fortunate, since most people will never experience getting together with 30 of their cousins and playing broom ball - it's a blast. I hate to admit that some of the cousins I would probably botch their name, but there is still a wonderful sense of family and it was a really great time (see photo - and no, this is not ALL of my cousins).

Despite all this wintery goodness, lately I have been feeling a pull back to the metro lifestyle. I think I would like to return to Milwaukee, possibly an East side condo. No more yard work, suburbs, car-oriented living. I want to go jogging along the lake, riding the river trails and paths, walk / bike to shops, and being surrounded by a population and culture that I seek. I want to see more people out on the street, hit up the corner coffee shop, and just feel a part of the urban scene. Can I have all that and still cross-country ski by moonlight in the woods? Could I still get my fix of singletrack riding? What about job changes? Still some sorting out to do...

Regardless, today I will be returning to the East side...to visit. I am excited to check out a movie at the Oriental, eat at Maharaja's, and eventually close Wolsky's with my wonderful cuz-in-law Johnny serving up some Lakefront brews.

10 in 10, twice

Tonight I went for a winter night ride (the pic is borrowed from my winter day ride last weekend). I decided I would bike to the mall to pick up a sternum strap for my camelback. I lost mine years ago, but it never really bothered me until I went x-country skiing and it kept falling off one shoulder. Anyway, it was mostly just an excuse to get out, so I hooked up my lights and hit the road on my fixie. I decided to go with three layers on top and bike shorts and tights on the bottom and brought along some extras just in case.

The ride started out nice. I was a bit chilled but figured I would warm up after a few miles. A few miles later I decided to put on the second pair of tights. I thanked myself for bringing an extra pair as I pedaled away with noticably better wind protection. From that point on I was comfortable except for the usual trouble areas - my feet and stomache. Yep, my stomache. I need to get a windproof vest or jacket, but I already agreed to let Santa make the purchase...so I am now really looking forward to xmas :-)

Once I got to the mall I realized I didn't bring a lock, so I ditched the bike in a snowbank near a few dumpsters. I figured people wouldn't want to ride it and probably b-line straight to their cars anyway. Once in the store I discovered that the sternum straps sold out in the last couple days...go figure. I attempted to find battery-heated socks that I heard about, but alas I did not find those either. A young woman did say I inspired her to get out on her bike, so I guess all was not lost. I put in a plug for WORS, so we'll see if she sucks it up buttercup.

On the way home I thought I would swing by Jesse's house and give him a hard time for not joining me...although I had only left a message. On the way a car pulled over and flagged me down. He had to know where I got my spoke lights and offered to buy them now. Admittedly I love them - they are fun, artsy, and ultimately help me be visible. Warning though, they do tend to get random shout outs, so be prepared!

I have been watching videos and reading about Milwaukee's bike culture, such as the Milwaukee Messenger Invitational. I miss East Side Milwaukee and being in an urban environment with a strong bike culture. I am seriously thinking about making my move back. For a while I pondered a move out of state (ideally for mountains, ocean, or both), but I think I could be happy hear. I just need a bit more of the yuppie life I guess; I don't want to get lost in the burbs yet. I would love to commute to work via bicycle, have my morning coffee at the local shop, jog along the lakeshore, and in general see more people out and about. Interesting events, restaurants, people, etc.

For today, I will settle for 10 miles at 10 degrees and back - not a bad day.

Winter Ride

We have been fortunate enough to get a good amount of snow already this winter, so of course that means it was time to wax up the skis...and then take out the mountain bike. What can I say, the two wheels were calling...

I think my face froze in the first minute, and my camelback water tube froze a few minutes after that. The wind was bone chilling, but I tried to trust that I would be just right once I was warmed up...or at least once I ducked into some wooded trails. I turned up the tunes and continued on.

I trail entrance off of the paved path was buried in virgin snow. As much as I love first tracks, I knew my bike wasn't necessarily the best tool to carve them. I veered in and was maintaining just enough traction to cut my path. Of course, I had to zig and zag as the snow continued to have its way with me. I spun out and put my foot down after 20 ft or so and questioned whether I could carry on for several miles of winter single track. I backed up a bit to utilize my pre-cut track to get a running start. A few moments later I was making tracks again and rediscovering my center of gravity. There was no turning back.

Last day in Venice

It was my last day in Venice and in Europe (other than travel). We bought a 12 hour vaporetto pass and took the boat to Murano island. Once there, we checked out the various glass shops and eventually had lunch. Lunch was very reasonable on the island, so it was necessary to have a bottle of wine, dessert, and cappuccino to accompany lunch :-)

The "free entrance" to the glass blowing factory is not too informative, but it is still neat to see some glass making in action. Apparently around 200 pieces are hand made each day by one person. After our tour we went back to the main island of Venice.

Our goal turned to souvenir shopping. I was amazed at how quickly this sucked the joy and energy out of shopping. I vowed to only buy souvenirs along the way in the future...when you know it is something someone will enjoy. Regardless, shopping was mostly done and it was time to refuel. I ordered another pesto dish; this time with spaghetti. I need to make pesto more often...okay, I need to try making pesto for the first time when I return.

After dinner we suddenly had another boost of shopping energy, so we hit up the Rialto area. We then headed back to the hotel to confirm travel plans; primarily ensuring I could meet up with the Kopfelsbergers again to get my passport. Plans were confirmed, so I could now comfortably ride the vaporetto around for some final night sightseeing along the grand canal. What a beautiful city! The vaporetto headed to Lido island and then turned around for one final pass along the canal before arriving at the train station.

We boarded the night train back to Munich. The following morning we arrived in Munich. We ate breakfast at Marienplatz in Munich with a fellow traveler we met on the train. We then parted to take the S-Bahn to the airport. At the airport we met up with mama and papa Kopfelsberger. I now had my key to re-enter the US. I had one last cappuccino with Katie, mama, and papa and began the series of checkpoints for my flight.

Just a 9 hour flight, a layover in Washington DC, a couple more hours, a layover in Chicago, another hour, and 30 hours after leaving Venice I was back. Brian and Jess picked me up from the airport and honored my request for some late night sushi before hopefully settling in for a long sleep. A nice end to a wonderful trip.

Venice: Day 2

Still no word on the passport, but not going to let that ruin my vacation. If anything, it will only extend it :-)

It was another day of perfect weather in Venice. Frankly, I could not have asked for better weather for the entire trip. We went to the local shop to get some rolls and cheese to combine with our salami leftover from Germany. It was a nice breakfast. Of course, I had to stop for a cappuccino at an espresso bar as well. In typical style, I stood at the espresso bar to refuel and then went on my way.

We headed back to San Marco square and checked out some shops south of there. Lots of beautiful Murano glass, but some things get old after viewing at each shop. We attempted to watch glass blowing, but it was only open for scheduled group tours. Still plenty to see though. We eventually stopped for our first pizza in Italy; the pesto pizza was excellent!

We continue south along the grand canal and just took everything in. I bought a canvas oil painting of Venice that I look forward to hanging up at home. Eventually I had my late afternoon gelato and headed back to the hotel. Upon my return, I found out that my passport was indeed left in the Kopfelsberger's car seat pocket (which I stowed because my backpack had a hole and I didn't want to lose it). So, although I must inconvenience them, I look forward to seeing them again and knowing that I will be able to re-enter the country (and to a country with Obama as president-elect...yeah!)

For dinner, I had a seafood pasta followed by a scallopini with mushrooms...good eats! We then headed to an opera concert that was quite impressive. The opera is really amazing in person, which include baroque period wardrobe this time as well. I especially like the barotone...wish the pamphlet had the names of tonight's performers.

Venice: Day 1

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 – Today we arrived in Venice on the overnight train from Munich. Most things still seem closed at 6:30am, so we grab our luggage and hit the streets…not quite sure where our hotel is. We stopped for breakfast and I had the espresso I promised myself. We also got directions, but eventually bailed on those after buying a map and realizing we had a long way to go. So, we took our first Vaporetto ride, which are the boat equivalent of the public bus. We still had to tackle a few stairs / bridges to get to the hotel, but eventually we found our way. We left our luggage at the hotel and headed out to explore the city.

On a side note, I was unable to find my passport for check-in. We sent an email to the Kopfelsbergers hoping that it might be in their car. If not, I may have an extended vacation…I probably shouldn’t have joked about throwing out my passport once I got here.

We attempted to follow a walking tour, which is quite difficult when every alley forces you to zig zag and may eventually dead end entirely or end at a canal. Winging it does not seem to work as well as other cities. Lots of venetian masks, scarfs, and glass works being sold by vendors. Every direction contains a canal, bridge, colorful building, public square or alley...really all that I would have imagined.

I had lunch along the grand canal close to the Rialto bridge. Good food, but dinner ended up being even better...the spaghetti as the first plate was great, followed by my second plate which was pork scallopini. Great flavor! Seeing San Marco square and the view from the top was amazing. I'm just taking it all in!

Change in plans

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 – We signed up for another hike and hitched a ride with the same couple from Stuttgart. This time we went to a small town south of Oberstaufen and took a ski lift car to the top. From there, you are able to hike many miles of trails across the mountain range, but we ended up doing a 10 km loop. Of course, mid-way we stopped for a beer and cheesecake (or whatever one cared to order). It was a nice hike; green mountains of grass and pine trees. The hills were marked with the cow paths acting like latitude lines. Some higher snow capped peaks appeared out in the distance. I kept thinking how great it would be to mountain bike on the trails.

Once we got to the bottom, we made a meal with eggs, meat, and cheese. Our goal was to use up some of the food because we decided to end our stay at Oberstaufen and venture on to Italy. We stopped at the travel buro in town and booked an overnight train to Venice…returning just in time to catch my flight back to the U.S.

I would have liked to have seen the mountain ranges along the way; instead I only saw giant shadows lingering over the occasional twinkling lights of village homes scattered on the hillside. I attempted to get some sleep, but I am not one for sleeping while lying across the narrow train seats. No worries though, a nice Italian espresso awaits me!

To the market

Monday, November 03, 2008 – Today we went on a group hike from the hotel. We car pooled with a couple with a car. She was from L.A. and now lives in Stuttgart with her husband. They were nice and we seemed to be of similar mindset. The hike was along a gorge and started 6km from the hotel. It was very nice with little waterfalls as the water worked its way down the gorge. It was a nice 2 hour hike.

After the hike we got dropped off in town and walked to the grocery store. We put one Euro into a slot on the grocery cart handle to check out the cart, and we get the Euro back when we insert the key from the kart in front of it; not a bad system. The store is much smaller than home, which isn’t a bad thing. We bought lots of nice rolls / bread, then we picked out some meats, cheeses, and a few other items for dinner…what has become our typical meal. I especially figured I would have some raw milk cheese since we are not allowed to have that in the states. We packed the food in a clothe sack and my backpack and headed back down the foot path to the hotel. On the way we stopped at the travel agency to see how much a train to Zurich or Venice would be.

Once we got back we had a great meal with our new groceries. We relaxed a bit and then went back into town. We decided to do the Venice trip, so we went back and booked our trip…we saved $40E on the train reservation from a few hours earlier; however, we decided to get a better hotel in the city closer to the train station – so it ended up being the same.
We then did a bit of shopping and eventually returned to the hotel. We made a vegetable ravioli with a good tomato sauce. We decided to bypass the schnapps tasting and call it an early evening. We didn’t do much today, but managed to get some exercise and stock up on some food.

An dem Staufen

Sunday, November 02, 2008 – Today I started the day after a 13-14 hour nap. After having a few nights without good sleep, this felt good. We took the foot path into town to find breakfast. We ordered a breakfast for two that included bread rolls with meats, cheese, jam, etc…the breakfast we have become accustomed to J.

After breakfast, we needed to find a place to buy feminine hygiene products, which was a challenge given that almost all places were closed except restaurants. I stopped and asked “Wo kann man ein Apotheke finden?” to ask where we can find a pharmacy. The older woman and her mother seemed to hesitate, so I went on to clarify saying “drogen”, which translates to “drugs”. The woman said I should not ask for that, since those are bad drugs only…apparently her English was better than my German. Now I know to use the word medicine…unless I want the good stuff J. At the train station I attempted to ask for paper for women and after some gesturing she recommended what I understood to be the gas station. Mission accomplished.

Once prepared, we went for a hike up Staufen mountain on the “am den Staufen” trail. It was a nice hike with some great views from the trail. We talked to a mountain biker (or attempted to) and he said that there are good trails in the area. Tomorrow the bike store will be open and we can ask about renting a bike. Since this is a holiday week, the bike store is only open on Monday and Thursday, so I am not sure if we would need to rent for several days or not.

After the hike we went back into town and stopped at an “eiscafe”, which serves fancy looking ice cream desserts. We had a “Spaghetti Eis” that looks like spaghetti (go figure) and a Nutella Becher, which had chocolate Nutella with peanut and vanilla ice cream. Very good with my cappacino. We then hiked back down the foot path to the Mondi-hotel and labeled some photos and relaxed a bit. Eventually we went to the Italian restaurant on the hotel campus. I had a salmon and spinach lasagna that was excellent. I am a bit too full, but hopefully I will get another good nights sleep. I think today was a good mix of catching up on sleep and also getting some exercise.
Oh, we also checked on internet usage…we must pay $8 Euro for an hour, so I will likely not post this until we leave. Either way, at some point I will post this.

Immenstadt

Saturday, November 01, 2008 – Today we left the Pension St. Jacob (?). They had an amazing breakfast that resembled our breakfasts at the Kopfelsberger’s…it will be difficult going back to not having a big breakfast. The 6 of us got in the car to head to Immenstadt, which is a great town in the mountains about 30km East of Oberstaufen. We met Franz’s friend Stilla who took us hiking on the mountainside just behind her parent’s home. It was a farmer’s field that had walking trails established. The view of the surrounding mountains and eventually the view of the lake were amazing. On a side note, I learned that the German word for “piggyback” is “Hockeypuck” (sp?); not schweinezuruck (the literal translation).

When we returned from our 1-2 hour hike, Stilla’s mom had juices, coffee, and a home-made apple streudel hot from the oven. It was very tasty; especially after we worked up an appetite on the hike. The weather was a gorgeous 50F or so and sunny. This is great hiking weather, and even nicer considering we expected 40F and rain.

We then left for Katie and my final destination for a while…Oberstaufen. I said goodbye to my new German family, which was said…I really am fortunate to have had such a rich experience with such wonderful people. I will miss them. Katie will return once I depart, so it was easier for her at the moment.

Once we settled in we headed into town to find some food. It is a holiday today, so most things were closed. We will try to buy some food at a supermarket tomorrow. We had a good pork steak dinner and talked to a couple from Texas…I think the guy was scared about a non-white person possibly becoming president, so I figured I would keep some of my thoughts to myself (go Obama!). Frankly, both candidates scare me – Obama because he is a bit too polished (can I trust him?) and McCain because he is too Bush-like regarding social, economic, and environmental policies. Either way, I am enjoying NOT following the election…I will return to a president-elect.

I’m not sure what the rest of the week will hold, but I suspect we will go on a lot of hikes in the surrounding mountains. I also hope to take a train or bus to some of the nearby cities. There is a land bobsled course nearby, so I hope to check that out as well. That’s all for today.

Friday, October 31, 2008 – Today Papa Franz, Katie, and I walked to the store (bakery and meat market) and bought fresh bread and meat for breakfast. It was another feast for a king…bread, cheese, meats, Nutella, jams, coffee, tea, and juice. I don’t think I could have asked for anything more.

After breakfast, Papa Franz, Franzi, Katie, and I went to Altötting and saw the “black mary”, which is a famous statue of the virgin Mary in a church in the town, which as many churches all around the square. People claim that the virgin Mary helped them be healed and produced miracles. We also met Frani’s girlfriend Angelica (Geli?) and then all returned to the Kopfelsberger’s house.

Susanna and Michael joined us, and eventually we went to a hockey game without the parents. We went to a town just outside of Munich. We had dinner at the rink and then watched the game. Michael’s team got their butts kicked, but it was fun to watch regardless. On the walk home, the boys stayed behind and eventually snuck back ahead of the girls to jump out and scare them…it was only proper given that it was Halloween.

Tonight we are staying in a hotel with three rooms and 6 beds for all of us. I had several liters of beer, so I think it is time to go to bed. Bis morgan…

Thursday, October 30, 2008 – Today I woke up at six o’clock. I went to the bathroom (wondering why I had all that beer before bed) and then tried falling asleep again. I didn’t think I would fall asleep, but eventually I was able to settle down for another 2 hours. I woke up to an amazing breakfast…lots of various breads, including brezel (pretzel), cheeses, a wonderful rhubarb and banana marmalade, yogurt to be used as a spread, honey, nutella (I guess peanut butter is not as good here??), and more. Of course, the large spread was for us guests, but it still reflects some of the local breakfast choices.

After breakfast, we (Papa Franz, Mama Ingred, Susanna, Michael, Katie, and me) headed to the salt mines just outside of Salzburg. It was a nice drive, although we could not see the top (Gibtfalt?...I keep forgetting this word, so I am forcing myself to include here) of the mountains due to the fog (Nebel). We took a small train into the mine and went down two different huge wood slides to get to lower levels. The tour guide would speak German for a long time and then play a recording that would have a noticeably shorter English version, but I still picked up on most of the details. The coolest part was an underground pool that was 100m x 30m and 3m deep (?). It was crystal clear, and the reflection of the ceiling made it look like the moon. Unfortunately, I could not take the picture I wanted because everyone was getting on the boat that we took to the other side.

After the salt mine, Susanna and Michael had to return, but the rest of us went to the Konigsee for lunch. I had currywurst and beer. It was pretty good. Still a bit foggy, but a few of the surrounding mountain peaks started to appear. There were lots of shops with clothes and other items that were surprisingly not too expensive. I didn’t buy the $200 lederhosen despite being reasonable.

When we returned to the Kopfelsberger haus, we met Franz (the son) and he took us to a climbing hall. I was only good for two easy climbs; meanwhile he climbed across the ceiling…pretty cool to watch. Afterwards we went to a bar with Franz and one of his friends from the climbing place. I tried a wine that I can not remember the name of…it is supposedly a wine that is very young; not aged / fermented like a normal wine. It was quite sweet, but tasted pretty decent.

After the bar, we took a quick walk on the grounds of the longest castle in Europe. The view of the nearby lake and town was cool; although a bit foggy. I tried to take a few night shots, but they were only so-so.

And now it is time for bed…

Von Deutschland

Ich schriebe von Deutschland...

Wednesday, 11/29 – We hopped on a flight from Appleton to Chicago at 4pm, and from Chicago we started our 8 hour flight to Munich. Once I proved to customs that I couldn’t speak the language well enough to answer their questions, they seemed to hasten their search and let me through. We were greeted with herzlich wilkommen by the Kopfelsbergers, including Susi (Susanna), Papa Franz, und Mama Ingrid. I attempt to stick to speaking German only to take advantage of this opportunity. I hope to only speak English as a necessity.

We throw our suitcases in the car and head to a parking place for the S-bahn (train) to head into Munich. We check out the Marien-Platz and grab a cup of coffee. Then we headed to the Hofbrau Biergarten for some beer and food. I had the Schweinebraten (boiled pork). The five of us split a couple liter mugs (krug) of beer…taking turns drinking out of the big mugs. Good stuff! We walked the market a bit and picked up a butternuus (butternut squash)…the Kopfelsbergers never had it before, so I offered to make it for them for dinner.

We then checked out the Frauen Kirche (church) and then headed to the Olympic park. We went up the needle to get a view of the city; although the overcast weather limited the full potential of the lookout point.

Eventually we headed to Susi’s flat and met her fiancée (which is Schlopen auf Deutsch?). We then headed to Halsbach to the Kopfelsberfer’s haus where Susi and Michael eventually joined us. Mama Ingrid quick made me an espresso so I could hang in there. We made a quick dinner with pasta, homemade tomato sauce (they have a glass house [greenhouse] with lots of tomatoes). I made the butternut squash and added a touch of brown sugar once we tried it without. It was a great dinner, and we had several beers and some good conversation.

I remember several times thinking to myself that this is so much more amazing than I imagined. I love being with a true German family and immersing myself in their culture and language. And they are truly wonderful people, which makes the experience all that much better. How fortunate I am!

the weekend rides

I have been on a bit of a biking hiatus with the exception of a weekend Sheboygan ride. However, with the WORS banquet upon us, the usual suspects got together for a ride at Standing Rocks near Stevens Point. Jesse, Brian and I warmed up with 5 miles of single track before Bob and Diane joined in; then we did the 13 mile loop. Diane actually walked the double track and in horror-film fashion seemed to be just coming over the hill every time we stopped between sections...how is that possible? Okay, I know how, but it still messes with the mind!

After the ride it was time to do a last-minute shower at the Y, which seems to be becoming tradition. Then we were off to the banquet. No award for me this year and yet another year of dodging all the raffle prizes...we did say never again, right? Anyway, it is good to get together with the group, we had a great ride, good food; so overall it was another great day.

Sunday we headed back to the usual traing grounds at "the camp" (Reforestation Camp). Trek had their demo days and I wanted another chance to see if a 69er might be in my future. To my dismay, I rather enjoyed the $4,000 SuperFly even more. The SRAM X0 shifting is precise and flawless! Not sure what that means regarding my next bike purchase. But in the end, it meant a weekend with many hours of biking and it was great to enjoy the Fall weather. Note to future self: Yes, it feels too cold, windy, and about to snow...but throw on a jersey and arm warmers and let the trail do the rest...great Fall riding!

The day was ended with some family time; hanging out with my pops for his b-day. I have a great fam, so it was nice having pizza and playing cards for a bit. Okay, tis the season, so we threw in a bit of politics and religion too :-)

Today I should begin packing for Europe. I am excited to get back to Germany and Austria and hopefully get in some Euro MTB. Frankly, it's just nice not having to work.

Back to SheVegas

Well, after having a DNF during last week's race, Jesse and I headed back to Sheboygan so I could complete my 3 laps. Of course, the morning started out a bit rocky. I still didn't fix my flat from the race and I was determined to go tubeless again since tubes haven't been working for me (and it just isn't right to continue riding half tubeless). So I busted out the Stan's and attempted to set the tire with my floor pump...no good. After many frustrating and even creative attempts, it became clear that it wasn't going to happen. I made a mess and I was nearly out of Stan's too. So, I threw the flat back on for transport and we hit the road.

Once in Sheboygan we checked out Wolf's cycle. Friendly guy, but no Stan's and no higher end mountain bikes to peruse. Then we checked out Johnny's...small, interesting shop, but not what we were looking for at the moment...although I was tempted to see how much the unicycle hidden behind some scooters behind some bikes cost. So, on to Bike and Ski (where we went last weekend on our downtown exploration). Great shop. They had my Stan's, but the guy at the store said he had never applied it. On the plus side, he let us use the shop to do it ourselves. I'm proud to say we didn't spill a drop and the compressor did the trick.

So, off to the course. The tire held up great, so i was quite happy. The trail was very different from last week...lots of leaves and a bit wet, so slippery conditions were inevitable. I was a bit slow for Jesse, but we still had a good workout. I also didn't want to fall while still nursing my wound from last week. All in all, another beautiful Fall day to get out on the bikes.

Tire Gods

I got in another Fall night ride on the Fixie. Tonights ride got down to 40 degrees...it feels colder, but I suppose I just need to adjust from the warm weather we had lately. However, the bigger issue hasn't been the temperature recently; instead, the theme seems to be "flats". The tire Gods have frowned on me again...my 4th flat this month. Different tires and different bikes, but somehow I mastered the flat out. So, I see some Stans in my future for the Mtb and new tubes for the fixie.

Other than that, I have been working on getting my photos organized and online. I am now caught up other than some old photos I hope to scan. Just a week away from my trip abroad, and I am looking forward to posting lots of pictures. But for now, I just need to get some sleep...

She-Vegas

Well, it was "She-Vegas" weekend; the final WORS race in Sheboygan. The usual suspects met up at the HoJo. It was a beautiful Fall weekend with summer temps (mid-70's). We checked out the downtown including the local farmer's market, kayak shop, and bike store. The downtown is actually pretty nice with good restaurant selection, but it was eventually time to check out the course...

There was a decent crowd at the park checking out the course. We headed out through the parking lots leading to the single track...time for a warm-up jump. I hit it at an angle and my rear wheel slides out on the landing. So I left some flesh behind to the dirt gods and continue to check out the course. It's a great course. The "equalizer" seemed much easier this year; not sure if this was the improved skills or last year's washout near the top being filled in. Either way, I was excited to climb it for the first time, and during the race I was able to grab my $5 at the top for a successful climb. As I tucked the $5 in my shorts my energy gel fell out and I thought I heard someone say "your rear tire is flat". Nah, must have been "you dropped your gel pack" or something. So I continue on to the quarry where I proceed to jump down a series of ledges; each drop seemed more dampened than then next until I heard rim. Flat. Damn. So, I toss the bike on my shoulder and walk to the finish line to claim my DNF for 1 point. No podium for me. Season over.

It was an interesting end to an interesting season. Makes me contemplate whether or not I move up next year. Either way, I look forward to an off season of riding for fun and just keeping off a bit of the winter insulation. Maybe take a crack at MUni.

Fall Ride

I went on a cold, wet, and windy Fall ride tonight - and I loved every squishy pedal stroke! The above picture is an attempt to capture my current light setup on the Fixie...I'm sporting the NiteRider FireStorm on front (the white streak), MonkeyLetric on the wheels (the hopping colors), and PlanetBike on the rear (sorry, wrong direction). I am very happy with the visibility to drivers and the bonus of a cool light display.

My goal is to bike through the winter. I did okay last year, but once it drops below 0 with windchills I tend to lose my feet pretty quickly - even with gators over my shoes. I'll just keep toughening up on the relatively temperate Fall weather and take if from there. I am also excited to do some night singletrack...I think I'll leave the Fixie behind for that though :-)

Touching on the personal side for a bit...I think I need some change. I miss some aspects of the city life I had. Although I would miss my garage and basement storage space, I long to return to the urban life...with great access to wooded trails (that's possible, right?). I want to walk to the grocery store, the coffee shop on the corner, and bicycle commute to work. I want to be surrounded by art, culture, and new experiences. I find it hard to leave family and friends, but I know I long for more. These are thoughts I plan to sort out over the usual Fall/Winter introversion.

'76 Fixie

Since my eyes drifted to a 69er during the Trek demo rides, I thought I would throw a little love to my '76 fixie today. I have it all decked out with lights for the Fall night riding season. So far I really enjoy getting out...I love Fall! The temperature has been cool but very comfortable.

My latest edition is the MonkeyLetric spoke lights...very bright LED lights in that create cool patterns as I ride. I think they are awesome, and pretty functional too since people can't help but notice them.

I have been getting back into my pictures lately. I also hope to keep this blog going...mostly for myself, but who knows...I am putting myself out there to whomever may care to look. It is only right since I was inspired by another person's public photostream...thanks CMC! (P.S. CMC, if you are reading this, then you should know I have a major crush...did I say that out loud?)

69er and the HPT

Brian and I ventured out to Western Wisconsin to meet up with Bob and Diane (fellow WORS campers). It was Trek / GF demo day, so I took out a Superfly and a 69er singlespeed. I think I am sold on the 29" wheels. I also think I need to raise my bars 2". Not sure if the demo was a good thing or a bad thing yet...I may now be in the market for a bike, or at least some components.

Overall, we had a blast checking out our friends' local trails and hanging out. What a beautiful area!

in the mist

There have been a lot of times lately where I felt like writing. A lot of thoughts on love...on life. I wish I could say there were a lot of answers, but truthfully I only have thoughts at the moment.

I am amazed when I look back to my life 6 months ago. I had a rejuvinated excitement for life, and I was wanting to share that with others. I felt I was ready for a relationship again, but when the time came I found that the waters didn't run very deep. I couldn't get past the point where I knew I was vulnerable. I couldn't risk my heart being broken. In the end, it was more than timing that led to the end, but I think I was most unsettled by how truly unready I was for a deep relationship. I was surprised by how sad and hurt I still was.

So here I am...back to just getting by. I miss aspects of the life I had, and I think I fear that I may never have some of those aspects again. I'm sad...and I'm not entirely sure I understand the depths as to why yet. Sometimes I think I am sad that I will not get another chance, that I won't get to be the good husband I thought I could be. Sometimes I'm sad that I couldn't help her be the beautiful person I knew she was. It's just so unfortunate.

I just saw the movie "Beautiful Girls". I think it does a good job portraying the various complexities of relationships - and maybe even the lack of answers; possibly that it's a necessity for forming our future relationships...makes us think.

I am looking forward to the Fall and Winter. I think I need another season of reflection...time to find my bearings again.

Debut

Well, this is my debut to blogging. As of yet, I intend to use this more as a personal outlet; despite recognizing that I am publishing to the www abyss. I have been reading various blogs of interest and figure my own blog may be of interest to someone somewhere someday. If nothing else, I hope to make a few discoveries of my own along the journey.