Back in Black

People who know me would probably never call me flamboyant, especially when it comes to my attire. Most of the family agrees that I have no fashion sense whatsoever-- and I'm fine with that. When my daughter lived at home, she would comment almost every day -- "you're really wearing that out?". I never knew if she was serious or not.

When it comes to bikes, however, I tend to lean towards some pretty outrageous color schemes. I can't seem to leave well enough alone and generally hate stock colors. When we first opened the shop, we ordered a Pugsley which, at that time, came in purple. I immediately had it changed to this:

That's right. Blaze orange. I loved it and we eventually sold it.

Next came the Big Dummy. If I recall, it came in some green that matched a uniform I once wore. I put white tires on it and turned that into what became affectionately called the "Creamsicle". I still have it and use for a variety of grocery and other hauling chores.

When I had Curt Goodrich build me a frame, there was a color that I really liked and that bike is now called the "Green Hornet".

My Long Haul Trucker was originally tan -- Surly called it "truckachino". I called it ugly and changed it to this.

My Retrotec is officially called the GT40 because it's the color scheme Gulf used for their very successful race teams.

My own Pugsley had been through three winters of riding in snow and brine and despite my best efforts at maintenance, was starting to show the effects. When I pulled it out to set her up for winter, there was a lot of rust in various nooks and crannies -- essentially it was a big salt lick.. So I did the only sensible thing and stripped it down and had it powder coated. I toyed with the idea of something over the top in red but ended up going with flat black. Most of the components were black anyway so it seemed to make sense. It's kind of the Johnny Cash version -- understated but always ready to roll.

I got out for a few miles of urban riding and met the missus for dinner. It's unseasonably warm here for this time of year and winter is right around the corner. But there are still remnants of fall lingering behind.

Cheers

Home at Last!!

To make a long story short, I got my camera back. I had left it in a rental vehicle in California and through a lengthy series of events, it showed up today. Contained within its bowels are some pictures of my Grand Canyon adventure this summer.

Along the Arizona Trail.

Sunset at Timp Point.

Rainbow Rim Trail.

Enjoy.

Happy Birthday

to my Mother. She would have been 82 today and this was her favorite time of year.

Every fall, she and my Dad would drive up to the Skyline Drive to see the amazing display of red's, oranges and yellows. As long as I can remember, seeing the fall colors anywhere was probably at the top of her list of simple pleasures.

Our birthday's are only 7 days apart and in the past decade or so, the cards we exchanged got more and more outrageous. You never received one card from her -- it was usually 5 or 6. And in recent years, they were often animated with music or funny sayings, and a few always contained political satire. I had a hard time keeping up and to this day, have no idea where she got some of them.

Buying a birthday gift was always easy -- Borders gift cards. She was a voracious reader and since her town didn't have a Barnes and Noble, and she didn't want to buy books online, gift cards it was. A few weeks later, I would get a call in which she would describe what books she had bought and usually, already read.

Linda, being an avid scrap booker, reminded me the other day how much interest Mom took in whatever project she was working on. The projects of late included a multi-volume scrapbook of our daughter's wedding and thankfully, she got to see most of the completed project. She was unable to attend our daughter's graduation from medical school but Linda prepared a wonderful scrapbook that I was able to deliver personally. She took quite awhile savoring each picture and asking very pointed questions about each one. She died a week later.

Of all the poetry I have read, none describes her life as well as Robert Frost's classic. She always took the road less traveled, and everyone she met on that journey was a better person for it.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

What I Learned at Interbike

Disclaimer: This is the first industry wide trade show I have attended since they were regional shows in the early 1980's. I attempted to see the whole thing in one day which means I certainly missed stuff -- but I saw enough!

Apparently, there is a shortage of helmet selection in the industry. I stopped counting at 20 separate brands.

There is a perceived market for:

$400 floor pumps

$200 frame pumps

$700 helmets

$900 bike shoes

$300 jerseys

Custom bike shorts. You go into a room, fondle some fabric swatches and provide numerous measurements. In 2 months, you get new shorts. Price unknown. I thought spandex provided a custom fit already (within reason)

BMX -- is huge, at least everywhere but Minneapolis. Those dorks who got stuffed in lockers when I was in high school? If they can risk life and limb riding a board or bike, they are guaranteed 2 hot chicks hanging on every word. They also speak in tongues -- no idea what they say, but it sounds righteous.

BMX for senior citizens -- there were a number of guys who had to be within a decade of my age still trying to throw a BMX bike around with some success. They should seriously check up on what Medicare covers cause they will be in big trouble in a few years.

Adult beverage ESP -- At exactly three PM, almost every booth produced beer in some shape or form. The biggest had caterers bringing out kegs while the rest had coolers hidden and waiting for the signal. I had beers thrust into my hand more than once. Even the kids in the BMX zone were imbibing but given what they do for fun, a few dead brain cells is the least of their worries.

Bike fitting -- there were numerous bike fit systems represented. I stood and watched a fit

demo by a world famous "fitter" as he attempted to fit a middle aged rider to one of the uber- expensive time trial machines. At the end of the process, we all thought the seat height was wrong. The "fitter" told us, and I quote "a shop's ability to charge $500 for a fitting is the difference between profitability and mediocrity".

Note to Jim: I think we need to modify the "arm pit method". They're going to expect more for their $500. Maybe a beret and clove cigarettes?

Nitrogen -- I also listened to a guy pedaling a nitrogen system for shops. Nitrogen allegedly prevents normal tire deflation and can be a "profit rocket" for shops. Apparently, if you charge customers $5 for a shot, they will be customers for life. I think it would be cheaper to mark a pump "nitrogen" and be done with it.

Special People -- there were several vendors who had enclosed booths and only allowed "VIP's" inside. I always believe in asking forgiveness rather than permission so attempted to enter 3 of said booths. I failed in two attempts, blocked by rather swarthy women. On the third, I followed a group in and hung out for about 2 minutes before exiting. What was the secret? Oversized BMX bikes. At least that's what it looked like.

Seriously, there was lots of interesting stuff as well. But I have completely forgotten what it was. Getting old sucks.

Cheers

She Could Always Draw a Crowd

On a hot hazy afternoon, we buried my mother at Arlington National Cemetery. Her final resting place overlooks the Potomac River and the city she loved.

Almost 100 people came to her service, some traveling from Europe to celebrate her life. Wine and food were served, and while there were no formal speeches, many shared their memories and stories of her with us. I learned much and one never knows the impact one person can have on others until they are gone.

She had an enormous influence on me personally, and is the one person whose example I most wanted to follow. We didn't always agree but respected each other, no matter where we stood.

She lived life her way to the end and despite a 9 year battle with cancer, never complained once. In the end, she went with her wit, dignity and sense of humor intact.

God speed Bette Mullen. Save some wine for the rest of us!!

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."

Sir Winston Churchill

Cycle Utah

I just returned from working Adventure Cycling's Cycle Utah trip and it was a great time. Great staff, great participants and IMHO, some of the most beautiful country on this planet. The more time I spend in the west, the more I am convinced I am a westerner at heart -- the grand vistas, dry air and lots of public land to explore. No move west is imminent but it has long been a dream of mine so hopefully, it will happen.

We spent a night outside Bryce Canyon National Park and the staff did a hike on the Peek a Boo trail. All hikes in Bryce start at the rim and go down into the canyon.

The trail ahead.

Yep, that is the trail.

Bryce is famous for it's hoodoos, rock formations carved by wind and rain.

The Wall of windows.

The most challenging day for riders is the climb from Panguitch up over Cedar Breaks to Cedar City. They had really great weather for it with some wind at the top and relatively warm temps. In years past, this ride has been done in snow and rain.

Some snow remains over 10,000 feet.

The ride also goes through Red Canyon just outside of Bryce. The crappy cell phone pix really do not do the colors justice.

Home next week and then the missus and I travel west to Seattle where I will work, and she will ride ACA's Cycle Washington. We hope to stop along the way at Teddy Roosevelt NP, Glacier (I'm hoping to ride the Going To The Sun Road) and Missoula, MT.

Look for FaceBook and possibly a blog post or two along the way.

Cheers

A Life Well Lived

Bette Mullen

1928 -- 2010

Wife, mother, grandmother, friend, mentor and inspiration.

I have no doubt that, upon meeting St. Peter at the gate, they cracked a bottle of wine, discussed all the challenges in the world, and came up with a plan to solve them. She lived life her way to the very end, and left the world and the lives of those she knew, a better place.

"It is not length of life, but depth of life."

Ralph Waldo Emerson