Sometimes you hear a song that is simply perfect.  This one from Death Cab for Cutie has been one of my favorites for a while, but this week I’ve been thinking about it more.  It reminds me of the obvious, like the fires in San Diego that marked the beginning of my cross-country bike ride in 2007.  Those clouds of smoke on the western horizon, my friends Jeff and Samantha holed up in a downtown hotel while their neighborhood was surrounded by wildfires, my friends Ken and Lynn losing all their possessions they had stored at his parents’ house, which burned to the ground.

What Ken lost in those fires was unimportant for it’s material value.  His kayak and camping gear, some clothes, and his extensive collection of great wines.  The wine is probably the greatest loss, as it is symbolic of all the good times to be had with friends, enjoying the simplest of pleasures.  That whole song makes me think of all the cool moments you can’t buy, but you are given by the people you befriend.

Today my buddy Mikey T dropped by the shop to show me a funny article in ROAD Magazine about Jens Voigt that had us both laughing out loud, and it made me think about how much I value the people in my life.  Pretty cool that someone would take time out to share something because they knew I would love it.
Thank you to everyone who has voiced their support over the last couple of weeks.  My grandfather’s passing was a tough time for me and my family, but when we all gathered to spend the last hours with him it was also a celebration of a great life.  I haven’t written much yet about it - I’ve been too tired, my thoughts fried, unable to do the topic due justice.  Thank you all for lending an ear and wishing us well.  I’ve been amazed at how many people found out from this blog, and I’m pleased that you’re all still reading and checking in - thank you for that!

One thing I inherited from my grandfather is his wanderlust.  He was a diehard traveler, and he loved to drive.  Cars were his life:  his entire career he was an inspector at GM, with a short stint in the Grumman Aviation division during the war.  He loved cars for their beauty, mechanical genius, and for the freedom they gave him.  When we were finally forced to take his car and his driver’s license from him a few years ago, he never really forgave us.  Some of my best memories of my grandfather involve road trips we took together.  At a moment’s notice he would be happy to load up the camper van with a bunch of kids and wander the countryside, looking for an adventure.  (Usually ice cream was involved - his other great love.) It’s funny, I find that cars are a subject that I have a hard time avoiding when I write; they’re symbolic of journeys, an archetype I tend to beat to death.  No matter.

If there’s a heaven, Charles Stanley Clark has probably found it:  driving the backroads of Bucks County in a ‘38 Buick, a pretty girl named Elizabeth Barbara Tebo in the passenger seat.  “Like the slow curve of a back road/one hand on the wheel/I’ll drive ’til I remember/how it feels/baby, this how it feels”  (”Go Down Easy”, Over the Rhine from Good Dog-Bad Dog, the Home Recordings).

We’re headed into the July 4th weekend, and I’m inspired to listen to Over the Rhine’s great collection Discount Fireworks.  Makes me want to take a road trip.

Anyway, I’ve gotta throw it out there:  one week until the next Endurance Guru Basic Road Cycling Skills Clinic on July 11.  Let me know if you plan to attend, so I can make sure to have enough food, drinks, and literature.  I hope you can make it - it’s always a great time, and a terrific way to learn the stuff that will help you enjoy your time on two wheels.

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Finally, I had a complete day off to train.  Up to this point in my preparation for the Leadville Trail 100, I have done plenty of long and easy endurance rides, and a decent number of short and intense rides.  What I needed to do was put it all together in an all-day epic, going hard for hours over hilly terrain at an endurance racing pace.  I also needed a day to clear my head a bit, to think of nothing but the challenge of pounding the pedals.

I started out under cloudy skies.  The forecast called for late afternoon thunderstorms, with only a 30% chance of rain for the rest of the day.  Nonetheless, 30 minutes in I was practically swimming through a blinding rainstorm.  I pressed on, determined to keep going regardless.  I was soaked and filthy, but the temperature was fine, and I was feeling decent.  My legs were a bit heavy, but not bad.  All was fine until I arrived in Pottersville and crossed the grated-deck bridge over the Black River.  Metal bridges are never fun, but in the rain they’re dangerous as hell.  I tried to keep it steady, but halfway across the bike began to slide sideways.  Some serious body-English somehow kept me upright until the tires hit asphalt again, and I rolled into the Pottersville General Store with my heart racing.

After a quick break to fill my bottles, I continued northwest.  I was in the mood for something different, so I turned onto Black River Road North and followed the rushing stream up a lush valley of green, deep into the hills.  All day I looked for new roads, and I wandered through new terrain, connecting familiar routes via interesting short cuts and long cuts.  The weather held out for the rest of the day, getting warmer and sunnier.  After 75 miles the hills were beginning to hurt, and I was fighting off cramps.  The final 35 miles from Long Valley to home were brutal, with all my legs muscles playing tug of war with each other.  I ran into Mike Lalor, who was starting a ride on Washington Valley Road, and he suggested that I ride over to his house and grab a cold beer.  I almost did, but that would have been the end of the ride for me.  I pushed on, and finally rolled into the driveway with 108 miles and 7500 feet of vertical.  A protein shake and a cold shower, and I started to feel human again.

Epic days like that are milestones in my training year.  They give me a good reference point, and they illuminate my weaknesses.  I’ll be back out there in another 14 days or so,  hopefully stronger and faster.

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My grandfather, Charles Stanley Clark, bid this world adieu and passed away in his sleep early Monday morning.  He was 96 years old, and was recovering from a bad case of pneumonia.  The hospice service that had been giving him 24 hour care called us on Friday, and before long most of the family was gathered in his room at Heath Village, spending time together before Granddad drifted away.  He seemed to get his energy back while the family was present, even sitting up in bed and mugging for the camera.  It was evidence of a life well lived that he died surrounded by people who loved him.

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Sorry to all those who planned to attend the clinic last Saturday.  Between the horrible weather and my ailing grandfather, it was not to be.  Please come join me for the next session on July 11.  Send me an e-mail if you plan to attend.

For now, enjoy every day of sunshine that you can.

Get out and play.

Geoff

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Hey everyone,

I’ve decided to cancel tomorrow’s Basic Road Cycling Skills course.  It looks like it’s going to be a totally awful day anyhow, but to top it off I just found out that my grandfather, who is in hospice care right now, is probably not going to make it through the weekend.  Not good news.

I’ll host the next course on July 11, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Seeley’s Pond Picnic Area.  I hope you can join us.

Thanks,

Geoff

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Come join me and a the rest of the Westfield area cycling community on Saturday night for the big social event of the year.  To help Arch, Tony, Otto, Joe Gachko, Ed Carr and Ed Gallagher with their fundraising for the Pan-Mass Challenge, I’m hosting this big bash at Jay’s Cycle.  The charity auction will feature some great items:  some excellent bottles of wine, Broadway tickets, Yankees tickets, gift baskets from local merchants and restaurants, a Specialized Vienna from Jay’s Cycle, a Burley Tambarella tandem in mint condition, great cycling gear from Castelli, Pearl Izumi, and Giro, and the ultimate - a chance to ring the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange.  (That’s an honor that the likes of Lance Armstrong and Barack Obama have been granted, so you would be in pretty rare company).  Come and enjoy some free wine and food from a variety of local restaurants, and hang out with a pretty cool crowd.  Check out the Jay’s Cycle site for all the details.  I hope you can make it!

The LBI ride turned out to be a blast.  Here is a batch of great photos, courtesy of my good friend Alisa Bechthold, who is a stellar photographer.  We had 44 riders total, and all had a great time.  My new route worked out beautifully, and the fastest riders rolled into Beach Haven in record time.  I waited after the lunch break with some stragglers, and spent a slow but enjoyable afternoon trying to shelter them from the headwind.  My butt was pretty sore at the end of the day, but after 8+ hours on the bike I had earned some beer calories.

The sun just popped out from behind the clouds a few minutes ago, just long enough for me to get dressed to ride.  But as soon as I stepped out the door I heard a rumble of thunder and watched the horizon darken.  So I guess it’s off to the pool.  But at least I haven’t had to water my garden.  The zucchini are growing like mad, and my creeping thyme is creeping up between the pavers in the driveway.   The yard is lush, to say the least.  Rain just keeps coming, pounding through the night, and I expect to wake up and a see a scene like this:

Don’t float away.

Oh yeah, don’t forget about the next Basic Road Cycling Skills Clinic coming up next Saturday.

Keep the rubber side down.

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The 2009 Jay’s Cycle Center LBI Ride has grown into a huge, hairy beast.  Usually there are about 30 riders, 6 or 7 of whom have not arranged for their own ride home from the shore.  This year there are approximately 50 (although that might change by Sunday morning), and the number of people needing rides is at least 15 (that I know of).

To offset this imbalance, Greg Talmont and I drove down to LBI early on Friday morning and left our cars outside Jay’s house.  The forecast called for torrential rain all day long, and for once it wasn’t completely wrong.  A nor’easter, complete with the nasty wind, pummeled us the entire way home.  We started out shivering and sloshing through the flooded streets of LBI, then made a mad dash across the causeway in zero visibility conditions.  By the time we got to the bridge my flashing lights had already shorted out from the intense wetness.

When you’re so incredibly cold and wet, your best strategy is to keep eating as many calories as you can handle.  Cookies, bananas, Snickers bars, rice crispies, and lots of Gatorade.  We pounded along, and in spite of low tire pressure, constant headwinds, and blinding cold rain, we had an average speed of 18.3 at the 75 mile mark.  This number dropped a bit as we negotiated the flooded and badly cratered stretch of Canal Road and Mettler’s Lane.  The last few miles were sheer agony, as our aching legs and chafed asses prevented us from finishing strongly.  It was a blazing feat of astounding retard strength.

Ironically, when I stopped by the shop later, I found out that Jay and Don had driven down to drop off Jay’s SUV.  Had we known that they were going to do that, we might have gone down with them and not spent the day killing ourselves in the rain.
Amazingly, I feel great today.  It was a gorgeous day, and it killed me to spend it resting.  At 7 a.m. tomorrow, however, I’ll hit the road again.  Can’t wait - this is one of the most fun days of the year.  Full story and photos to come soon.

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Put these dates on your calendars!  Tell your friends!  These clinics are a great chance to find out what you could be doing better.  The fee for this 4-hour class is just $80 per person.  I love teaching these classes - it’s always great to see riders “getting it” for the first time, and starting to really have fun on their bikes.  These clinics are 2.5 hours of discussion and 1.5 hours of riding, so we can practice the skills we learn in class.  It’s always a fun time with cool people.
I’m glad I stayed up to watch the last stage of the Giro on Sunday night.  Menchov held on to win, but even in the final kilometer there was still a chance he could lose the race.  It was an exciting finish.  Universal Sports Network did a great job with their coverage, too.

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Damn, I’m pooped.  May has ended with a mad frenzy of business at Jay’s Cycle, nearly equalling our all-time sales record for a single month.  Sheer insanity.  We open at 1 p.m. on Sundays, which means that so many people are waiting for us and already impatient when we open the door.  For two solid hours the store was unruly chaos.  People were fighting for our attention, but thankfully most of them were pretty patient.  The day flies by when the pace is that frantic.

Actually, the day started early.  Erik and Winston and I went up to the lake at Watchung Circle to watch the Dock and Sock Triathlon and cheer on our friends who were competing.  There were several women from the TriWomen group, and our friend Jerry Richards totally rocked in winning his age group.  Congrats, Jerry!

The Giro ended today, and I’ve only heard tiny hints about what happened in today’s final time trial.  I’m watching the Universal Sports TV coverage right now as I write, and it’s pretty intense.  With DeLuca down by only 20 seconds, he can’t be ruled out.  Mechov looks pretty good, but it’s raining and slippery, and the gods might just deliver some good luck or some bad luck.  These conditions can reward the risk-takers, so a bold right might change the face of the podium.  Levi needs to step it up, and Lance is eager to leave his mark on this race, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see either take the stage win.  Of course, you probably already know the outcome - but I’m just going to enjoy the suspense for the next two hours.

I love spring.  Today the weather was absolutely perfect.  After the triathlon, Erik and I headed out for a short spin on the bikes.  A couple of hard stiff climbs, but mostly easy spinning.  The temperature was perfect, with just a mild breeze, and the humidity was pretty light.  In the evening Erik and Stef came over, and we grilled cheeseburgers and roasted potatoes.  All the neighbors were out and about, and we finally met the new people that moved in down the block.  Very cool couple.  Actually, most of our neighbors are really nice, which makes it so much more enjoyable to live here.

If you missed the last Basic Road Cycling Skills clinic, here’s your chance!  Put June 20 on your calendar.  We’ll meet at the Seeley’s Pond picnic area from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This course is the perfect opportunity to learn everything about road riding:  how to climb, spin, descend, corner, eat, drink, draft, shift, brake, and anything else you can think of.  Send me an e-mail if you’re interested!

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Ahhhh, finally my week is over and I can get some rest.  I’m racing the Long Branch Duathlon on Sunday, so I need to catch some real sleep, rest my legs, eat well, hydrate, and do some stretching.  This week has been a long one, with every day a wall-to-wall marathon of selling bikes and preaching the word of 2 wheels.  It’s been fun, but I need a break.

I’m excited for the Basic Road Cycling Skills Clinic this Saturday.  Everyone who has enrolled so far is really cool, and I think it’s going to be lots of fun.  There are still 3 spots left, so if you’re interested, or anyone you know might be interested, please drop me an e-mail or give me a call.

Bike to Work Week has been excellent, and I really want to make a commitment to doing the commute more often.  I’ve really been enjoying my commutes, especially the morning spin.  8 miles of easy rhythm, with a stop at Rock’n Joe for a skim Chai Tea Latte prepared by Jaylene, my favorite barista and newly converted cyclist.  Today was pleasant, in spite of the rain (and being unable to stop at Rock’n Joe).  The ride in was misty and humid, and the ride home was doused in a steady drizzle.  Nonetheless, it was better than driving.  After the “B” ride last night, I needed an easy recovery ride.  (For the record, in spite of the slow average speed, hammering up Deer Path, Old Stirling Road and Johnston Drive, then finishing with a vicious sprint . . . this doesn’t qualify as an easy ride).

It’s past my bedtime, so I’m signing off.  Goodnight, and good luck, compadres.

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