Don's Sunnyside Blog

MY BLOG IS MOVING!

2011-06-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

My blog is moving to a new address. It is going to be in house on the Sunnyside Sports .

You will be redirected there momentarily!!

If you have redirects disabled, just click on Sunnyside Sports here the main page will scroll to the World according to Don.
Don

"THE MAN, THE LEGEND" OR THE KIDMAN.

2011-05-31T06:33:00.000-07:00

It turns out, after checking some results etc next year will make thirty years of Mountain Bike Racing for me. When I started out I wasn't any good to tell the truth. I had no idea how to go down a hill. I seem to remember at the Whiskeytown Downhill (which took me over four hours and it wasn't downhill) that children on tricycles were passing me on the first descent. My friend Tom Pickett assured me I could do better and he took me out and gave me some pointers. My next race I did a little better and by the end of the 80's I was an accomplished "downhiller". The down hills back then were more like easy Super Ds, but it is what we had.
I digress. I have been doing this for quite a while now. When I finished the Sisters Stampede Race on Sunday Alex McClaren called me a legend. In the photos of the race the caption under my photo is "The Man, the Legend". Well I don't feel like a legend and in fact the term "man" isn't what I think of when I ride a mountain bike. The name for someone like me comes from Kathy's sister Jan. When Kathy and I got married all those years ago, Jan was a teenager. She wasn't sure what the husband of her sister was. A real grownup or still a kid, so she called me a Kidman. That is what I am when I ride my mountain bike a kidman. I just happen to have been doing longer than most others. I still love it. I look forward to every ride. It is hard to explain my feeling other than it is what I felt when I first started to ride a bike when I was a kid. The exhilaration of the downhill, the sweat and feeling of the muscles working on the uphill. Why do I like it more than road biking. Well I don't really, other than we just don't have many roads in Central Oregon that do a bike justice, at least for me. I like the curves, the jumps the fun. I do not like to mindlessly do long workouts. That is why I don't run, or do triathlons. This is not to dis those sports or activities. My exercise needs to include fun, because I am a kidman. I have never grown up. I like a session at the Lair when I ride. Yesterday I had to check out "Funner". It is open and it still funner than most other trails. Some will read this and say, but Don I know you do intervals on the trainer, isn't that mindless exercise? Yes it is, but I keep those sessions as short as I can so I have time to do fun riding later. In fact this year I found a place to do my intervals on my mountain bike. It is a sweet uphill which means a sweet downhill afterwords. The Kidman in me found a way to make the intervals fun also.
If you see me out there be ready to have some fun.
Don

Tour of California

2011-05-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

I watched most of the Pour of California this year and I was really impressed with the Medalist, the organizer of the Tour of California. When I was a young lad growing up in the Bay Area we rode most of the roads that are currently used in the ToC. A ride up to Mount Hamilton was about 100 miles for us as we had to ride across San Jose and then up to the top and then return. There was no public transportation you could take a bike on back then and even if there was we would not have used it as riding was the point. When we found Sierra Road we thought that was cool. I doesn't really go anywhere you see, but it was steep. To put a mountain top finish up there would not be easy as there is nothing up there, they would have to take over the whole road and of course get permission from the people who live there. Something like us using Skyline road for our Cascade Cycling Classic only even more difficult. When Chris Horner read about the this finish he was excited as he realized the ToC had become a real race in the sense of the Grand Tours. Throw in Mt Baldy and the ToC was a perfect place for the almost 40 year old to shine, and shine he did. What he did came as no surprise to anyone who was at all close to Chris. He lost some weight, he trained hard, and he hinted that he was ready. He already proved last year that he can be the strongest rider on Radio Shack by finishing 10th at the tour, after acting as head support for his leaders who all faded away at the end. So yes I loved the Tour of California and all of its stages. That being said it could be better if it was held in the time of year where the real mountains of California (the Sierra Nevada) are free of snow. Those are the mountains that can rival the the Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites for scenery and mountain roads. I am not sure that will ever happen or even if it needs to happen.
Phil at one point said Mt Baldy was like going into the Pyrenees or the Dolomites. I have to differ, as wonderful as the ToC was it did not rival the Grand Tours for mountains. I have included a couple of photos make my point. There is a reason thousands of us travel to Europe every year to ride the magical roads they have over there. The best way I can explain it is to say the roads in Europe are like single track for road bikes, our roads are mostly double track. In the Giro yesterday Nibaly, who is one of the best descenders attacked at the top of one of the passes and gained a minute on the downhill. This would not happen on our roads, they are too straight. The top photo is the ToC, and the middle is the Giro. Thanks for reading
Don

CONTADOR !

2011-05-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you have been following the Giro this year you will know Alberto Contador is in the Maglia Rosa. I am not going to comment on his current drug problems but on his race style.
What you could have noticed is the way Contador has gotten the "Pink Jersey". He has done it exactly the way he has always raced. With daring attacks at times when most contenders would be content to wait. A few bonus seconds here and a few seconds by leaving the other favorites behind. He has managed a minute plus lead before all the hard stages have even started. This is what I would call smart and daring racing. It is also what he did in 2009 when he was a teammate of one Lance Armstrong. Only then every move was questioned. Was this good tactics, was he a good teammate. What Contador is is daring and willing to follow his instincts more than the ear phone. He goes when he feels it is right. The funny thing is he rarely makes mistakes. His instinct is good. I hope those who questioned his tactics in 2009 or even his attack of Andy Shleck, last year in the great chaingate controversy, will see that is who this racer is. He goes when his body tells him to. He can't help it. It is also how he wins.
Again I am not defending Contador just explaining him.
If you haven't been watching the Giro now is the time to start. The fireworks are just about to start in what may be the hardest grand tour ever.
Don

WOUTER WEYLANDT

2011-05-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

It is somewhat presumptuous to think I can write something meaningful about the death of Wouter Weylandt. In fact I probably can't. What I can do is express my feelings. Death is all around us all the time, the issue with this death is it happened in an activity that celebrates life not death. The juxtoposition of the two what makes it so hard. I was on a week long bike ride when someone rode off the highway and died at the scene. I was next to his wife, standing around a fire celebrating the survival of a difficult day of riding when we heard the news. One moment we were all excited at the prospect of another day if riding and the next second we were in shock, in too much shock for me to actually feel anything. It was only hours later that I was able to feel the loss and saddness which comes from such a shock.
Cycling is a dangerous sport, and in my mind especially road riding. We are out among the iron death machines (cars), and just the fact that when we ride we like to be close makes this sport, which I love, so dangerous. We try to ignore and to pretend the danger down not exist, but it does. When there is big wreck in one of the local bike races many times there are statements of blame and accusations of " amateur" riding. Well that is because those involved don't want to accept that cycling is inherently dangerous.
I am not quitting the sport I love, but I do not try to hide the fact that any thing can happen at anytime. What I learn from events like the death yesterday ismsimple for me. Go out, enjoy our sport but to also respect and to accept the personal responsibility of what we do.
My heart goes out to all of those who knew Wouter. It is a sad day for all cyclists.
Don

FORTY YEARS TODAY!

2011-05-01T06:03:00.001-07:00

It was forty years ago that Kathy and I got married. I am not sure where all those years have gone though. We have been married longer than many of my friends have been alive and I still can't figure out how that could have happened so quickly. I remember like it was yesterday when I first saw my sweetheart. It was at our University's hiking club (The Boot and Blister Club) which met in the Wildlife Building (room 206). Not to relive our history I just want to be clear I remember the moment as clear as when it happened. I was 18, and like all 18 year old I was pretty sure I knew most of what I needed to know.
I guess the one thing I did know and still know is that Kathy was the love of my life. No it hasn't been all roses since then, but it has been special an our life together has been full of love and happiness.
I am a sucker for weddings. I guess I have the hope that all young people will find the love of their lives, get married and live happily ever after. The ironic thing is when we got married we didn't really believe in the institution of marriage. We did it to appease family members and to make our lives easier. Now I do believe in Marriage. I think the commitment and the love that goes into a marriage is well worth the effort.
Last year I went to two weddings and I hope that Serena and Ben and Matt and Ruth have long lasting relationships full of adventure, love and joy. I even watched the Royal Wedding, well the highlights anyway. Being part Canadian gave me the right to enjoy the royal couple (yes if you didn't know The Queen is also the head of state of Canada). It was refreshing to see two people in love getting married instead of two people in a marriage of convenience. Kate is the first commoner to marry the successor to the crown in over 350 years.
So I hope love conquers all. I also have a few friends who I think should marry. I would be foolish to know who should marry and who should not, but because my marriage has been so wonderful I think others should be able to share what we have had. I am an optimist for sure.
Here is to love, joy and happiness
Don

3rd BETTER THAN 1ST?

2011-04-24T16:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I raced in what I think was my 15th Mudslinger Mountain Bike Race. There have been 23 and there were a few years when I wasn't racing mountain bikes. It is not my best race. I am not good on pure climbs and some of the descents are steep and muddy with roots, something I don't have a lot of practice with. So why keep coming back. Well it is because it is the best run race in the state. Mike Rlpley is a professional and his races reflect that. He is low key and always has a kind word for everyone. His races start on time and the results are immediate and usually accurate. I have won at Mudslinger once, and been on the podium various times. So not bad for a race that doesn't suit me.
Yesterday I was third and it was maybe the best race I have done in quite a few years. I had a terrible start. Do to no ones fault but my own I didn't understand how the start was going to work. I got behind a small crash and decided to stay in the back. It turns out we were racing pretty much from the gun and the neutral start I thought was happening was really just a rolling closure. No wonder everyone was going so fast. I was dead last when we hit the first single track. I had to walk a bit because it was so crowded others were walking in front of me. I got on the first climb and decided what the hell I had nothing to loose so I would just beast every climb and push myself harder than I normally would. I caught my first 55+ in about 10 minutes, sweet I wasn't last anymore. I kept going hard and then in one of my favorite sections called the Panama Canal I was flying some of the only mud of the day. I came out to a road and just killed my self on a small climb and then I could see four more 55+ers. They weren't as close as they appeared because road goes up these 20% stair steps. I got the first one, then the second, the third and then the forth. I was really hurting but I knew the climb kept going through a clear cut where one could see for quite a distance and what I wanted them to see was me disappearing up the hill. I never look back so I don't know what my gap was but again I was really pushing myself..
I managed to get to top and then I cleaned a really difficult single track descent. I felt really good about that. I am going to give most of the credit to my Fisher Superfly 29er though. It is amazing through roots and steep slippery trails. I never caught 1st or 2nd and I am not sure I would have even if I had had a great start. Both of those guys are stronger than me on climbs. So I was quite happy with that 3rd place. I really pushed myself and my body reacted well. I did fade a little at the end but not enough to loose any places.
So even though I was unhappy with my bad start it maybe turned out for the best. I tested new waters in going hard and I now have the confidence to try that again. Thanks to Mike Ripley for putting on such a class event and thanks to the racers in my group who always go hard and never make it easy to get on the podium.

OFFICIAL COMPLAINT ABOUT THE WEATHER?

2011-04-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Well not really, whining never improves things and complaining about the weather is one of the most useless energy drains I know of. So instead I will give observations. This is the coldest and wettest Spring I can remember in Central Oregon, that would be the last 37 years. One thing that is different now is the weather forecasts are much more accurate than even 10 years ago. It seems when it says it is going to rain or be cold it does it. In a practical sense what this does is make us more miserable because people not only complain about today's weather they complain about the weather to come. We have always had cold springs but we also had hope for warmer days ahead. Today we can see on our phones, our Ipads, our computers and the newspaper that the weather will continue to be cold and wet for the next 10 days (actually on the day I am writing this it will be cool but dry). No hope in other words.
Here is the good news. It should have been colder and wetter this year. Most people know about La Nina and El Nino. This is when the Pacific is either warmer or colder than average. As a side I wonder if the Pacific is ever average? This year was La Nina and that means cool and wet. However it was a very strong La Nina and most climatologists were predicting wetter than it has been. So we got off easy. La Nina has pretty much gone away so in a a few weeks the weather should improve.
Most of us complain about the weather because they can't do the things they want to do. Sunbathe, ski, ride bikes, play golf and in Kathy's case garden. I happen to be in the bike riding school of whining. I don't whine though. Instead I ride my mountain bike. In Central Oregon Mountain Bike riding is enhanced by wet. The snow seems to be melting so I go out and enjoy what we have. Nice sticky wet trails. I raced in the thick mud last week and happened to win my race. This was because I love the mud. So the weather was my friend.
One disclaimer. I go to Spain every Spring for a real taste of Spring, flowers blooming, ripe oranges hanging on trees and days of sunshine. I know when I come back it will be cool and wet but at least I have tasted what most Central Oregonians are missing.
Instead of whining go out and do the things that our weather is good for, Spring skiing, Mountain Biking and maybe a trip to someplace warmer would be a good thing.
Don

What about this Johann Van Summeren?

2011-04-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Ok I admit it I didn't pick him to win, I always pick Juan Antonio Flecha. Juan is Spanish and always in the thick of things. Is it a surprise that Van Summeren won, well not to me. When he attacked out of the Arenberg and the favorites let him go I told Kathy that is a mistake as he has done very well here before (5th and 8th to be exact). Anyone who has finished in the top 10 has to be considered a favorite. He is from Belgium, he is strong. Back when Carlos Sastre won the Tour and Evans was second remember all the talk about the Lotto team being too weak to help Cadel. Who took Cadel to the bottom of the Alpe it was Johann Van Summeren. Over the Alps over the Croix de Fer. Johann was there when needed. No it was not a surprise but it was special. I think Garmin, after a poor tour of Flanders, knew more than we did. Thor was on all he needed was a team mate capable of winning in the break. That way he didn't need to work. I think Garmin felt Cancellara would bridge and Thor would win, but Cancellara is human and Van Summeren came through. Cancellara did prove he was the strongest human after dropping his group riding up to the chase and then out sprinting all of them. With that showing you can see why Garmin was sure he would bridge.
Fabio Cancellara has to come to terms with himself though. He is so strong he can drop almost any rider at will. There is no incentive to work with him on long breaks. It is not about honor but about suicide. Drafting is usually the great equalizer but Cancellara has proven he can drop the strongest of the strong by just accelerating. We all know that so the only defense is to stay on his wheel and do no work, and in Garmin's case have a card up your sleeve like Johann Van Summeren. The photo is from when he was fifth in the Paris Roubaix in 2009.
Thanks for reading.
don

HOME, AND MORE THOUGHTS AND THANKS

2011-04-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

I am home after three weeks of cycling, visiting friends and having another cycling moment of my life. One of the best things about living in Bend is I get to come home to my favorite place in the world. I do like to travel and I do love road riding in Mallorca, Mountain biking in Scotland and of course watching and participating in Tour of Flanders will be a highlight of my cycling life forever. Bend is still the best, and being back with my best friend and sweetheart of 40 years is wonderful.
Watching The Tour of Flanders of live was very special. I have to thank the great folks at Quality Bike Parts and Lazer Helmets for hosting me and the other USA dealers. Rebecca did a great job of keeping track of us and making sure we all had food, bikes, and entertainment, a special thanks to my roommate Adam. When you find yourself in Belgium in a typical hotel (small rooms) and you have an unknown roomy it is a pleasure to get along as well as we did. It turns out we both love cycling, and we both have a sense of humor. Those two things go along way. He also has an awesome camera and with that camera he got some great shots. Thanks Adam. I would also like to thank Todd Cravens from Quality. In the first hour of the Cyclo sportiv version of the Tour we hooked up together, and though he was stronger than me he waited at every hill top and allowed me to "suck his wheel" for many a kilo. Though I am a Europe veteran it was great to have someone to share the experience with. That made a big difference for me. Thanks Todd.
The photos show more than I can explain about watching the race. We were in 4 places, the staging area, two spots on the road and the decisive "Muur". The Kammelmuur is where Cancellara dropped Booned last year and this year it was when after getting a minute lead he an Chavenel were caught. We got to see the moment when the group came together. That was special. We were sitting in a VIP tent having a gourmet meal while the race was going on. They had at least eight big screens with the race. Between our first course and main course we ran outside and watched the race go by and then back to the tent for desert and the end of the race. This was special. Being in a tent full of Belgians watching a Belgian win was very cool. It was also satisfying to see my favorite Juan Antonio Fletcha animate the race early on and of course see the BMC team real back Cancellara. I was disappointed with the Garmin team and I am sure they were. They had no one in the break at the end and though they had some of the strongest they did not play a role in the race. I am sure they are going to rethink their strategy for Paris Roubaix.
The last thing are the bike lanes in Belgium everywhere. There is no debate in Belgium about bikes. They are used for transportation period and there is a place for them to be. They don't have as many rules over there about safety though. They figure people can take care of themselves. I included that photo with the bike lane to show how much they care about bikes. That road is not wide enough for a bike lane in our world. Over there they put the bike lane and expect the cars to respect the bikes in the road. The cars have to pass the bikes when it is safe.
One bit of irony. We went over as the guests of Lazer Helmet. Their headquarters is in Antwerp. In Antwerp there are thousands of bike commuters every day using designated bike lanes and paths throughout the city. I did not see one commuter using a helmet. If Lazer could get that market they wouldn't have to export a helmet to any other country.
Another point of interest was the helmet use in Cyclosportif version of the Tour of Flanders. I would say over 90% had helmets. I was surprised with that many.
It was a great trip which ended with Adam Craig sitting in the seat next to me from Denver to Bend. He was in Colombia racing in the Pan/Colombian mountain bike races. We got to catch up, share some photos and thoughts. So once again it is amazing to come home to Bend after seeing some of the greatest the road riders in the world and sit and chat with one of the best mountain bikers in the world who just happens to live in Bend, my home town.
Thanks for reading.
Don

TOUR OF FLANDERS

2011-04-03T13:17:00.001-07:00

I was at the the Tour of Flanders yesterday. We saw the staging area, and managed to be at three spots on the course. The first two it was more of the atmosphere and feeling the racers go by and seeing all the pageantry . The entourage, the helicopters flying by and of course the wind of the peleton.
The last stop we were on the Muur. This was where Cancellara and Chavenal were caught after a long breakaway. They were the two strongest riders out there.
I am getting ready to catch a flight so enjoy the photos and I will have a follow up blog soon.
See you at home.
Don

2011-04-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

2011-04-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

Muur

2011-04-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

Today was on of the most amazing riding experiences I have had. I rode the tourist version of the Tour of Flanders. Flanders is the Flemish speaking part of Belgium. I was joined by 19,000 other cyclists. Basically rode with more cyclists today then all of my lifes rides combined. Lazer Helmets USA along with Lazer in Belgium is hosting 10 dealers from the USA to ride today and watch the Tour of Flanders tomorrow. By the way I am picking Juan Antonio Flecha to win.
Then photo is of the Kammelmuur. I hoped that is the spelling. That is the most famous of the famous climbs. It is where Cancellara left Boonen last year. While I was going up I was visualizing the races I have watched. I felt like I had been on this climb before. Tomorrow I get to see if he can do it again.
This is going to be a short blog as I have to get up at 5 tomorrow and go to the start in Bruge. I will fill you in with all the great friends I have made and more stories from Flanders.
Don

2011-03-31T03:40:00.000-07:00

WORST TYRE I HAVE EVER RIDDEN ON

2011-03-31T00:52:00.000-07:00

I actually rode on that tube and tyre for about two miles. I was expecting a blowout at any second, but I did make it back to the trailhead. I was fortunate enough to have gone to Alpine Bikes in Innerleithen to rent a bike. They sent me out on a Trek Remedy 9.9. One model up from my bike at home. It is not after one can hire a bike better than the one at home. Alpine Bikes is my favorite bike store in the Tweed Valley. There are some other nice places to hire bikes and get them repaired but Alpine has always come through for me.
I wanted to show the difference between "natural trails" and "man made trails". Natural trails around here can be pretty old walking, hunting, sheep or 4x4 paths. Man made trails for mountain biking are constructed much like road is. The trees are cleared and a rock base laid. Then "features are added. Some features seem very natural, some are adds just for fun and some, well the build was trying too hard and actually seem out of place. Trail building like this in Scotland is pretty new. The first trails were built around 1998. The designers have learned from the past and, as this has been so popular, trails have been built for all levels of riders. The first trails were built for the more advanced riders, now trails are built for everyone. There are downhill trails, cross country trails, free ride trails practice areas everything.
Because it rains so much here these trails are designed to be used in all weather conditions. No closing the trails here because of a little rain.
The locals ride the natural trails when it is dry and the man made trails when it is wet. The parking lot at Glentress seems almost full every time I am here. Mountain bikers travel from all over Great Britain to ride these trails.
For me being able to ride no matter the weather makes for a great holiday. All I need is my raincoat and contact lenses.
Thanks for reading.
Don

MAN MADE TRAILS

2011-03-31T00:50:00.000-07:00

NATURAL TRAIL

2011-03-31T00:49:00.000-07:00

VIEWS FROM THE HILLS ABOVE PEEBLES

2011-03-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

I am on my second leg of my European Holiday. We left Liverpool a few days ago to drive up to The Borders in Southern Scotland. I am staying with Andy and Ros in their flat in Peebles. Scotland has been named The best Mountain Bike Country by IMBA many times. The Borders has led the way with many areas with specific mountain bike areas. The most popular are called the 7Stanes. These areas all have man made all weather mountain bike trails. This means they are designed to be ridden in heavy rain. If you know any locals they will take you on a ride with "natural trails". These are trails made by land rovers, old cattle drives, hill walkers and sheep. You will need a dry day to ride these trails to not get stuck in deep mud and cause damage to the countryside.
It was natural trails we were on yesterday. We started in Peebles up an old old forest road, we then turned on a 4X4 track and then a combination of walking, sheep and cross country trails to the top of a ridge. Then it was over 6 miles of spectacular downhill. I have been told about this downhill hill before but this was my first chance to ride it. The views from the top spectacular, like many hills in Scotland. It was a calm day, unusual for around here, some sun and dry.
Today is a different story. We have a wet day so we are off to the man made trails of Glentress and Interleithen.
I happen to be with the Mountain Bike Ranger who is the caretaker of these trails, Andy Wardman. It is nice to have a guide to keep show me the best of the best in Scotland.
Thanks for reading.
Don

MOUNTAIN BIKING IN SCOTLAND

2011-03-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

SPRING IN GREAT BRITAIN

2011-03-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

CLOSE UP OF SCULPTURE

2011-03-27T05:21:00.001-07:00

My stay in Mallorca is over and I am on the second leg of my holiday, England and Scotland. When Andy flew over to Mallorca he had to fly from Manchester, England as there were no flights from Scotland. That meant on the way home we both flew back to Manchester. Ros, Andy's girlfriend cheerfully picked us up and off we were to Liverpool where Ros's parents live. Barbara and Frank welcomed me like a long lost friend. Though we had never met before we felt like we knew each other.
A quick tea and off we were to see the sights and visit with Barbara, who was in Liverpool getting ready to sing in a concert, Mozarts's Requiem. Then it was time to see the sights. A couple of Cathedrals (Anglican and Catholic). A modn shopping area and then to the famous Cavern District and the Cavern Club, made famous all those years ago by the Beatles. Liverpool was full of people of all ages enjoying the night life. The Cavern Club was packed as were many other pubs and dance spots.
A quick dinner at Everymans and then off to the concert.
A combination of daylights saving and a late night made for a late morning. It was off to the beach and the outdoor sculpture. This sculpture consists of 100 bronze statues made from the artists own body. It is quite disconcerting to see all these naked men looking out to sea.
This afternoon we are off to Scotland. The sun is out and England is looking its best. Green, trees blooming, and daffodils everywhere.
The photo of the Beatles music sitting on the piano was not staged, that was the music on the piano when I walked in. And, yes, everyone in Liverpool calls everyone love just like we learned in Help and A Hard Days Night.
Thanks for reading,
Don

Art on the beach

2011-03-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

2011-03-27T05:19:00.001-07:00

Sculpture

2011-03-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

LIVERPOOL

2011-03-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

Soller Deia Binisalem by donoso@bendnet.com at Garmin Connect - Details

2011-03-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

Soller Deia Binisalem by donoso@bendnet.com at Garmin Connect - Details
This is more a blog about new technology than where we went yesterday. The first year I came to Mallorca I bought a prepaid phone card so I could call home. Though I do speak Spanish it was difficult to navigate through all the different voice menus and make a call to the USA. Kathy, on the other side of the world had a new cell phone, but she was at a workshop in San Diego and the hotel where she was staying was out of range for her cell phone carrier. The result being we didn't communicate for over 10 days. Today I use Skype, I can see her face live over the Internet and it is easy to get hold of her and for some reason it is free.
Maps, that is another thing that has changed. The first year we all had maps, but we had to guess which were the best roads, now they have a special cycling map with the best routes already picked out. Of course there is the Garmin. John Riley, my friend from Wisconsin, just wrote to me and announced he and Margaret are going to be in Mallorca next week, not knowing I was already here. He wanted to know if I had some good suggestions for routes, in case the Trek Travel routes were too tame. All I had to do was send him my Garmin downloads, just like the one on this blog. He can then download them to his Garmin and not have to worry about where to go. It is amazing how quickly things have changed. Though it is fun to make fun of all these gadgets, and how people are obsessed with cell phones, GPSs and computers they have made my traveling easier. It doesn't make the riding more fun, but it does make finding routes a little less stressful and I like to share my experiences with you at home and that is simple in this new world.
Thanks for reading,
Don

Magical

2011-03-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

I can't help but use that word magical. This photo was taken close to sunset as Andy and set off for a night ride. We were half way up first climb and I looked back and that was the view. I have seen this view many times but this one was special.
It seems kind of crazy to do a night ride when we have all day to ride, but it is an adventure to ride at night ( we have some very good night lights). There is no traffic so in some ways it is safer. On this day Andy was getting in In the afternoon and we wanted to watch Milano-San Remo on the television. It was over at 5:30 so we rode at night, we, wouldn't have had this view otherwise.
Yesterday we decided to see the scenic coastline between Valdemosa and Soller. We stopped in Deia for some food and drink. Deia is one of the most beautiful towns on the island. It sits almost one thousand feet above the Mediteranean Sea, mountains behind and the sea below.
Today we are headed out to another spectacular view, which is the lighthouse on Cape Formentor. Two small climbs and a tunnel gets to the point furthest north and east. On a clear day one can make out Menorca in the distance. Like I said this place is magical.
Thanks for reading,
Don

Serious planning

2011-03-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

It seems like a map is part of every conversation when one is on a bike holiday. In the morning at breakfast in order to plan the day, at all the stops just to make sure we are where we are supposed to be and of course at night at dinner so we can recap the days route. With the advent of the Garmin GPS we also have to email what we did and of course check it once more for ourselves just to be doubly sure we actually should be tired.
The other part of a bike holiday to Mallorca is the cafe. Should we stop in Bunyola, or wait until Soller. Maybe we should stop at every bar we see and have cafe. Some of the cafe is perfect, some not. Imalways have cafe con leche. Coffee with milk. Most of the time it is just the way I like it.
In the next photo you can see what Mallorca looks like from about 1500 feet. The mountains you see are full of windy roads with climbs from 5 to 15 kilometers. There is also lots of flat land to ride in. It is one of the reasons I like coming here. Hills to go hard, have fun on the descents, and look at the scenery. Flats for those days the legs need s rest but you just feel the need to get out.
The last photo is how we try to recover after a lo g day in the saddle. The pool is cool, though not ice water, so we stand in the pool for about 10 minutes. Don't know if it works but it seems to. I took that photo from my hotel room. I felt like some National Enquirer photographer.
I am asked why do you always return to Mallorca every year. Travel is many things to different people. For me it is not about adventure but about seeing old friends, enjoying the sunshine in March and getting in some fun miles on the bike. Mallorca is the best place I have found for that so I keep coming back. It is a long way but I find it worth it. The last few days I have been catching up with my friend Neal from Leeds in Great Britain. I only see him once a year so it is good to see how he is doing. A few minutes ago I was walking down the street and I saw our head waiter from another hotel we have stayed at. He recognized me stopped and said hello. Kind of nice.
Right now I am sitting in the hotel waiting for Andy to arrive. I spent some time with him last fall but I haven't been in Mallorca with him for a number of years. That will be fun. We actually met here in Mallorca six years ago I think.
Take care and thanks for reading, and a note to Matt, those are chainrings on the pillow. Special 42 tooth chainrings from the states. Better than mints.
Don

Typical day in cycling paradise!

2011-03-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

What is this

2011-03-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Mallorca #10

2011-03-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here I am in Mallorca for my 10th time. Though we generally have pretty good weather here there are days when it rains. Our first day was like that. We landed I bright sunshine, something I have not seen at home in a while. What was more remarkable was in Barcelona it was pouring rain. We were all quite hungary and my bike was still in Newark so we went to have lunch at my favorite Don Corleone's. Sitting in the sun drinking a cafe con leche. This was the experience I was waiting for.
I was extra smart this year and put my shoes, pedals and helmet in my carry one bag. I went to the bike shop after lunch and picked up a rental bike. I was ready to go before the others had finished putting their bikes together. We started out and all looked fine. There was the odd dark cloud around but it looked clear. Well what we were in is what is called a sucker hole. After about 15 minutes it started to really rain hard. We gathered under a tree, put on our rain coats and headed back to the hotel. Our shoes were soaked, along with everything else. The photo of the shoes on the wall is my invention. I used some hangers to suspend the shoes in front of the vent. Dry shoes in the morning.
The other photo is my bike bag. When we returned from our first day out my bike was enroute to the hotel. Even with the rental bike it was sweet to see my bike in one piece.
Today we had another problem. Joe's bike had a shifter problem that was not repairable. We took it to my favorite shop and they were willing to get the part from their sisters shop, and have the bike ready by tomorrow morning. They even loaned us a bike so Joe could pedal the. 40 ks back to our hotel. Ciclo Gomilla in Binisalem. The same kind of service Sunnyside would give. It looks like sun for the next few days, I will try to get some more photos and more stories.
Don

2011-03-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

SHOE DRYING 102

2011-03-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

ON HOLIDAY

2011-03-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I head for another adventure across the Atlantic. It has become an annual event for me, spring riding in sunny Mallorca. You can see by the photo why I go. It is, as my friend Baltimore Bob says, magical. Windy roads, lots of friendly cafes with very good Spanish cafe. I really look forward to this trip. This year more than most. We had a dry and warm January. When I wanted to ski I was on my bike. Then winter came back and we seem to have had snow, rain and cool weather for about a month now.
I have been on my skis but by March I am ready for some cycling. Barb and Lew are joining me again along with Joe and Deborah, my good friends from Portland/Seattle. I was telling Serena, who came last year with her husband Ben, that I had a fantasy world where all my friends came every year. I won't mention them all but believe me I have many friends who I have met on bikes in Mallorca and now we are friends. Serena and Ben are not coming this year, neither are Kevin, Ali or Pete. One very special friend is coming and that is what I am really looking forward to. Andy, my very good friend from Yorkshire, but who lives in Peebles, Scotland is going to be my roommate. I usually see Andy once a year, but he has not come to Mallorca for a few years now. It will be fun to show him some new roads, and of course ride the old ones again. Andy is just 30 and I seem to be over 60. I don't know why we get along but we do something about being kindred spirits. We aren't really even a lot alike. But we get along and that is the part of the holiday I am looking forward to the most. I also get to visit him and Ros in Scotland for a few days as I needed a place to stay between Mallorca and my trip to watch the Tour of Flanders.
The hardest part for me is simple it is leaving home and my sweetheart. It would seem that after almost 40 years of marriage we would be glad to part, but it isn't like that. We do have different likes and dislikes and while I would rather be on my bike she would rather be in her garden. She does travel but not as much as me. So off I go, with a bit of a tear in my eye. This year I started taking piano lessons and I find playing music quite emotional. I practiced today for the last time until I get back and I was so sad afterwards I started to cry. I guess it is good to love my music and my piano teacher (Kathy) so much.
I am all packed and now we are spending a quiet day together. Not really doing anything much. That is what I will look forward to when I get home. Some more quiet time.
I will be writing from time to time about my trip. Thanks for reading.
Don

TECHNOLOGY ? PELLIZOTTI? WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT

2011-03-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Dave suggested I write about Franco Pellizotti (he lost his appeal and was suspended for two years from bike racing this week), and Susan suggested I write about new technology. I am not going to say too much about Franco. He didn't test positive his blood values were suspicious. I do not have much to say really. I do know when I had surgery 10 years ago my hemocrit level was over 50. I don't know why but I would have been kept from racing. I guess the bottom line for me is they are really just guessing he took drugs. Does not seem fair.
Technology next. Velonews has decided that 29er bikes are the innovation of the year. I guess that is cool, but I am pretty sure they have been around for a lot longer than this year. That being said I got mine this year and, yes, it is cool. I am not the born again 29er owner though. I have a Trek Superfly 100 Elite. It weighs in at 23 pounds with pretty big tyres. It goes fast up hill and it seems to do everything else pretty well also. It doesn't have those 29er issues one reads about. It goes around switchbacks, it does a wheelie as well as I can manage, it rides over rocks and through snow better than my 26 inch bike. It only has 100mm of travel but with the big wheels that seems like enough. I also have 26 longer travel Ibis Mojo HD. That really flies downhill but my Trek is still a fun descender. What I am convinced is it is a better race bike and a great long distance machine. If you haven't ridden one you should give it a try, even If you are small. Two of the best female mountain bikers from the USA both ride 29ers and they are 5'4" and 5'2".
Now one last bit of technology. Fischer Skis have been selling a ski called the zero for a fe years now. It has only been available as a race classic ski. An expensive quiver ski. It has had lots of success though. Next year they will have a wider version called the super light.
I have had a chance to ski on that ski a couple of times and I am duly impressed. It feels like a wax ski. Fast, no noise and good kick. I really feel this ski is going to be the ski of choice for those that classic ski at Meissner and Mt Bachelor, or even more as I used this ski through some fresh snow and it worked quite well. Time will tell but this seems like a real revolution in the nordic world.
I am off to Europe next week. I will be writing about our adventures in the blog so keep abreast. I am looking forward to some warmer days on the bike. Thanks for reading.
Don

SUNNYSIDE SPORTS FAMILY

2011-03-04T06:36:00.000-08:00

Sunnyside Sports is where I work. I also am the majority owner. Sometimes this is difficult because I think of all of my coworkers as friends first. That being said Sunnyside Sports is not a place to hang out. It is about hard work, treating customers with respect and getting the job done. Those that see all of this fit in. We have just hired four more coworkers. I did none of the interviews, one I hadn't even met until her first day of work. This was on purpose. I am trying to get out of the day to day running of Sunnyside Sports. My goal is to have exchanged ownership of the Sunnyside by 2015. I want the decisions to be made my the new owners not the old owner.
Sunnyside is my other family. Family is not all about play, it is about growth, working together and being there for others when in need. That is how I feel about Sunnyside. We have been hurt, like all families, by this attitude, but we have also been rewarded. I do not let the being hurt distract me from what we have tried to do. We have monthly meetings and at these meeting it is very apparent how well we all get along. Many modern businesses use the term "team". I see all the time in ads for recruitment that companies are looking for "team players". At one time I thought that was a good term but I have come to the conclusion that when a company is looking for a team player what they really mean to say is someone who will follow orders and do as the boss says.
Sunnyside needs those attributes also to a point. What we really want is more. We want people we can work with in the day and then go for a ride with on the weekend. We want more than team players we want family members.
When it was just the two of us (Gary and I) it was pretty easy. We worked almost every day and we both knew we had to give a lot to make Sunnyside work. Now there are 16 of us (at least that is my count). I realize a group of 16 is harder to deal with than a group of two, but it is still my goal to have Sunnyside a family style work place.
I am excited with our new faces (Jared, Andrew, Bruce and Katie) I hope they fit in like the other 12. I hope to go on rides with all of them and do the fun stuff which Sunnyside is all about.
Sunnyside was named because we are on the Sunnyside of the Mountains. I like to think of the song though and think that Sunnyside is about the Sunnyside of life.

DOES DON ONLY RIDE HIS BIKE?

2011-02-15T13:36:00.000-08:00

If you read my blog you may get the idea that all I do is ride a bike. I ride in Spain, France, Scotland and of course the USA. I race, I ride for recreation, I work on bikes, I test ride bikes. I have won some races and done well in many others. So part of the answer is yes I love to ride and at 60 years I am not ready to quit.
However riding is not all I do. I happen to work for example. I am part owner of Sunnyside Sports. I really do work full time. I love working here and I am proud of what me and the rest of the Sunnyside Crew have accomplished here.
I read quite a bit. The unusual part of that is I read mainly in Spanish. I do this because it is an easy way for me to keep on my Spanish language skills. I always have a book I am reading, right now I am reading the complete Sherlock Holmes. Why in Spanish? No real reason other thanI found it and it is a fun read.
I am learning the piano. This is really what this blog is about. I took piano 30 years ago but I found that practicing with my teacher in the room was not satisfactory. It wasn't her fault it was mine. I wanted some privacy when I practiced. So I stopped. Kathy (my piano teacher who I happen to be married to) recently moved her piano studio to out of our house. As soon as she did that I started piano again. It has been very fun and lots of work. I practice very diligently, almost every day for at least 1/2 hour. The first few lessons consisted of very simple tunes (of course one can wonder why Ode to Joy is the most beautiful and the most simple of tunes).
Part of my lesson is playing duets with Kathy. I knew this was part of class as I have heard Kathy give hundreds of lessons. What I didn't know was how I would feel about it. Playing music with someone else is on top of my list of things I have done, and playing with Kathy was even more special. I can't really explain how I felt. I can tell you what happened though. We we playing the theme from Dvorcak's New World Symphony. I had practiced this peace very hard. When we were playing it sounded like real music to me and Kathy and I were the ones doing. That was the point I started to cry. I mean real crying not just choking up. This was the real thing.
Like I said I have medals at world championships, I have raced in front of the hometown crown and done well. I have never broken down from joy before though.
A special thanks to Kathy who helped me make this happen.
Don

ADVENTURES ON THE MOUNTAIN BIKE

2011-02-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

Not every ride but on many mountain bike rides there is a sense of adventure. I like long mountain bike rides that take me far from home, deep into the woods, high in the mountain etc. Places that put you on your own. On a bike this is different than hiking because we have the added factor of falling and mechanical break downs. It is all part of the fun for me. Being prepared, having a well running bike, and having fun and pushing the limits without crossing into the danger zone. I have crossed the danger zone but it is not a place I want to be.
Yesterday Jody, Jacob and I decided it would be fun to ride the Alpine Trail in Oakridge. We have been having great cycling weather for the last three weeks and there were great reports of the trail conditions. I checked the weather and it said mostly sunny, but cooler and windy. That seemed fine. On the drive over we were seeing showers of snow and rain but there were some breaks in the clouds so it really wasn't too bad. We got to the trailhead in Westfir and decided it was a go.
We started of on some sweet singletrack along the North Fork of the Willamette River. It was in perfect condition. We then decided on the climbing on the 1912 road instead of the 1910 road. This meant for more singletrack along the river. It was sweet, but just when we saw the end of the trail coming there was a small sign warning us of unstable trail conditions ahead. Well what it was is the whole trail had washed out. There were two bike angels standing on the other side of the washout. We formed a human chain and ferried the bikes across the abyss and safely made it to the other side.
We then started the long climb to the top of the Alpine Trail. It actually was warm as the sun came out for moments. Of course when we got almost to the top it decided to snow. Not hard but it was snow and that meant cold.
We stopped on top, had a little food, put on what what dry clothing we had and, after checking the map, started our descent. The Alpine Trail actually starts with a climb. This was a blessing because it allowed us to warm up again.
The descent was epic and fun. The snow didn't affect the traction, and though the hands and feet were not warm they were not frozen either.
I probably wouldn't have started this ride if I would have known the weather conditions before hand. But all three of us arrived at the car with big grins on our faces, once again proving the added adventure added to the enjoyment more than detracted.
Here is a GPS Map of the course.

TOUR OF FLANDERS

2011-02-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

I have spent over 30 years in this wonderful bicycle business. I have always tried to the right thing, be a responsible business person and give back to the sport and activity I love. MIke said the other day that all my vacations include riding my bike. That is not 100% true but close to it. My life is surrounded by my love of all things bike.
In 2005 I was given a chance to watch the Tour de France. It was unexpected but it was an experience of a lifetime. I have my friend Kent Mills to thank for that. In fact I have so much to thank Kent for I wrote about him in a blog some years ago.
This time I am getting a new opportunity the Tour of Flanders. If you don't know about the Tour of Flanders let me explain. It takes place in early spring (April 3 this year) and it is the biggest race in cycling crazy Belgium. It is a one day "classic" race. That means lots of steep short hills, cobblestones, maybe some rain and wind. For the spectators it means beer and yelling.
I get to do both. Well kind of both. The day before the race there is an amateur version. There will be 20,000 cyclists trying to get up the Murs and cobblestones. Many of them expros and neopros. I will be with them. I would love to see if I could pedal up all the steep hills but my guess is it will be crowded. If you look at the photos you will that even the pros end up running.
Last year Fabian Cancellara won this race, and Belgium hero, Tom Boonen was second. Cancellara won in such a dominating fashion that he was accused of having an electric motor on his bike. This is not a joke. There is technology out there to give a rider 100 watts for about 20 minutes. The battery would be the size of a double A and the motor would be in the seat tube.
I doubt he had an electric motor but he did have extra help for sure. His legs are like an extra motor. This year I get to see in person if he can repeat or if Tom Boonen can hang on or some other "classic rider". I will have been on the course and will know a little how it feels.
The Tour of Flanders is my favorite race on the calendar. It has some crazy steep hills, it has cobblestones and it is in Belgium. What could be better. I will let everyone know how it goes. Thanks to Quality Bicycle Parts and Lazer Helmets for this chance of a lifetime.
Don

WHERE DID WINTER GO

2011-01-27T14:30:00.000-08:00

Just a few short weeks ago it looked like there would be no mountain biking at horse ridge, Cline Butte, or really anywhere in Central Oregon. Well that changed fast. A few vey warm days with some wind thawed out Horse Ridge, the sweepers have been out so many of the roads are clear of cinders, today it was almost 60.
Though the skiing is quite good still the snow is very thin at Meissner and Mt Bachelor is closer to 70" than the magical 100. This doesn't mean winter is over, and I remember this happening frequently, the main difference is we went from cold, snow to warm dry in a couple of days. It was so quick. I love the winter, the snow and the cold. I also love to ride my bike. I am enjoying both sports right now. Skiing a couple of times a week, riding a couple of times. I went on my third road ride of the year today. I stopped and took a photo of the North Sister, just west of Tumalo State Park. This is a special place for me. The first time I rode "Shevy/Tummy" I remember this view. The mountains seemed so close, like you could touch them. So white, so perfect. They still are.
Don
Sent from my iPad

FIRST RIDE OF THE YEAR

2011-01-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

I always take a brake from cycling after cross season is over. For me it is a forced brake as I don't have the burnout syndrome. I always want to ride. That doesn't mean I want to go out in the rain and snow and freeze, but if the sun is out and roads or trails are ridable my heart sings out to me "lets go ride". The last month wasn't hard not to ride, we had snow, cold and blustery weather and then I got a cold. So today with some weather coming in this week the sun and the dry roads beckoned. Out I went. Yes my fingers were cold and the wind on my face burned, but after a while the sun warmed me up.
It was one of those perfect winter days, no wind (big chainring most of the time) and the white of the Three Sisters was startling. If our weather was like this all winter it would be easy to get into cycling shape. That won't be the case. More storms are moving in as I write this and skiing will be the preferred way to to enjoy the central oregon out of doors. We will have more days like yesterday but the first one is special.

REST TIME

2011-01-02T18:11:00.000-08:00

I am writing this blog on a new device, my new iPad. I don't really like talking about new high tech stuff but this one needs a short explanation. I bought a kindle before I went to France last fall. On the way home it was stolen from me (ok I left it on the plane). If you want to more you will have to ask.
I was going to get a new kindle, but I did a little research and I found out the best selection for Spanish Language literature is from Barnes and Noble. I pretty much only read in Spanish and it is hard to find a huge selection in Oregon. Powell's is pretty good but I read a lot, maybe forty books a year. Amazon was weak, lots of trash. With the IPad I can get books from a almost anyone.
I am still learning how this thing works, but as I figure it out it will get easier.
This is my period of rest. No hard workouts, no long rides in the cold, and it seems no blogs. I think the no blog thing comes both with rest and with the season. Even though we pride our selves at Sunnysidesports in being a 12 month store Christmas is still a busy time. Through in cross nationals, birthday parties, team parties there isn't much time. I also started to coach this month. That is two more days out of my time. So I don't have anything profound to say. I will leave it at I hope you all have a prosperous new year full of love, good health and wonderful adventures. Turning 60 has helped me realize that time is the most valuable thing we have, please don't waste yours, as there are many others who would love to have some extra time.
Don

TURNING 60 YIKES!

2010-12-21T06:59:00.000-08:00

I don't think turning 60 is a big deal in itself, what really bothers me is how close I seem to 70. 70 seems old even to a 60 year old. Am I going to start wearing plaid pants and striped shirts, funny hats you can only get at old man stores ( I don't even know where those stores are), will I wear my pants high and act old, or will I grow out my hair, put it in a pony tail and try to act young. Will I continue to skate on my skis or will I get out my ancient pair of wooden touring skis, my knickers (this is a North American word for three quarter pants), and funny old man hat and shuffle around the trails.

It is scary to think about all of these changes. In order to prevent all of this from happening I have hired some young people to keep me normal. If my pants are too high, my hat too old or if they notice any other sign of aging they are instructed to set me straight.

I have few rules of mine own which I also follow. My choice of dress is the same now as when I was in high school. Levis 505s 34/32. As long is these fit it means I haven't put on weight, I haven't put my waist too high and the pant hem too high. I wear t shirts, usually medium. Again this is preventive fashion. If I went into Macys looking for a polo shirt or some kind of button down shirt I might be tempted to make a fashion statement. At 60 this could be dangerous. I will stick to levis and t shirts. The one change I did make a few years ago was to wool t shirts. They still look sharp but you can actually go to an opera in a long sleeve wool t shirt. They look like an expensive turtle neck.

My car will stay a stick shift. I think at some point people of my age decide to make things easier and not shifting is one of those things. I will keep the stick because if I forget how to use a clutch then I really shouldn't be driving (this is actually how I feel about all drivers).

I will continue to cross race and ride my mountain bike. These are really activities for the very young, so I my thinking goes if I do things for the very young I will feel very young.

So I am turning 60 but the truth is I still feel around 18. I met my sweetheart when I was 18 and everytime I see her it is just like the first time I met her and fell in love.

So I will try to be dignified, not grow a ponytail, not get a tattoo, not start wearing fashion from the 60s, no piercings, no new sports car, nothing like that. But I will also continue to have friends that keep me thinking young, stay healthy and active so I can do the activities I love and I will continue to feel 18 everytime I see my sweetheart. I will let 70 take care of itself.

LIFE AFTER CROSS

2010-12-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

I was talking to Damian today about post Cross season feelings. I feel fresh, strong and glad it is over. No intervals on the trainer for sometime, no rides in the cold and snow unless I feel like it, lots of cross country skiing and even some rest. I started coaching last week and that was a blast. Last year I didn't coach and I really missed it. It was the first year I didn't coach for over 15 years. This year I am coaching for the Bend Endurance Academy . This is because I get to coach at the Meissner Ski Area, our community ski area. Meissner Ski Area has been one of my dreams for over 20 years. I don't take any credit in making it happen other than encouraging the Tumalo Langlauf Club to make it their mission. Today it is real. The parking is lot is full almost every morning, and the people who ski there are part of who makes it happen. I love skiing there for many reasons. One is the terrain is perfect for the average skier, two the weather is more conducive to skiing than higher up. The storms not as big, and the snow is drier, three, it is 15 minutes closer to town so a quick ski is more convenient. I went for an early morning ski today and was able to ski for an hour and a half and still get to work by 9. The sunrise was spectacular and no I wasn't the first one up there. If you don't ski at Meissner you should give it a try. They groom on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If it doesn't snow you can still get some super skiing on the days they do not groom. You will need a snow park permit ($30 a year), and though they don't charge for skiing it costs $1800 a week to groom. So donations are in order if you like it.

Next year Cross Nationals are in Madison, Wi. They are in January. That means three more weeks of training in the cold. I think I am going but I will wait and decide for sure next year. In the meantime I will be resting, skiing and enjoying the winter I love so much.

Don

DAY AFTER

2010-12-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

I try to race enough each year so every race has balance. I also try to peak for certain races, this year there were two races I was aiming for State Championships and National Championships. I do like to perform well at every race though. It is about balance for me. One of my problems with the Olympics is they only happen every four years and a bad race means you have to wait four years for redemption. That is too long. It is much better to have lots of important races, try to peak for the important ones and then base your year on the whole season. The word Balance comes up again.

When I lined up to race yesterday I felt that Balance and I also felt a strange calm. This was unlike last year when I lined up. Last year I raced to participate, after a Fall season of recovery from a ruptured disc. This year I lined up to race as one of the competitors. Trying to win, trying to podium, trying to do the best race I could. My start went well. I was top 10 off the pavement, in the first 30 feet of mud I was around 8th, after the first tricky icy turn I was 7th and with the lead group. The guy ahead of me was having problems in the mud so I went around him on a pretty aggressive pass through a big lake of icy water. Then it was on to number 5. I had my race face on, the crowd was cheering for me as if I was a pro in a World Cup race. I caught and passed him in some deep mud. I had to go hard and out of the "line" to do that. I felt like I would keep going as he also was having trouble in some of the more technical sections, the places where I was flying. But no, he passed me back just before a steep short run up and got a couple of seconds on me. I was thinking I would get him again but it was not to be. I raced hard kept way ahead of 7th and ended up finishing 6th. This was maybe the best race I have raced in a cross race. I had visualized my race, did all the things I said I would do went hard and ended up in my best National placing ever. It was a great way to end this season and believe it or not I am looking forward to next year already. Today it is off to help my teammates in the pit, cheering and just support. If you click here you can see some photos of my race. Rich Wolf, one of my teammates was out there as my personal photographer.

There were so many of you out watching and cheering me one that I really can't name all of you. It means so much to me. I go a little harder every time I hear my name. Yesterday I used all of that extra energy to have my best race ever.

2010-12-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

For the next chapter click here and read Kathy's point of view on my racing.

TOMORROW IT STARTS

2010-12-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow at this time I will be in the process of doing a seed Time Trial for my race on Thursday. The TT course is not ideal right now. It is covered with crusty snow that makes it hard to peddle, more of a power course than a technique course. The first climb, which is ridable in the dry is now just a long run in the snow. The second climb is hard because even the approach is not ridable. Tomorrow it could all change. It is supposed to rain and be in the 40s. This will soften the snow and maybe make the climbs more bike friendly.

That being said we all have to do the same course and I will be ready. I don't have a huge field so the TT is not the end of the world anyway. It will be a good warm up for me the day before the real race. I am not really in favor of the TT, but I am not sure seeding by order of when one registered is any better.

I feel strangely calm this morning. I don't normally get that excited by races anymore anyway. I race a lot and it is the norm to be standing on the start line every week. That makes racing easier for me. Less stress, just another day. That doesn't make it less important it just makes it more normal. I know I will have lots of friends cheering for me and I know I will give it my best. I have prepared for this as well as I know how. If you are one of those who will be watching on Thursday I want you to know I hear every shout and word of encouragement. It makes a big difference to me. I have been racing a long time and in that time I have made many friends. Those friends are the reason I race today. I don't have any national titles to my name, but what I do have is hundreds of friends in the bike world. That is my legacy and what I love about this sport. This year I was in Scotland racing and I had a whole cheering section, I was racing in Portland earlier this year with Dave Guetler the owner of River City Bicycles (the main sponsor of the Cross Crusade). He was laughing because everyone was shouting for me and he was in his home town. This is my bragging. Yes I have had success racing and I have won my share of races, but if someone wonders who I am, I will say I am the one that the crowd was cheering for. I don't know how that all happened. I think of myself as shy and not very outgoing, but I love my sport and those who choose to share it with me. That love has paid off.

I will be racing this week in front of my home crowd and I am looking forward to that. I will also be out there cheering for all my friends and I think that is just as important.

See you at the races.

Don

THE BIG DAY

2010-12-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

In one week I will be lining up to race my event in the USAC Cyclocross National Championship. Last year, though I raced, I wasn't prepared as I had spent 12 weeks recuperating from a ruptured disc. This year no excuses. I have trained well, raced well and frankly I feel great.

I am not making any predictions as age group racing is always a bit of a gamble depending on who shows up. I just want to go out and give it my best. I want to test my self, see how hard I can go and hopefully if all goes well finish in the top 5.

There a few factors that will help or hinder me. One is, I am not a great runner, if there is one set of barricades and one run up per lap I will be fine, if there is more running than that I will have to make up for it on the bike else where. Two if is snows and there is snow on the course I will be at an advantage. I like riding in the snow and I like to think I am good at it. If it turns to slush then it will be more difficult for me as slush is not hard technically just hard. If it is solid ice that could help or hurt. I like ice but it is too slick no one can ride it and it becomes a run.

I can't predict what the course will be like, nor can I predict what the promoters will do to the course. It will be fair as we will all ride the same course at the same time. Like I said I am looking forward to this year. Last year was an experience I will never forget and this year I should be able to race like I am capable off. If you want to watch it is 8:30 am on Thursday December 9th. It is the first race of the National Championships. I will be nice to be done early so I can help my teammates, it is also nice to go first so I won't be thinking about it all the time. Thanks for reading.

Don

STATE CHAMPION, A GOOD FEELING

2010-11-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

First of all for those of you who wanted to know about Ashtabula it is located in the heart of where our Steel Industry is and was and it is where some steel cranksets were made in the 60s and 70s and maybe later. They were heavy and strong.

After my long drive and racing last week I was quite tired. That was part of the plan really. Training is a fine line between getting faster and getting tired. The idea is you get tired and then you recover and are stronger than before. Last week I was tired . I was supposed to be tired. This week I was supposed to be stronger than ever. I rested Monday and Tuesday, did a short workout on Wednesday and then rested some more. Saturday morning I could tell I was not the same as last week. Mentally I was ready and my legs had that spring in them. After the drive over to Salem and doing my warm up lap I wasn't so sure. The course seemed extra slippery and riding up the hill I was a little flat. I got down to the business of a real warm up on my trainer. Legs were fine, no pain they just wanted to go. I lined up thinking about a cool line I was going to use at the start. We started in the mud and most people were going wide on the first turn, I decided to cut the corner short. Start on the right and then cut straight across to the stake. It worked perfectly and I had the hole shot. I hit the pavement to mud a little to fast but held on and kept my position up the climb. Ron went around at the beginning of the second climb but I was ready. When the dirt climb turned to pavement Ron let up and I attacked. A little gap. I didn't manage to really drop Ron until the third lap when I really gaped him. My legs worked like they were supposed to, getting orders from the brain and then obeying.

State Cyclo cross champion for the second time in my life, the first was in 1998. So 12 years ago. In those years I have maybe 10 podiums so I am consistent but wins are special.

Last year when I was injured (ruptured disc) I had hoped to recover by the State Championship race. I didn't recover so this race is a year late and very rewarding. Nationals are coming up and I am feeling ready for the challenge. Not much philosophy in this blog, but I must thank Ron Strasser for making me honest on Saturday. He attacked me and kept coming back to me when I bobbled or made a mistake. Winning is only as good as your competition. The photo is of me and Ron on top of the steeper first climb. As you can see he was not giving this to me.

Don

BACK AT HOME

2010-11-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

I spent a wonderful day and 1/2 with Bob, Marianne and my mom and then it was back to the west coast. Not to bore everyone with airport stories I will just say my flight from DC to Portland was delayed but Joe was still there to pick me up around 11 pm. I guess that is why friends are called friends.

I left for my drive at a cross crusade race and that is how I finished it. After spending the night at Joe and Deborah's cute flat in NW Portland we all drove out to Estacada for the last Cross Crusade Race of the year. While I was warming up my legs could feel the block of intervals, 45 hours of driving and a cross country flight. No excuses though. I got the hole shot, Ron made a tricky move in a bottleneck by getting of his bike and running. I was left 10 seconds behind and that is how it stayed. I can't complain though. I rode hard and didn't really make any mistakes. My bike, that Mike had gotten ready performed perfectly, my clothing that Kathy had washed and Serena had brought over were all there and I was headed home.

A two and a half hour drive is much easier than a 45 hour drive. Kathy had a big smile on her face and she had to show me her latest gardening exploits, even though it was dark. The kitties wanted to be fed and didn't really care that I was home though Ariel did come over later and give me rub.

Thanks to everyone who made my trip a little easier and it is really nice to be home. I have included a couple of really super photos my friend (I like that term), Jeff took at the last two races.

MADE IT ACROSS AND A FEW MORE THOUGHTS

2010-11-12T11:50:00.000-08:00

I made it to Massachusetts yesterday around 7pm. That made for a couple of hours of night driving, but I finally pulled into my brothers driveway. It was a welcome sight to say the least. I have been here many times and it was not only good to be done with the drive but to be somewhere that was familiar. It is very peaceful and quiet here in Western Mass. More so than in Bend actually. He lives in the middle of what seems to be an endless Forest of mixed conifers and deciduous trees.

After a meal of mom's meatloaf and Bob's wild blueberry pie it was a welcome sleep in a familiar place.

I try to keep negative thoughts out of my blog. It is not that I don't have them I just don't choose to share those thoughts here. That being said I am not going to say much about the drive from Wisconsin to Pennsylvania. There was lots of traffic, and it was stressful for me. It was good to get past Buffalo New York and into more of a large forest. There was still plenty of traffic but it was more mellow. I haven't crossed the country since I did so with my Dad in the mid 60s. I wonder now how my dad managed all those years. He was a good driver and maybe it was peaceful for him. Not for me. Though this was an adventure I will be glad to be home for a long stay.

I have included some photos. Some are state signs, one is a photo of a Mayflower Truck, on of the companies my Dad worked for, the sign of Ashtabula is for you to figure out. If you do leave a comment.

It is over to Boston tomorrow and a flight to Portland. The last cross crusade on Sunday and the short 3 hour drive home.

Sorry to all of those on my way that I didn't visit. I really didn't think I was doing the Northern route until after I started. Thanks to all of those others who helped my make this possible.

Don

THOUGHTS ON THE USA

2010-11-10T04:15:00.000-08:00

When I was leaving Portland Damian told me maybe I would see that a vacation in the USA could be as good one in Europe. Though I love going to Europe I also love the country I live in. This four day drive close to our Northern Border has been quite interesting, and there are some places I would like to return to.

Here are a few thoughts that came to me as I sat in the car for almost 10 hours yesterday.

One, It is so nice to drive on highways not wrecked by studded tyres. Either lane is flat without the dreaded grooves that we have in Oregon. Studded tyres are not allowed in most states because they ruin the highways and make them more dangerous.

Two, The Montana of my memories (I was born there) is not the same as the Romantic Montana of today. Today Montana for many is the land of fly fishing, hunting, hiking and the Rockies.

The Montana of my youth is one of big vistas, rodeos, wheat fields, and oil rigs dotting the skyline. Though the fly fishing mecca exists, the Montana of my memories is still there. It is a lot like Oregon in fact. Most think of Oregon as a wet forested green part of the Northwest, but is eastsiders know it for something different. Montana is called Big Sky Country for a reason. That is my Montana.

Three, Why haven't they discovered coffee out here in the midwest.

Four Desolate North Dakota is a beautiful State. This is my first visit to ND. It was the only state I hadn't visited other than Hawaii. Now time for some motel intervals.

Don

INTERVALS ACROSS AMERICA

2010-11-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

My mom is moving to be with my brother. This is a long and complicated story but I really thing she will be happier living there. My task at hand is to drive her new Toyota Corolla to her. Bend to Wendell Mass. 3000 miles and over 40 hours of driving. The last time I went across the USA was with my Dad in the 60s. He was a long haul truck driver and his sons went with him in the summer. This is kind of like reliving that. I am also trying to get in top shape for Cross Nationals and driving 10 hours a day is not how one does that. I decided on bringing my Ritchey Break-a-way Road bike and an indoor trainer and do a "block" of intervals this week. That would be 2 sets of 4X4 today (one in Cour d'Alene and one wherever I end up).

I am going to try and document the trip with some photos of interesting things in our country.

Yesterday I won a cross race in Portland so there is a photo of the seriously fun mud and me. Then there is the photo of the clouds to west (western wet Oregon) and the sun to east (eastern dry Oregon), and if you look close at the last photo you can see a replica of Stonehenge. This is the first of strange things you will find in America. I will try and get photos of any others I find.

The first day was OK. Instead of a three hour drive to Bend after racing it was a six hour drive to Idaho. Today will be through Montana, this is where I was born and it is always good to see home.

Don

The Giants win the World Series

2010-11-03T05:31:00.001-07:00

This blog is really about a boy who loved baseball and the Giants and not about the Giants who just won the World Series.

I am not sure about being a sports fan. I don't follow traditional sports anymore, but once I did. When I was a boy I played sandlot baseball with my friends, I went to a few Giant games at Candlestick Park and during the summer I would carry my transistor radio and listen to the games as broadcast by Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons. Willie Mays was my hero. He was always the best in my mind. In 1962, after a three game playoff with the hated Dodgers, the Giants made it to the World Series against the more hated Yankees. I was in Jr High at the time and we were listening to the game in our home room. It wasn't just me that thought this was a big deal. It was the 9th inning with two outs and two on, (Willie Mays and Matty Alou). I remember all of this as it was yesterday. Stretch (Willie McCovey) was at bat. He hit a screaming line drive that was caught by Bobby Richardson, the Yankee 2nd baseman. Richardson was playing out of position and should (are there shoulds in baseball) have never have made that catch. Series over, dreams for an 11 year old also over.

Now almost 50 years later the Giants have won. Time does heal.

There is no logic to this scenario, this is a different team, different owners and different time, but somehow it matters. I can't explain it I can just feel it. That 11 year old finally has his world series win and somehow the world is a better place.

Don

Halloween and One Year

2010-10-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

I am in Astoria at the annual Cross Crusade Halloween races. Our team stays in a rented house for the weekend. There are 10 of us and this is the third year we have done this. It is a good way to be with friends, and teammates. Community dinners, breakfasts and lot of support out at the race. We have our tents set up on the course so in the rain and weather we have a place to cheer and stay dry.

The first race was today and it was an important date for me. One year ago I was here as a spectator as I was injured with a ruptured disc. I could walk around the course, ride my trainer and enjoy the spirit of the team. I couldn't race though, I could only watch. I totally enjoyed my weekend but I was thinking in one year I will be back. It is one year and I am back. Today I won my category for the second week in a row. These are tough guys who do not give me an inch. I was in third for a few seconds as we all stuck in traffic when we caught the young 50 year group. I soon made it to the front after a brutal climb and fast descent. Then it was a matter of trying to catch as many 50 years old as I could. I managed about half I think.

I am very thankful to be out here racing. I love to race cross and last year was tough for me. What a difference one year makes. This year I am winning races, last year I was barely walking up stairs. I had a lot of help and support to get here and I appreciate all of it now. Tomorrow is another race and I am sure Ron, Ken, Amory and the others will be there to keep me honest. I will go hard and remember that just one year ago I was on the sidelines.

Thanks to everyone and see you at the races.

Don

FIRST CROSS CRUSADE IN OVER A YEAR

2010-10-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

If you like pictures of sweet Scottish girls look at last week's blog, today is about some mud racing and fun. It was so muddy I was thinking they should have added a surcharge to our entry fee. PIR (Portland International Raceway) has two coursed. The wooded technical course we use for the GP races and the Open behind the bleachers course we use for Cross Crusade. The Cross Crusade course needs to be muddy to be truly fun, and yesterday was all of that. The good thing is the sun would come out ever so often to dry and warm things up, then the rain would return. In my race we started in the sun and then it just poured. I had my contacts in and a couple of times mud got in my eye and all I could see was a brownish haze. They added a new older category this year so I get to race in the 60+ group. We start 15 seconds behind the 50+. This is an interesting group. The faster members have been racing for years and have similar skills to the pros, the slower ones are somewhat new to cross and haven't developed those skills, and believe me it is hard to develop new skills at the 50+ age. The faster 60+ racers have to navigate through the slower 50+ and then fight with the faster ones to keep moving up. Part of the strategy in a race like this is to pass at the right time so the racers behind are slowed by the traffic.

I managed a rookie mistake and came out of my pedal. So I started dead last. It took me a lap and a half to pass Ron and get into the lead. It was then a matter of pushing past the racers in front and getting some distance. Ron Strasser (the nicest man in bike racing) made me earn my victory. It was sweet to be on top of a cross race again. Last year I sat out most of the season with a ruptured disc. I managed to race at nationals but I thought of that as an honorary start. This year I plan to be fit and ready. This was a good step.

CROSS IN SCOTLAND

2010-10-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

After 10 days in France and 4 fun days in Scotland it was time to test the legs. I was doing a Scottish Cyclocross Series race at Strathclyde County Park near Glasgow. This is also the same sight Scotland's Theme Park. I am not sure what the theme is, Marty suggested it is rust. It was cool day and the park was full of fun enthusiasts, riding ferris wheels, roller coasters, even some kind of water slide.

We were on the other side of the parking lot in a large grassy field along side a wooded creek. It was perfect for cross. This was more of a Cross Crusade 10 years ago. I started with the 40+ racers and I really didn't know what to expect. I was borrowing a bike from a new friend, Simon Muir. I had met Simon in Bend last August and told him I would be doing this race. He offered me a bike to use so I accepted. It fit me perfectly with even the brakes being left rear (standard british practice).

My start was OK and then I just generally moved up through the field. I still don't know how I did place wise, but my body felt good, a little back tightness on the last lap is all. I had be chasing a couple of younger lads and finally made my move on the last lap, but then a rookie stumble over the barriers allowed both of them to pass me at the finish. I had just put on my spikes and the barriers were a little higher than what I am used to. I was tired and sprinting and just couldn't quite pull it off. I was asked by a lad doing the race report if I would ride a practice lap with a helmet cam. I did and it will be posted soon on the British Cycling sight. When I get results and the video I will add them to the blog. I was well chuffed on how I rode. Another similarity to cross crusade was the cheering. Andy, Ros, Simon, Marty and Paul were all there giving me encouragement but then I started to hear some other folk. The announcer was telling the crowd I had come over from the United States to race, so I got extra cheers then, but still there were more voices. It turned out Pete, Ali, Eifa, Ione and Kevin all showed up from Selkirk to cheer Andy and I on. They had called that morning and said they couldn't make it because Eifa had been not feeling too well. It was great to be able to see them one more time before I went home, and it was so nice they came just to cheer us on.

Andy had a great race also. He has been taking it easy for a couple of years letting a health issue take care of itself. He started off calm and ended up a respectable 5th place. He looked like he is getting ready to go a little harder soon.

After the race it was hot flasks of water put into tea cups, sandwiches and lots of talk. I got a couple of photos of Eifa and Ione hanging out, riding bikes etc. It was a good way to end my fall holiday. I am now at home catching up, doing laundry and getting ready for the Ochoco retreat.

It is great to be home, be near my sweetheart, see the kitties and eat some of our chickens very fresh eggs.

You may notice I am not in my Sunnyside kit. This is because in Scotland I am an honorary member of team Velo Moulin. It looked odd to me not wearing my usual kit.

Don

HOLIDAY INTERLUDE-SCOTLAND

2010-10-16T01:08:00.000-07:00

You don't come here for the weather, in fact I rather enjoy seeing the clouds on top of all the hills that surround the Tweed Valley. One of the nice things about Scotland is one doesn't have weather anxiety. That is when you are on holiday and you are expecting sun (France, Spain, Bend etc) and you get rain. Here you expect rain and dress for it. If the sun comes out then all the better. Today we are going for a road ride, I will bring my rain coat, but ride we will. Tomorrow is a cross race. How cool is that, to be able to travel over here and do a cross race. I arranged to borrow a bike last August when Simon Muir, a friend of many of my Scottish friends was in Bend. We were out to dinner and I mentioned I was going to be doing a cross race. He said he would be there and if I needed a bike he had and extra. So tomorrow is all figured out.

Yesterday was a group meal. This seems to be a tradition when Don from Oregon comes to Scotland. Pete and Ali organize this event. Friends from the Borders and beyond seem to show up. Pete cooks a meal, friends show up. There is lots of talk, laughter, and catching up. I invite everyone to visit Oregon, and we all promise to meet in Mallorca in the Spring. We are all true friends.

Today was a group ride, a real group ride. All levels of riders. We stayed together, stopped and bought some cheese at a farm, and afterwords it was "tea" at Pete and Ali's. Tea in Scotland means a meal, probably a big one. We had soup, buns, tuna, cheese from the farm, tea and coffee. More talk, more laughter, we relived the Shleck-Contador moment from the tour. Disagreed a bit, but respected the others opinion. More fun and socializing. Here is the ride we did. It was everybit as good as any ride I did in France. Somewhat cloudy, no real rain, 3000 ft of climbing without any big hills.

I can't leave this post without a mention of the lassies or bairns. This is Ione and Eifa, Pete and Ali's two beautiful daughters. Ione is 4 and 1/2 and Eifa is 2 and 1/2. When I walked in yesterday Ione grabs my hand and upstairs it is to see her room and all of her stuffed animals. I was charmed for sure. It is nice to see these girls grow up so happy and I am afraid that Ione has the early signs of bicycle disease. She has a skut and a real pedal bikes which she loves to ride.

Tomorrow is a cross race near Glasgow, with the whole entourage coming to cheer and race. I will then pack and come home on Monday. This has been a great week. If any of you think this sounds like a good holiday let me know as I am thinking about a trip here next year. We would road bike and mountain bike and visit and have tea.

Don

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE

2010-10-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

This years France trip seemed to flash by, as compared to last year. I am not sure why. It could be the late arrival of Linda's bike which caused concern, it could have been the cold that seemed to go from person to person, it could have been the general strike in France which led to many of the group leaving a day early so they wouldn't get caught up the the trains not running. I guess it was all of these things. Deborah, Joe and I were the last to leave. Deborah and Joe were not leaving Paris until the 14th so they had one day of cushion and I had changed my flight from the morning of the thirteen (which would have taken me home) to an afternoon flight to Scotland so I could visit some friends.

The point being all three of us had an extra day to ride. We needed to be in Brive so we get the train to Paris, so we sent our baggage with Andy and Ros (my English friends who were in France with us) in a taxi to Brive. If you have been paying attention to my blogs of France you will know that picking the correct road is quite easy. Stay of the Red and Yellow roads and stay on the white roads. There had to have 5 or 6 ways to Brive. We picked the one that seemed the most interesting. The day dawned beautiful, and off we were. About half way we had coffee in Martel (a medieval merchant town over looking the Dordogne River. Then it was off to Brive. We went by the most amazing castle yet, and when we were close to town we let the madame (my gps) get us to the gare (train station). She did well, she took us off the main road up the steepest road around and right to the Gare and our hotel. Andy and Ros were there along with all our baggage. Andy and Ros went off to get on the replacement bus (the train was on strike) and we packed our bikes up. Later it was out to town. Brive is another one of those marvelous French cities with a bustling downtown situated in the medieval old town. The restaurant we picked was very good. It was a great way to end a wonderful trip. The trains were running the next morning and we arrived in Paris no problem. I got to the airport, a short flight to Edinburgh, Andy and Ros arrived minutes later and now I am in Peebles. Here are some photos to enjoy. Thanks for reading.

Don

WINDING DOWN

2010-10-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

This trip has seemed too short, it has been actually. The National Strike that is coming on the 12 has most of our group leaving a day early. I think that is too bad as this trip was planned to be a little short anyway. I think a trip is just right when you feel you are leaving a day or so early. We also had the threat of rain today so many in the group rented cars and went off to see some sights too far to ride to. I am sure they are enjoying themselves, but a car is not a bike.

I packed 6 bikes today getting them ready for the trip home. It is always sad to say goodbye to a place as wonderful as St Cere. I will be back though. I am not as prudent as the others and I decided to stay and take my chances with the strike. Tomorrow we will ride to the east and see some new territory, then on Tuesday three of us will ride to Brive while a taxi takes our baggage. We will then pack the bikes and take trains to Paris.

While everyone else will be going home I am headed to Scotland for a few days. My friends Ros and Andy, who are here in France right now, have invited me to their home. I will get to ride some Scottish roads, eat some Scottish food, see the rest of my Scottish friends and hopefully race in a Scottish cyclo cross race. Though I am looking forward to home, and my sweetheart the idea of a few days of Scotland sounds really good.

Thanks for reading.

Don

LONG DAYS IN THE SADDLE

2010-10-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Lew has created some very wonderful rides for us this year. The smallest of roads, a couple of steep climbs, churches built in stone and good places to stop for lunch and coffee. It thought today would be one of the easier rides. Not. Lew never told me it would be easy, I had just decided it looked easy. We started out on an easy climb out of St Cere and decided we would check out the N D de Verdale. Last year we didn't have clue as to what this meant. It means Notre Dame de Verdale (Our Lady of Verdale). It is an old church that was built in the 14th century and then rebuilt at least twice. It is on a steep narrow road (up to 25%) and then down an even steeper path, or you could do like some of our group and walk up a rocky path from the bottom. Either way it was worth seeing.

So after 5 K or so of knee busting 15% + climbing we then had to continue with 75 more K. It turns out we had done most of the climbing by lunch so it was then just rolling with a kicker climb to the top of our area 2400 feet, our hotel is 400 feet. As we started the descent we realized it was downhill with a tailwind back to home. One quick stop for a cafe au lait and we were done. Not easy but well worth it. It appears the rain is coming but not for one more day. So tomorrow we will have to see what is in store.

One of our group thinks that the cows are more intelligent than the ones at home. I am not sure about that but in this area they sure seem happy. They are big, healthy, clean and not really bothered by us cyclists. The farms in this part of the world look so perfect. France is really a country about fresh food, and the way to have fresh food is to have local food. The Spar grocery store (The french equivalent of our 7-11) has a better local cheese selection the Newport Market, better produce than Rays, most of it local.

We have a few more days here and I will try to keep it updated.

Don

A DAY ON HOLIDAY

2010-10-06T01:55:00.000-07:00

Here we are again in Europe enjoying the sights, the smells and of course the roads. The area of the mid pyrenees is like an amusement park for road bikes. Small paved roads gives a rider numerous choices to go in the same direction. Yesterday 6 of us went to the same area on three totally different routes. We were not being anti social but two needed to stop by the train station, two wanted to avoid some steep descents, and two of us left quite late so we took a more direct route. All had a great time on some of the best roads we have ever ridden. The other group headed south and had a great time on some roads very similar to ours.

Today was market day in St Cere. It is not an amazing market with fresh everything but more of a mercantile market, kitchenware, clothing for everyone, jewelry, and live chickens. I was pretty sure these are chickens for eggs, but they could have been for eating. One man bought one and a woman bought 4. They were all professionally stuffed into a cardboard box. I was wishing my farmer sweetheart was there to see. This is not Bend.

A couple of days ago we went out on a wet day during a sucker hole. This is when the clouds part and the sun appears. Minutes after we left it was pouring rain. Only six of us choose to ride that day. In the first town we decided it was time to have some coffee and see if the rain would stop. The cafe was closed, so was the next one and so was the next one. At that point I needed to eat so we found some shelter under a the opening of an old (very old) church. We happily ate our sandwiches, quiches and nut torts, again not Bend. Everything one does over here is an adventure and interesting.

We have had a few setbacks on this trip. One of our bikes is still missing. Linda has done her best to get by. She borrowed a bike the first day, the second day it rained and most of the group enjoyed the town. Yesterday we expected the bike but it was a no show so Linda and Paul took a hike up to the castle in town. Today we have been assured it will arrive by 1pm. I will get it together so they can have a long ride this afternoon.

Gary has a bad cold and sat yesterday out, today he is back at it though. He is in good spirits anyway. It is Gary and Priscilla's first trip to Europe and they are enjoying it 100%.

We also are going to have to be here during a general strike. This happening the day we were supposed to leave. This means the trains probably won't be running. Most of the group have selected to leave a day early. This is wise as they will be able to get home in time. I have elected to leave a day later. Not prudent but it is a chance I am willing to take. I want to spend as much time as I can while I am here. Here are some photos of our group and some sights.

Thanks for reading,

Don

IN FRANCE

2010-10-04T01:44:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Paris two days ago at 6:30 am. Not much to do until the train was going to take us to Brive-La-Gaillarde at 2PM. That made for a relaxing wait. We had to get to Terminal 2 at the Charles de Gaulle Airport and then wait for Paul and Linda to arrive. They arrived on time except that Linda's bike was left behind in Washington DC. Not good. It is hard to have a cycling holiday without a bike.

We got to the Train station and Muffy and I decided to take a short walk along the Seine River. In the distance we could see the backside of Notre Dame Cathedral, the top of the Eiffel Tower and we ran into Bernard. Bernard is our French friend who comes to OBR almost every year. The chance of seeing him on the streets of Paris (where he lives part time) was pretty impossible, but meet we did. We had a nice chat with him and his wife Dominique. Then it was back to the Gare Austerlitz. We managed to get all of our baggage on the train ( 13 bikes and multiple suitcases) and sit for the long ride to Brive. The train for me was a great choice. One could nap in the seats, walk around the cars and look at the scenery pass by at around 100 miles a hour.

Our shuttle met us in Brive for the short bus ride to St Cere. Madame Berry was there to greet us and help us organize our large numbers of bags. One of my favorite things about returning to a familiar town is seeing old friends. It is comforting to know that we were going to be treated in a warm friendly manner. Though I have heard many stories of being treated unfriendly in France I have never experienced it, and yes they do smile in France.

Yesterday, our first riding day it was off to the Nut Festival. We had been close to the nut festival a few years ago. It happens every two years in Saillac, about 30 kilometers from St Cere. It is a celebration of walnuts and it is called the Fete de Noix. Noix is nut but it actually walnut. They have a big meal (this year the theme was Spanish and the meal was paella). The locals dressed the part as torredores, flamenco dancers, mexican banditos etc.

We tasted nut oil, cocoa nuts, sugar nuts, nut loaf, nut tarts, nut mustard, pretty much nut everything. We were also riding on the Route de Noix. It was kind of nutty.

100 kilos of some of the best riding around.

Today I woke up to a partly cloudy sky that quickly turned into an exciting thunderstorm. Now, at 10 am, we have a steady downpour. Some of the group are headed out with a rental car to see the sights, some are waiting for the rain to stop and I am writing this postponing my interval session in the hill of St Cere (rain or not).

Here is a link of our ride yesterday. I will have photos later. Thanks for reading.

Untitled by donoso@bendnet.com at Garmin Connect - Details

THE URGE TO PACK

2010-09-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

I am leaving for France and Scotland next Friday and I woke up this morning with the urge to pack. I really haven't thought too much about this trip other than make reservations, help my friends who are coming with me and talk to Lew and Barb about the different routes we will take. A couple of days ago I thought maybe I should check the weather. I did and it didn't look great, I checked again today and it looks a lot better.

Anyway today I just needed to pack, some kind of traveling instinct I guess. I didn't want to pack my suitcase as I will still be using lots of those items, so I packed my bike. I have a Ritchey Break-a-way and it goes into quite a small suitcase. So at 7am I am out there getting ready for my trip. Next week I will have 5 more bikes to pack so this was a good start.

When I pack my bike I think of the first time I used this bike. It was an unexpected trip to France. My good friend Kent Mills had booked a luxury tour to see the Tour de France with his boyhood friend Ric. But Kent the week before had decided to do some extensive yard work and he ruptured a disc. He had no trip insurance so after a few frantic phone calls and an offer to Susan he gave the trip to me. I had decided I was going to get a Break-a-way that fall so I put in a frantic call to Ritchey and got one on the way. It was going to get here on a Monday and I was leaving on an evening flight on Monday. I showed up around 1pm. I was at home franticly packing it, sending Kathy down to Sunnyside to get some parts I needed. I never even had a chance to ride it. Off to the airport to Portland where I had to spend the night. I got it out of the bag, out on the tape and took it for a test ride. It seemed OK.

The first ride on that bike was up to the Tourmalet, the most storied pass in the Pyrenees. It worked fine and on the downhill I was feeling like I had ridden this bike thousands of miles.

It has been like that ever since. I don't ride it much but when I do it feels like home.

Packing for me is not unpleasant. I usually do it early (my instinct I guess) and every time I pack my bike I relive all the wonderful trips and think about the wonderful friends I have traveled with. I will be writing my blog more often during this trip so you can follow our adventures. Enjoy.

One more thing. My friend Serena wrote a very nice blog about our friendship, you can read it here Run bike ski

TRANSITION TIME AND NEW PLACES!

2010-09-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

I have been accused of not writing a blog for too long. The truth is I need something to say for me to write. August has been too busy for me to reflect on my life. In other words I have been doing and not thinking. August starts with the Oregon Bike Ride for me. That would be my last blog. Then before OBR was even done it was off to Serena and Ben's wedding in Opal Creek. Then it was back to work, riding my bike and starting to think about Cyclo Cross.

The thing that has really overwhelmed me this year are the three new places I have been this year. Those are Opal Creek, Iron and Cone Mountain and Jack Creek to Three Fingered Jack.

Central Oregon has been my home since 1969. I have hiked, ridden and driven to most of the really good spots in Oregon. I can't even begin to name them all but there are plenty. Some are so good I like returning year after year. That is where the problem lies. Since I return to my favorites every year I haven't been to some places that really should have not been ignored. So first it was off to Opal Creek for a wedding. Opal Creek is famous for the fight for it's existence in the 70's. I don't have all the particulars other than it was going to be logged and some very determined people fought it with everything from legal to protests. It was worth saving. Old growth trees, pools for swimming and hanging out just a perfect westside paradise. It was where Serena and Ben fell in love and it has become their special place.

Then Barb got us to go to Iron/Cone Mountain. This is one of the best wild flower viewing areas in Oregon. We have been meaning to get there for years, so this year we made it. Again why had we not been there? I can't answer that but now that we have made it we will return.

However the place that really made me wonder what have I been doing was the hike to Canyon Creek to the base of Three Fingered Jack. The truth is I am an eastsider. As beautiful and wonderful the trees and flowers are on the Westside, I like the desert and the openness of the eastside.

I can't even begin to describe the hike to Three Fingered Jack other than I was amazed at the beauty, the feeling and the intimate feeling of being so close to Three Fingered Jack. TFJ has always been the one Cascade mountain I had no affinity for. I have no logical reason for that. Now it is close to my favorite. I have very mixed feelings about getting there 40 years late. One is how could I not have been enjoying this jewell that is so close and the other is the wonder of having discovered it now.

The photos say it all for all three places. Thanks for reading.

Don

OBR 2010

2010-08-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

OBR this year went to some of my favorite places in Oregon, places with memories, places with no cars, places I like to share with friends. On OBR I got to share them with 240 friends.

We started in Klamath Falls. I got to know K Falls, as we used to call it before I knew anything about Bend. It was 1970 when I got a job with the US Forest Service working in Chiloquin. K Falls was the place to go to buy a book, binoculars, get a good meal, see a movie the fun stuff and I did all of that 40 years ago. Until Bend finally got it's new library a few years ago Klamath Falls had a much bigger and modern library than Bend. It sits on the largest fresh water lake West of the Mississippi, and it shares its name with the Klamath River, which traveled to my College stomping grounds. We headed to Bly, Silver Lake and then a stop over day at Diamond Lake. This meant we made a big circle around the area I worked in all those years ago. We even rode by my "driveway" which is the upper photo. A few miles down that road, I had a small mobile home that was my guard house. It was close to a spring and hundreds of Sandhill Cranes. That was the summer I was a bird watcher. There were so many and so beautiful I went and got the bird book and binoculars (those were actually a birthday present for Kathy). What a

great job for a boy of 19. I felt like a man then but I have come to realize what a boy I was. I say that as a good thing.

On our lay over day at Diamond Lake ( besides feeding the mosquitoes) we went and rode our bikes around Crater Lake. Crater Lake will always be special for me because Kathy and I spent a very important and romantic 4th of July weekend there in 1969. When I see the Lake I see and feel all of those years we have been together. Though Kathy wasn't there on this trip she was there in my mind as she always is.

Traveling in a National Park is always a bit different than other places. The brown interpretive signs, the vehicles with so many different license plates, and the Rangers always ready to answer those questions. I have to share two of my favorite tourist stories. One I was at the rim and someone asked if the water was really that blue. The other was the "husband" explaining to the "wife" that the lake filled up in the winter. The wife, who was quite observant, wanted to know how all of those pine trees near the lake shore survived. Our ever ready husband was quick to answer that they were a special species of trees that could live under water.

The rest of the OBR was also quite fun as we made stops in Butte Falls and Fort Klamath. I was impressed at all of the riders who told me how much fun they had. I am glad they were able to enjoy an area I have enjoyed for over 40 years.

Don

SUMMER'S DEFINING MOMENTS

2010-07-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

Summer is the season where events mark the beginning the middle and the end. For a school boy those dates are fairly obvious, end of school, 4th of July and beginning of school. I never liked school as a boy, it wasn't until university that I looked forward to fall. As a boy summer was full of adventure, lazy days in the sun playing baseball and riding my bicycle. When I became a young man and went off to university summer was three months of hard work, fighting forest fires and being away from friends and sweethearts (well really only one sweetheart).

At the age of 59 summer still has the same importance it did as when I was a boy of 15. It is a time to enjoy the sun, get outdoors, ride a bike hike in the mountains eat raspberries out of the garden, and even if one isn't supposed to get some sun. As an adult though summer doesn't have the feeling of doom when it is over. I also love the fall, and to this day when I start seeing back to school sales I am so pleased that isn't me. Fall has a better taste when school isn't involved.

It would come as no surprise that summer's defining moments are cycling events. The end of the Giro in May is the start of my summer. The Tour de France in July is my high summer, and The Oregon Bicycle Ride, though in August, signals the end of real summer is coming. It seems when I leave for OBR the temperatures are hot and the days are still long, and when I get back the days seem so short and the temperatures have receded from the 90s into the lower 80s. I know then that cyclo cross is coming soon and busy days in the store are pretty much over.

Of course even those things change. In the 80s Sunnyside's busy days started at the Pole Pedal Paddle and ended with July, now the busy days start in March and don't really end until the middle of September. That is not only to do with the population of Bend but also with our habits. Cycling has become a 12 month activity, not a 3 month one.

In my photos this blog I have include a few that mean something to me. One is a photo of Tumalo Mountain with moon at about 6am from halfway up Farewell Bend trail. Riding a bike in the wee hours of morning is the best, especially with a friend who happens to be as insane as I. The next photo is Serena (that same friend) racing in the Cascade Cycling Classic. She did quite well by the way. The next photo is a pro racer drafting his team car up the Shevlin Park hill. This is called cheating by the way, even in the Tour it would be called cheating. The last photo is of course of our adversaries in the Tour this year, Alberto and Andy. They put on quite a show and I thank them for that.

I hope your summer is as meaningful as mine.

Don

TDF: GOING BACK 5 YEARS, DIFFERENT AND THE SAME

2010-07-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Going back 5 years in the Tour de France things were different and they were the same. I was lucky enough to be at that tour. The reason I was there is a bit of a story ( a friend bought a trip, couldn't go and gave the trip to me). I loved watching the tour and I would tell everyone who loves bike racing to go to the Tour at least once. Watching the Tour live is an experience that I will never regret. Traveling in France in the summer is difficult though.

Lets get on with my story. Five years ago my group choose Revel as the stage to watch the finish. This is the same town that the tour is finishing today. Revel is another beautiful town in southern France. There was a break that day with Paolo Salvodeli. He was on the Discovery team, a teammate of Lance Armstrong. The finish in Revel is tricky because there is a short climb with a technical downhill. I predicted Paulo would win and win he did. Paulo, who is retired now was known as il falco (the falcon) because of his descending abilities. He was also a decent sprinter. He won the day. He later went on to win the GIRO for a second time. If you look at the photos you will see on the big screen television a photo of Perrick Pedrigo. He was in the main field that day trying to pull in the chase, today he is currently in the break still racing with one career TDF win. You will also see in the photo Thor Hushovd putting on the Green Jersey. He is currently the holder of that jersey. Will he keep that jersey today, tough to tell. I think Alessandro Petacchi will beat Thor in the sprint but I can't say by how many places. So that could be the same as 5 years ago. Lance is back in the race, though not in the yellow. I got to ride the course 5 years ago and do the final climb. Like any climb it depends on fast you go whether it is hard or not. This one is not that tough unless someone fast is up front trying to put the pressure on.

Watching today is special because I have been to Revel, the next 5 days will also be special for the same reason. I hope to go back to watch the tour someday. It won't be with a big tour group just some friends will do. I will remember not to go to too many finishes. As you can see by the third photo it is too crowded to really see anything, when we go to the mountains we will go to the second to last summit, and find a cafe with a TV to watch the rest of the race, and though Paris was an experience, it is just too crowded to really enjoy the race.

5 years seems a long time but it really isn't as many of the same players are still here.

As I write this the breakaway is almost caught and there is 10 miles to go. Who will win, who will have green, who will be ready for the Pyrenees? Soon we will know.

RACING AND RESULTS

2010-07-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

I think it is quite PC to say we race to challenge ourselves, to do it for fun, to participate etc. I would say most of us race for results. Results are what differentiates a race from a hard ride. I would also say the better the results the better one feels about the race. When I hear someone tell me they are racing for fun, I wonder what they mean. Are they saying they are not competitive, do they mean they don't really care how they finish, or is just a way of saying I don't know how I will do so if I do poorly I won't feel so bad. There are some races I do just to measure myself with others. This would be some of the 100 mile races I have done and the Super Ds I do. I know I am not going to win these but I am interested in how close I am to my competitors and I like when my name is higher on the list than lower. Some races I think I can win, or at least be competitive. In these races I have to tell you it is way more fun to win than anything. I am not suggesting that those who use the term "just for fun" not compete, but I will tell you winning is the most fun. In other words I also race "just for fun", most of us do.

This year I had a couple of milestones. One is I won the 55+ Oregon Mountain Bike Series for the second time. It was not easy. Mark Miller, who came in second, beat me three times, I beat him three times. It came down to me outlasting him in the TOE, check out my last blog for that race. I was confident going into Pickett's I could win, but with half a lap to go he went by. So my decision to race TOE was key to my overall win. A more important milestone was the team victory. This was way more important to me than my individual victory. I am into the team feeling. Everyone who raced helped the team get this prize. Again it was not easy. The lead changed hands through out the season with Team Dirt from Corvallis. It also really came down to TOE. Five of us put in our best races of the year and that gave us a cushion going into Pickett's. Sunnyside Sports had never sponsored a number 1 team in Oregon, and we have been sponsoring teams since 1980. Mountain bike racing is bigger than ever in Oregon and we were the best. We are not a big team, and we do not recruit ringers. We are a group of friends that love cycling period. We just happened to be the right age, the right category and many of us traveled to a lot of races to make this a team effort. Some of us are really Track Racers but came out and scored important points. Some of us are new to the sport but gave it our best and scored points, some of us have been doing this since the beginning of mountain biking and love it so much that we can't quit and we scored valuable points.

I am so proud to be part of this group of fun loving athletes and cycling enthusiasts.

This award would have meant nothing without Team Dirt. Team Dirt gave it there all, making us realize this was no give a way. If we scored 9 points they would score 10, We had a slim 2 point lead with two races to go. If we hadn't all had great races at TOE Team Dirt would have taken over the lead for Pickett's. Thanks to Mike Ripley and Team Dirt for making this year very memorable.

Remember, on our team we all race for fun. Winning this year made it more fun. And the other 29 years when we did not win, well they were also fun but those years helped make this year pretty special.

In the photos you see we had four series winners, Don, Serena, Austin and his super Mom Jodi. This blog only has room for 5 photos but I must mention Jim was third in his group. And of course there is the Team getting it's prize. Sweet.

Don

THE HARDEST RACE I HAVE DONE?

2010-06-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the second to last race in the Oregon XC series. It is called the Test of Endurance and many riders use it to get ready for Bike BC ( a mountain bike stage race in BC Canada), The Cream Puff (a 100 mile Mountain Bike race in Oakridge) or the High Cascades 100 (another 100 miler in Bend). I used it to help my team win the Team Competition in Oregon XC Series, and to solidify my lead in the Individual 55+ competition in the Oregon XC series. I raced this race last year and had taken it off my calendar for this year. I changed my mind when I realized our team could really solidify our lead and that my competition in the individual was so close that whoever won Pickett's (next week) would win the series. If I would have a good race at TOE I could clinch the series overall and if I had a bad race it would still come down to Pickett's.

Anyway I was there, after driving with two pros Chris Sheppard and Ben Thompson. They had made fun of all my stuff and then kept asking me for things out of my bag. Old wise timer I am.

OK the race. In two races this year I blew, I got passed close to the end and could do nothing. I decided this was not going to happen again. My time last year was around 6 hours and I figured it would be about the same this year (though I hoped for better). I used my Heart Rate Monitor and figured I could go for 6 hours at a heart rate of 160 + or - a few beats. I started off the first climb and was in first thinking sweet Mark is behind and David (who won the Mudslinger which used the same course) was no where to be seen. Whoops, there goes David and there is no way I can keep that pace. David has a very unusual stance on the bike. His saddle is way forward, maybe three inches forward of normal. He is very strong but on single track he can't really handle the bike because he is so far forward. The first single track we take I see him on the ground, OK back to first. Then we start the long climb and I go back to my pace again. I am feeling good at this point and confident. Then here comes Mark. He goes by but is not really going any harder than I am so I get on his wheel (first lead change). His chain falls off while he shifts and I go back out front (second lead change). Down some muddy single track up a steep climb and then the first Aid Station and 25% done. I don't stop and I don't see Mark, we learn at this time that David is out with a mechanical from his crash so it is me and Mark. After some more technical muddy trail we get back on some gravel road getting ready for the second climb. Here comes Mark again, I manage to stay on his wheel (third lead change). At the top of the climb he has another chain problem and I try to push the pace down the hill (forth lead change). He tricks me and passes me on the descent (fifth lead change). Fine, back on his wheel for some drafting and a quick pass before the funnest section of trail on the course, The Panama Canal (sixth lead change). We are now at the second aid station and 50% done. I stop to drink a coke and there goes Mark (seventh lead change). This time he gets quite a lead. I am patient though and keep my heart rate stead at 160. We get to the first muddy single track (did I mention it misted and rained most of the day) and I am not feeling that good. I figure this is it but as I go around a corner I see Mark pushing his bike up a muddy climb. I dig deep and pedal up the same climb and catch up. No passing no lead change but back together. We are now 4 hours into this race and we still can't get rid of each other. He pushes it on the climb and gets to the single track first. I can see him as we descend through the trees and we are together as we hit the road and climb to the third aid station. This time I can tell something is wrong. He is grimacing and make some awful sounds. His leg is cramping. I go by (eighth lead change) and this time I am thinking I can win this thing if I don't blow. I stop at the aid station this time to get my last coke and Mark some how has overcome his cramp and goes by (ninth lead change). I get going as soon as I can and do my best to catch him. There is quite a bit of single track here and I don't seem but I keep pushing. Around a tight bend and there he his walking with a bad limp and again these noises from his mouth don't sound good. Back in front (tenth lead change), and this time I push a little harder. Up the second climb, through the Panama canal and then the two miles to the finish. I am wasted as I cross the line. Not only was that physically tough, but mentally tough also. Passing and getting passed and trying to go harder without blowing trying to ride smooth etc. When I have done 100 mile races I don't really race. I just go out and try to finish. This was a race from the get go. Never a let up until I finished. I won, Mark ended up third about 8 minutes back. His cramp got the best of him to my advantage. This clinches my series victory even if I don't race Pickett's. The team picked up some valuable points as Jodi, Austin, Serena had their usual high places and Mark (another Mark our teammate) came through with a 12th place.

This is a tough sport. It is not just about being strong, it is about going downhill, saving energy and being mentally tough. I have never had a race where I was switching leads for 5 hours. Mark made me earn this victory and he made it extra sweet by testing me and not giving up. For me a rival is the one who makes a victory possible. A rival is not someone you want to taunt but someone you want to thank. I would not be racing if there was no one to race against. I also have to thank Steve Lacey who was only 5 minutes behind me. He passed Mark and that is why I have clinched the series. 6 hours, only 8 minutes between the top three, that is a tight competition. Today I have taken a long nap, washed my bike and hung out. Sorry for the long blog but the words just came out.

Don

FINALLY SUMMER!

2010-06-13T17:48:00.001-07:00

I don't have any photos of today, I was too busy enjoying the 80 degrees without a cloud. I just had to get out and get hot and sweaty on my mountain bike. For some that sounds pretty miserable but for me it is the best. I went out by myself, my own time, my own pace my own music just me I like that also.

I also like company, one is not better than the other they are both fun and enjoyable. The last couple of days Mike and I were in Ashland getting ready for the Ashland Super D, this is a 12 mile mountain bike race that looses 5000 feet. It is like doing a long descent on a cross country race. This one is pretty special for me because it is located where I won my first mountain bike race-Ashland. I have been racing in Ashland since 1981 (road bikes) and have been coming to Ashland since 1969 (Shakespeare Festival). It is the only place I would move to from Bend in the US.

We used to start in downtown Ashland and race up to Mt Ashland (12 miles and 5000 feet of gain) and then we would continue on some forest roads, 100 feet of single track a really hard climb and finish back in town. It is hard to believe we thought 39 and 1/2 miles of road and 1/2 mile of single track was fun, but we did.

This race is the opposite. 12 miles downhill, about 11 miles of single track, awesome fun single track. This race is cool because all forms of life show up. The Pro Mountain Bike Giant team (Adam, Carl and Kelli), pro downhillers (Mark Weir, Eric Carter (not to be confused with our Eric), Brian Lopes and me. What is a 60 year old (racing age) doing mixing it up with these guys. Well, I don't really know other than this is the antithesis of the Revenge of the Siskiyous, and it is fun to see some really fast riders. We were pre riding the course and Jody, who has not done this before, was a little dismayed when this group of guys came flying by at seemingly twice our speed. She was thinking she was over her head, but we told her that was the probable (and in fact the) winner of the pro men's race.

I had my new Trek Remedy 6 inch travel bike and I had a blast. I was 2 minutes faster than the last time I did this race and the course was about one minute longer. No crashes, no close calls just 46 minutes of fun. Next week we are headed over to Corvallis to the opposite and race the Test of Endurance. This is a 50 mile race that will test my endurance. I am doing this so our team can solidify its lead in the River City Mountain bike series. A lot of the same racers will be there, Adam, Carl, Lizzy, and some who didn't do the Super D. I like the mix of both types of racing. Super Ds are mellow for me. My goal is not to win but to have a safe ride that flows well, in a cross country race my goal is to win. I don't always but I put that pressure on myself.

So again I had a great day in the sun today, all by my self but the past two days were awesome, hanging with Jody and Herb (who was our shuttle driver), and of course Mike. I cant' wait until next year. Maybe my buddy Andy will come over again.

Don

WISHING FOR A SIMPLER TIME

2010-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last week Kathy had her annual end of year piano recital for all of her students. I love going to these for a number of reasons. One is this is my sweetheart's work and I like to participate in what she does so well. I love hearing the students play as they put their heart and sole into the music. It is also wonderful to see the proud parents realize that beautiful music is coming from their children and not just loud noise. I have had more than one parent comment to me how they really enjoy seeing their children transform into musicians.

This year there was something else that struck me. At Sunnyside Sports we try very hard to be a family store, a friendly store and a competent store. It is important in the world of retail to be up in all of the latest ways to be in contact with the customers. We have a web page, I write this blog, we have facebook, four square, twitter, google etc. We know we have to greet each customer promptly, engage them so to speak.

I enjoy all of those challenges and I think we do pretty well at them. I do wish for simpler times though. A time when a customer walked in the door and didn't need such sophisticated help, when they knew we were going to give them the best help possible without us having to prove ourselves every time. I time when all this sophisticated electronic online marketing wasn't as important as a friendly face, even if it took over a minute for that face to appear.

Kathy's work is about music on a real instrument, no electronic keyboard, a real piano, with a hammer hitting some strings. An instrument that has been around for a few centuries. No sophistication here, the students come to our house, our living room. If Kathy isn't in the living room to greet them they sit down and start to practice. She can hug her students, laugh with them. The parents come in and can watch the lesson, the sisters and brothers also. This is an industry that has been around a long time and it really hasn't changed that much. No commuting to work, work is here. Simple, and pure is what I call it.

This is not about complaining about Sunnyside because I love my work and the people I work with, I like keeping up with the 21st century, I have a smart phone and all of that and of course I am sitting writing this blog. It is just a simple appreciation for a simpler time.

Don

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDS

2010-06-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

Last week we decided it was time for the Umpqua River Trail. I like this trail more than the McKenzie River Trail because it has less slow rocky technical bits and more climbing with high speed descents. Jake and I assured Muffy she would enjoy it more because it wasn't really very hard other than the climbs etc.

It was a wet day but not unpleasant with a rain coat and proper hats and gloves. About an hour into the ride, after my favorite climb and descent there is a creek crossing, which I have ridden many a time. This time, though, my glasses were fogged so I decided to dismount and walk. I really didn't want to fall into the little creeklet and get more wet than I was. Well the dismount didn't go well. My foot slipped on slippery rock and I tumbled into the creek anyway. As I was laying there, my left leg throbbing, I knew something bad had happened. I managed to crawl out of the creek and make my way back to the trail just as Muffy and Jake were arriving. I looked at my leg and there was a huge gash just below the knee. This was bad and I was starting to feel shivery and light headed. Jake went and recovered my bike and I told Muffy I had a first kit in my pack. I laid down with my legs on Jake so I could get some blood back to my brain and fight of the effects of "shock". Muffy was busy applying a very tight bandage and making sure the wound was protected from the elements and had pressure so it would not bleed.

Friends, there when I needed them. I finally started to feel better and made some joke about swimming. They knew then I was OK and that is why there is a big smile on Jake's face in the photo. Relief. At first we were not sure if I would be able to get myself out of there, but the alternative of sitting for hours and then being carried out wasn't too appealing. The truth was the leg felt fine and I rode out. I suggested that the other two could go finish the ride and meet me at the car, but being good friends they stayed with me.

We stopped at Urgent care on the way home and Dr Ponte, another friend, was there to clean the wound and sew me up. It was reassuring to have a familiar face taking care of me. Then it was off to the Rays pharmacy to get my antibiotics. Again a friend, Rob, was there to fill my prescription.

My leg is better, though not 100%, and I am back on my bike and the thought of all these friends is still fresh in my mind.

THOUGHTS ON THE GIRO, ToC AND FLOYD

2010-05-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

I watched most of the Tour of California and I am continuing to watch all of the Giro d Italia. As I watch both of these races I wonder why race promoters in the US are so afraid of putting on a stage race that would compare to even the smaller Euro stage races such as the Tour of Switzerland or even Paris-Nice. I don't like to talk negative in my blog so I will say I grew up in the Bay

Area in California and I have ridden most of the roads that were used in this years ToC. They are great roads for a 15 year old to learn how to cycle, and I enjoyed watching the pros use the very same roads I grew up on. The problem I have is there are some real hard mountain climbs in California that were not used. The "Queen Stage" was hard but not hard enough. It was basically a big ring climb for a very long time. If you see my photos you will see the pack going up the climb in the ToC and then in the other photo you can see Evans and Basso going mano a mano on one of the hard climbs in the GIRO. It was awesome to watch as the other strong riders fell behind one by one leaving only the two strongest and then there was a little acceleration by Basso and Evans was left behind, he still looked strong but not strong enough. There was a crowd of 50,000 on top of the Zoncolon. I would think in the USA we could muster a crowd that large on some mountain top finish far from our cities and our resorts. For racing to prosper in our country we need to look at what has worked in Europe and emulate it. The ToC was won with time bonuses and the TT. The GIRO will be won in the mountains. That is the way of the Grand Tours. I guess the bottom line for me is the GIRO, TOUR and VUELTA are travel logs for their prospective countries, why can't the ToC go to Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, the Sierra Nevada, Mt Lassen and show off the most scenic parts of our country with some tough roads thrown in.

A little about Floyd and his confession. First of all I don't really doubt most of what he has said. I do wonder about the timing and his motivation. Cheating has happened and it will continue to happen. I wish it didn't. I race masters and there is quite a bit of evidence that performance enhancing drugs are rampant. I race anyway and don't even think about what my competitors do or not do. It is more about how I do. Floyd has said he wanted to clear his conscience, but I think it is more about revenge than clearing anything. He got caught and his comeback hasn't been all that great. I think he might just try to be honest. Not for us but for himself. Being bitter is not a healthy state of mind. Winning at all costs is not unique to Floyd, those that have cheated are paying the price everyday. If some of those that Floyd named are guilty and the US Government goes after them I would imagine their nights are not so restful, their training rides not so peaceful and in general their lives a bit like hell, even if they are not caught.

I just read the diary of Mary and Mike after their first two world cup races in Europe. Now there is couple where there is no suspicion of anything but hard work, and dedication. You know they sleep well at night and are at peace with themselves.

INTERESTING MORNING

2010-05-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

It is snowing outside, Floyd Landis has admitted he used drugs all along (and implicating almost everyone else in the world of cycling), Cadel Evans and some Lampre rider are fighting with 1K to go in the GIRO, and yesterday's GIRO was so mind boggling it is still hard to understand what happened, if you don't know a breakaway with some pretty strong riders gained almost 13 minutes over the Maglia Rosa (Race Leader). That is only part of what is happening in my world.

So onto things that are more calming and peaceful. Andy Wardman, one of my very best friends, who lives in Scotland, sent me the most amazing video. This is of him riding his IBIS cross bike around some trails in the village where he lives. I have been on some of these trails hiking and riding. When you watch this video take note he did this all by himself. There was no camera man, or assistant. He also didn't put some loud rock and roll music to disturb the natural noise of the wheels and of the people in the background. I loved this video and it made me really homesick for my other place The Borders, Scotland.

I just read a book called the The Big Burn . It is about the largest forest fire in US history which took place 100 years ago in Montana and Idaho. It is also about the formation of the US Forest Service (where I worked for 1o years fighting fire), Teddy Roosevelt, and Gifford Pinchot. It made me understand a lot of things about the Forest Service I didn't know when I worked there. Hope all is well out there with all of you and please take a look at that video. I am going to Scotland in the Fall of 2011 with a small group if you are interested let me know email me at donoso@bendnet.com.

RIDING WITH THE PROS

2010-05-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got to ride my first century of the season. A few years ago I got over the "century" thing. I still ride one once in awhile, I even races a 100 mile mountain bike race last summer, but normally I stay away from 100 mile rides. I could go into all the reasons but it really comes down to one thing - I have done hundreds of them and they make me tired.

So, I was a little apprehensive when my friend Whit Bazemore invited me to participate in a pilot TV show that will be about travel and cycling. I didn't mind the interview we did on Monday morning it was the 100 mile ride with Ryan Trebon and Adam Craig that was a little intimidating. The weather looked dicey, and the company I was with fast. There were a couple of other quite strong riders who showed up, Carl Decker for the first hour, Bart Bowen, former winner of the Cascade Cycling Classic now owner of Rebound Sports Performance Lab, Karsten Hagen, one of the stronger master racers in the state (sales Representative for Garmin), and Teri Sheasby, probably the strongest woman racer in Bend. There were a few other mere mortals like me, Lizzy English, Adam's girlfriend, she was on her first road ride, she rocks on a mountain bike, Doug LaPlaca a strong amateur road racer, Chet, an employee of Nike who was the only other man with some grey hair. Jeff, Whit and his wife Michelle rounded out our group.

Well lets just say it went great. One of the best Centuries I have ever done in fact. The strong lads were polite, the rest of us were smart enough to stay out of the wind, I actually felt strong and could punch a little when needed. The added luxury of having a follow car with extra wheels (we needed two), food, water etc was a real bonus.

We did the Prineville Reservoir Loop. It was close to 110 miles, and it took a little over 5 hours riding time.

Riding with polite pros, especially tall ones like Ryan, is a real pleasure. They don't want to go hard as they will have real training some time later in the week, and dropping ones girlfriend or grey haired friend isn't really what they want or need to do. This was a group whose purpose was to start together and finish together. The kind of long group ride that I love.

I have ridden for years with friends and have been the "strong one " on many a ride. As I get older and my friends younger I have become less of the stronger and more of the follower. When a weaker person rides with a much stronger rider he/she is at the mercy of that person.

It was nice to be in such good hands.

Later that evening after all of us took our obligatory nap we had a group dinner. We went to Staccato, a great restaurant in Bend. The last time I went to a meal with a group of Pro bike racers was in the mid 80s. I will not mention any names but I will say it was the best of the best in US cycling. It was embarrassing to me how they acted to the promoter of the race who was buying them dinner. This time was 180 degrees opposite. Adam, Ryan and retired pro Bart were relaxed and entertaining. I could tell they were having as good as time as the rest of us.

Kathy, who came along for the dinner, was equally impressed with how nice everyone was. She is a piano teacher not an athlete and she felt just a comfortable as me. Thanks to everyone for a great day, now I am excited to see the TV show.

Don

LAST MAN STANDING, BEING AWESOME, AND STARS

2010-05-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Another week and another bike race, this week it was the Mudslinger. A great name for this race as the mud was thick and wonderful. I didn't feel particularly strong but none the less I was competitive and ended up third. What I did do was rail this mud section (as seen in the photo) like a pro. I managed to get into first with this sweet bit of technical riding but a long gravel uphill right after was more than my legs wanted and two of the older guys got by me. What is more interesting to me is at the awards ceremony the presenter asked how many had raced this race in the 90s, quite a few of us raised our hands and then it was the 80s, three of us raised our hands and then it was the first one 1987. One of us raised our hand. Here I am in a sport I love and I feel like the last man standing. Well not really, what I really feel is all this appreciation for still doing what I love to do and when I come to an event the promoters are thrilled that I still attend their races. Maybe I should ask for a senior citizen discount. I wasn't the oldest racer (my friend Ron Strasser is one year older than me), but I have been doing it longer than most others in the state, it is nice to know I can still do this sport. I think I even ride the mud better now than all those years ago. Longevity is something I seem to be good at,working at Sunnyside for over 30 years and married to Kathy (May 1st) for 39 years.

I see on Facebook when one of my friends does some horrendous workout in the hail, snow or rain their friends seem to say awesome Matt, or go girl you rock or something to that affect. Now I have done hours of riding in some pretty "bad" conditions and never have I thought of myself as awesome. Dumb, insane, and clueless are more of the descriptions that come to mind. Some think I am a little obsessed with my training (why would a 59 year old do intervals in the garage 3 times a week?). They are correct. Most of us who train hard, disciplined and and in all weather conditions are more obsessed than awesome. What we are really doing is taking time for ourselves. In a way it is more selfish than awesome. I look at my training as very personal and it is my time to do with what I want. I suppose if I were awesome I would not train on those days and volunteer at a homeless shelter, or maybe the bike coop, but no I choose to stay in shape, and it takes time and it is my time and I enjoy every hail stone, rain drop gust of wind and flake of snow, I enjoy the night ride by myself and the mystery of the dark. I also enjoy, though Kathy doesn't approve, listening to hours of my favorite music, the Beatles, the Gypsy Kings, Johnny Cash etc. I don't mind the recognition nor even to be called awesome, but I am doing what I absolutely love and I feel like it is a gift that I have been given. I have friends who are not doing what they love for many reasons, but they still get on with life and live it as full as they can. They are the awesome ones in my mind.

One more thing. The middle photo is of Andrew Neethling. He is a South African Mountain Bike Pro. He races the downhill and was 11th overall in the world cup last year. He just happened to stop in to see his friend Travis (our newest employee). Kind of cool.

Take care.

Don

A WEEK IN MY LIFE

2010-04-27T11:42:00.001-07:00

The week started and finished on the McKenzie River Trail. I was planning on riding the MRT with Jacob and Muffy on a Monday but they were scheduled to work that day, so instead I went with Seth, Jodie and Eric from the store and Bruce my New Zealand teamate. Perfect weather, and perfect friends. Sometimes I just smile inside to think I get to work with the same friends I play with, I forget that Eric is one of the best riders around (he has been busy being a dad the last few years, Jodie is the best technical mountain riding woman I have ever ridden with (she puts me to shame) and Seth is just plain awesome. We work all week and then on our day off we choose to be together some more. I feel special to be part of that.

Then this Sunday is my favorite mountain bike race, Bear Springs. It is close to Bend (hour and a half), and it is on really fun terrain. Tricky single track, bike and hike, tough climbs and great friends. Last year there was some snow on the course so we were looking forward to a snow free course and we got our wish. For some reason I was on fire, not only did I finally manage a win here (after I don't know how many tries), I set a PR for me by almost 10 minutes. I feel pretty good about that. Half of our team showed up (not half of the mountain bikers but half of the team). We had our roadies, trackies and cross specialist out there in force. It was fun to see all the jerseys. Though the official results are not up yet I can guarantee we rocked.

Though I was tired from a hard race I still had one more thing to do this week, the McKenzie River Trail with Jacob and Muffy. This time they had the day off and Serena decided to come along. Not the perfect warm weather of the week before but the trail was snow free this time and it only started to rain after we got in the car. All four us have brand new Trek full sus bikes this year. Jacob and I on 6" Remedys and Muffy and Serena on 5" Fuel EXs. We were hot to test our skills and our bikes on the tough MRT lava. I would say we were all impressed with our bikes. I had the advantage of doing this trail at the beginning of my week and I was well chuffed that I manage to clean more sections than the first time. I think if I would have been fresher I could have done more. Jacob basically cleaned the whole trail. There are few unridable sections but he was awesome. Serena, who is trying to get her Mountain Bike skills up to par with her fitness was cleaning places she had never done before. She is becoming an awesome mountain bike rider. Muffy, who is good at almost every thing she does (from parenting, cooking to athletic endeavors), has a thing about rocks and bikes. After the yesterday, though, she is lot a better and is ready to tackle this trail again. I really feel the MRT is daunting, you have to be really skilled to like this trail (aka Jacob). I have mixed feeling about this trail. A broken foot and a bad facial cut have something to do with that. I prefer the fun, undulating Umpqua River Trail to the slow technical MRT. I am glad to have gone over though as it really is a blast. Thanks for reading, Kathy is glad I got those deer photos off my blog.

Don

PS I forgot one thing. The photo of the tall guy with a bike is Barry Wicks and his new carbon Kona cross bike. It is a prototype, and no we don't sell those (we have IBIS carbon cross bikes witch are not prototype and available now) but it is cool to see one of our star crossers with a new bike in the middle of the woods at a Mountain Bike Race.

LIVING IN A PINE FOREST

2010-04-17T19:41:00.000-07:00

I was walking home the other day after meeting with a friend realizing I lived in the middle of a pine forest, a real pine forest. Yes we have paved streets, lots of houses and many non native plants growing in people's gardens and yards but it is still a pine forest. I like that. I have to make a disclaimer here, Kathy will not agree with everything I say here, but we don't agree on everything anyway.

So, I like living in a pine forest, it is like being on permanent holiday. I was born in Montana where there were lots of pine trees but I grew up in California in the Bay Area and that is not a pine forest. The pine forest was up in the Sierra Nevada my favorite place to go when I was a kid. I remember seeing Yosemite for the first time, I must of been around 10 and I was absolutely blown away. I wanted to hike all the trails, climb all the peaks ride all the roads and I loved the smell of the pine forest. I couldn't get enough of it. I can remember every trip we took to the sierra.

Later in life I went to Humboldt State College, which is in the middle of a Redwood Forest. Now I like a good Redwood Forest with all the amazingly tall and old trees, but I still prefer a pine forest.

My first Forest Service job was about 100 miles east of here in the Ochoco National Forest. This was really my first time to central Oregon and as I drove along the Crooked River to where my job was I wondered if I was going to see any trees. Finally at the last turn the Pine Forest returned and I knew I would be OK.

Many Forest jobs later Kathy and I were living out at Cabin Lake, this is about 75 miles south and east of Bend. This is one of the most amazing places I have ever lived, it is on the edge of the pine forest and the high desert. Look out the front window and there was a forest of old growth Ponderosa Pines, out the back window and it miles of sage brush and high desert.

So back to Bend and the west hills home we live in. Aubrey Butte is covered with pretty old growth Ponderosa pines the kind I like. It smells and feels like my holiday days from when I was a boy enjoying the Sierra Nevada mountain. I even like the deer. They are what really makes me know I am in a forest and not a sub division. The deer were here before we were and I am pretty sure they will be here after we are gone. We have also had bears and mountain lions in our neighborhood, like I said a pine forest.

Don

MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM, RESIDUAL WEIGHT

2010-04-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

This was our team minus one yesterday at Horning's Hustle Mountain Bike Race. A couple of firsts , a second, fourth and I think a sixth. Matt moved to Pro men and as in my mind that is winning in itself. Last fall I missed the whole mountain bike and most of the cross season. I tried to keep fit ( I did) and not gain too much weight (5 pounds it was). The problem is I still have those 5 pounds. I could tell yesterday I wasn't as crisp up the climbs as I would like to have been. I really have never been thin but I have a race weight I am accustomed to and 5 pounds extra is quite a bit. Go buy 5 pounds of butter and put in in your jersey pocket the next time you ride your bike.

It will go in time. Eat well and ride lots and I will get to where I want to be in a month or so.

Back to the team. We have a reasonably small team, we are all friends and last year we finished third in the Rivercity Mountain Bike series, this year our goal is first. It will be tough but it will be possible. First I will need to loose that weight and finish first and not second. Serena will have to keep having fun (check out her blog (bend and beyond), Lea, who just returned to our team will just have to show up and keep scoring points, Jim will have stay healthy and not have any accidents on his new Trek Scratch and Bruce, who just returned from a summer in his home country of New Zealand, needs to ride his bike with gears instead of the single speed. He managed to win the Cat 1 19-34 on a single speed. So yes I think it is possible to beat the powerhouse Portland Teams, Team Dirt and the everstrong Pistis team from Grants Pass.

I do like the Team Dirt name though.

On the trip home, we had the usual banter from Ben, Jim and Chris about the other drivers, some of the other racers and of course me and Chris talking about Canada some. Chris Sheppard was in the car with us, he won the pro division and he is from Canada. He always has something fun to say. When I got home I watched the Paris Roubaix. Somehow I managed not to hear who had won all day so it was a perfect way to end a perfect cycling weekend. On Saturday Chris Horner won the overall in the Tour of Basque Country. His biggest win in his career.

Don

MY LIFE IN ONE HOUR

2010-04-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Last week, on my way home from Spain , my last flight was from San Francisco to Redmond. As I was watching out of my window I had this thought - this is like a one hour tour of my life as seen from the air. I have taken this flight many times but this was the first time I had seen it in this way.
Though I was born in Montana and started school in Alberta, most of my youth was spent in the SF Bay Area. My family lived in Cupertino, now famous for Apple, then famous for prune orchards. That is where I learned to love bike riding. As we took off I could make out all of the roads I used to ride as boy and teenager. I could also look across the Sacramento Valley and see the Sierra Nevada mountain range, another place that I spent as a young man.
As we headed north I was entering the time and place where I met my sweetheart of the last 40+ years. I could see the coast line where we had our first date, we flew over the Trinity Alps, our weekend backpacking heaven, over Mt Shasta and Mt Ashland.
Further north Crater Lake came into view, I think of Crater Lake as my spiritual home. Then it was over the Winema, Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests. I spent 10 years learning to be a man,learning about the woods and falling in love with Central Oregon in those forests. Of course at the end we flew over Bend, our house, our store, Phil's trail the present. It was quite a ride, how happy I am to have ended up here!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

KEVIN

2010-03-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

I've been ine Mallorca the last 10 days riding my bike with 6 friends from Bend. While we were over there we ran into 5 more so the group of 7 turned into a group of 12. The other 5 are from around the world, Baltimore, Switzerland, and England. This was quite run both for riding and for the hours of cafe time we have.
There is a reason why I meet and know so many people in Mallorca his name is Kevin.
I met Kevin 12 years ago in Sunnyside Sports, he was on a bike tour from San Diego to Portland, and he needed some new bike shorts. Long story short he ended up staying at our house for a week, we visited him and his parents in Scotland and a long friendship was started.
One year he invited me to come to Mallorca to ride with his Scottish cycling club. Not only did I meet many new friends from Scotland and England but a new tradition was born.
I have been to Mallorca 8 times now, I usually bring some American friends and we all meet in Spain.
This year both groups were small, the economy, life changes injuries took its toll. I was ready to have no Scots for the first time. Neal and Mark, two brothers from England would be our Euro contingent.
Then I got a text from Kevin, he was going to come over and spend a few days visiting us. Kev has had a bit of a tough year, car accident, a freak fall where he broke his jaw and he had to drink out of a straw for a few weeks, and then another back surgery to repair a ruptured disc. No riding for Kev, but he wanted to hang out and visit his American friends. So we were able to have a few beers together, some cafe con leche, and a meal at our favorite restaurant.
It was good to catch up, and it was great to see Kevin. I feel very lucky to have friends like him.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Photo to go with last blog

2010-03-21T05:54:00.001-07:00

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

THINGS EURO

2010-03-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

When I go to Europe I use the word Euro to describe how things are different than at home. I like most of the Euro things, but not all.
I would say the best euro thing is that people are more laid back. The cars just don't get so up tight with all the bikes. We have been riding on roads half as wide as Skyliners road with twice as many bikes and somehow everyone gets along. They would think skyliner road was one of their widest roads.
Sunbathing is another euro laid back attitude, especially in southern europe. Topless for women is optional. No controversy, it just happens.
I love living at home and I am looking forward to getting home this week, but I also like to see the world and enjoy how things are done in other places.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

HAPPY

2010-03-18T01:05:00.000-07:00

Happy, that is the best adjective for this bike trip, it is even what my hat says. Lots of kilometers, lots of cafe time, lots of visiting, very relaxing. Yesterday we went out to a town called Randa. It sits below a cima (mountain top ), that has a monastery on it. From the top you can see almost the whole island. All of the small brown villages that seem to pop upon every 5 to 10 kilometers, with green fields in between. The government of Mallorca has put a lot of effort into constructing and connecting bike routes. These routes are still open to cars but mainly they are used by cyclists. They can do that here because cars really do share the roads.
You may notice most of my photos are at cafes. We always like to stop somewhere along the route for coffee and sometimes lunch, that is when the camera comes out. I got the happy cap from a friend in Scotland, it really says it all. The group I am with, Barb, Lew, Barbara, Dave, Ben and Serena are all enjoying this as much as me,maybe more. A couple of days ago we met up with a couple of Brit friends (Mark and Neal) and yesterday Mark's girlfriend Carolyn showed up with a coworker, Jenny. I just heard from my friend Kevin that after reading my blog about Sa Calobra that he his coming over for a few days. Like I said HAPPY.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

LONG DAY IN THE SADDLE, WITH FRIENDS.

2010-03-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

Today we did the long ride. That means around 90 miles, 7000 feet (2300 meters ) of climbing, 3 good climbs, many more small ones. Wow there were a lot of cyclists today, it was like a few years ago, was it two hundred or even five? I really don't know we were seeing them all day all the time. Our group divided up, it is best on a ride of this difficulty. Barb, Barbara, Lew and Dave left at 8. Ben, Serena and I left at 9. We joined up with a couple of friends from England, Mark and Neal. Mark's girlfriend used to live in Bend so I have seen him in the store a couple of times, Neal (Mark's brother) was in Mallorca with me last year. Small world. They are a lot stronger than us but they toed us around and kept us company. It is always fun to be international . It was a great day, not hot, but sunny so we were able to ride in shorts and bare arms. First time this year.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Sa Calobra

2010-03-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

The weather changed today so we decided on Sa Calobra. If you go into Sunnyside there is a poster of this road above the coffee machine. I have ridden many famous climbs in both Europe and in North America, but this is my favorite. The descent is more than just endless switch backs, like some Euro roads, and the climb is variable, some 11% and some 5%. It takes about 40 minutes going pretty hard, and it is set in a gorgeous setting, mountains, a beautiful cove at the bottom, and more cyclists than cars. This year we lucked out and there were no tourist buses. It was a little chilly but not enough to dampen our spirits. Four if us had not been before and all agreed Sa Calobra is the best. We hope to do it again, maybe at night even. Here is a photo of a 6 really happy riders.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

The Lluc climb that everyone loves.

2010-03-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today we went into the mountains for the first time. We start out with some back roads. These roads are incredibly narrow, when I first started coming here many of the roads we use now were not paved, they started paving them to give all of the cyclists their own roads. They are still open to cars but they are mainly used by the 50,000 cyclists that are here during the peak season.
After a leisurely cafe con leche we then start the climb. This is a mini version of a big euro climb, lots of switchbacks, averaging around 5%. The climb is about 8 kilometers. Long enough to get tired, not long enough to be exhausted. On top we had our first real sun and there was snow on the side of the road from the snow storm a few days back.
There are four people (Ben,Serena,Barbara and Dave) who have not been here before, it is fun to see it all again in their eyes. Then it was back down to Pollensa for our outdoor lunch, that would not have happened without the propane patio heater. Good food, good friends, good roads.

Connected by MOTOBUR™ on T-Mobile

I KNOW THIS PLACE

2010-03-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

I know this place, I know the smells, the views, the roads, the food, the sounds. It is hard to explain how I know the sounds,the language, the laughs, bicycle wheels going round, I just know this place.
It is comfortable for me to come here, it takes some time to get used to talking, reading the signs etc, but it happens, and then I realize I know this place.
However it is different this year, more stores and restaurants are closed, two of the hotels I have stayed in are not open yet. It is cold this year,snow on the beach two days ago. Not as many cyclists this year, none that I know as of yet. My bike was left in Newark (it should be here this evening ), so I had a day to hang out. I watched Eurosports and saw Andy Newell win a bronze medal in a World Cup sprint classic race, live. I watched a mixed biathalon world cup relay, I watched the Paris -Nice live, great suicide break a way at the end and the rider won by a few feet over the following pack. Walked to town and bought a couple of Spanish language books by two of my favorite authors. Neither of those books are available in the US yet.
I didn't ride but had a full day. Like I said I know this place and it is good to be back.
Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Barcelona

2010-03-11T01:50:00.001-08:00

I am sitting in the Barcelona air port thinking what a waste it is to be so close to my favorite city yet so far. I have really only been here once, but I feel like I have visited many times. I have read numerous books about Barcelona, and it just feels like a place I know. When they had the Olympics here in 1992 Spain used Barcelona as it's statement to the world that Spain had entered the modern world and left the Franco years behind.
This is a city for the young, though we felt young when we were here. This is a city of the night, though it shines in the day. It is a showplace for modern thought and free thinking, but its most famous building is a Catholic Cathedral that was started in 1881 and is not yet finished. The best restaurants in the world are here and it is the city in Spain that has really adapted Picasso as their own. It has its own language, Catalan, and has voted for autonomy, but has rejected violence as a means to achieve it. I could go on and on but you just need to come for yourself. One of my favorite things here is the model city they built for the worlds fair here in the early 20th century. The fake Spain they built is about the same age as the town I live in, Bend.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

ECHO TO VIENNA

2010-03-07T08:37:00.002-08:00

Yesterday was a long day full of wonderful experiences. Due to my reoccurring bicycle disease, Jim, Ben and I decided an almost 4 hour drive to Echo would be be worth it to do a 2 hour mountain bike race. That means 8 hours in a car and 2 hours on the bike. Now where is Echo anyway. It is out in North Eastern Oregon, not really close to any mountains, nor trees nor anything that one would think would make good mountain biking, but then we would be wrong. The guys out there have become friends with a farmer who has allowed them to use the land he can't farm to put in some trails. These trails go up and down these these gullies that are not suitable for wheat or vineyards and are perfect for mountain bike trails. The great trails in addition to 65 degrees and sun made for a perfect day. Now when you include the Sunnyside Team all having a great time along with all of the other friends in the Mountain bike world (That is means all of the people who mountain bike race in Oregon) it is like a big party. When the last finisher crossed the line to a standing ovation you know this is a great sport.

Now my back report. Last fall I ruptured a disc. I was off the bike for 2 full months, and though I did manage to race at cross nationals I really didn't do any real cycling until January. This was my first real test. I was over 20 minutes faster than last year, my back was a little sore but not unusually so, and I managed to pull off a win. Last October, when I was having a difficult time climbing stairs, I wasn't sure if I would be able to do mountain bike again. I am still not out of woods and maybe I never will be. I will rest my body more than I used to, but believe me this was sweet.

Now on to Vienna. We had to rush home as Ben needed to get back to his family and I needed to go and hear the Vienna's Boys choir (Thanks to Sanna Phinney). What a joy that was. It is hard to believe that boys that young could sing so well. This is not like your usual children's choir, this is like seeing and hearing seasoned professionals sing but they are 10 years old. It was interesting to note the multi ethnic look of the choir. These were not all tow headed boys that filled the Boys choir in years past but children with roots from all over the world. This also showed in the music that they sang. Of course many songs from Austria ( how could you not from the land of Mozart and Straus), but also music from Native Americans, India, Pakistan, Korea to just mention a few. I do have one question for my readers, what is deal with sailer suits for children and Austria? The Vienna's Boy Choir all wear them and so did the children in the sound of music. Austria doesn't even have a port. You never hear of the might of Austrian Navy sailing the 7 seas. Just curious. I may have been tired when I finally got to bed last night but it was all worth it. Next week we are off to Mallorca for 10 days. I will keep you all posted.

Don

2010-03-07T08:37:00.001-08:00

HISTORY IN THE MAKING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

2010-02-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

This week at the Olympics something very special happened for me, Sunnyside Sports, the USA and of course all of the skiers who have ever skied for the USA in Nordic Combined. Four very special skiers won the silver in the Nordic combined event, earlier in the week Johnny Spillane won a silver in the normal hill individual event with Bill Demong and Todd Lodvick in 4th and 6th, and yesterday Bill Demong won the Gold in the large hill, with Johnny Spillane the silver. This is huge. The first Gold ever for the USA in any Nordic event. Before this year the USA had won only one nordic medal ever, Bill Koch's silver in 1976. This year the USA won four medals.

Why the personal connection. Well back in the day, the 70's to be exact, Bend had it's own Olympian, Mike Devecka. Mike was a friend of the store and we helped him out more than once with his Olympic career. If you look in the photo you will see 4 bibs from 4 Olympics. He skied on his own the last years of his career. The US ski team wanted younger skiers, he just happened to be the best in US so we helped raise some money to get him to Europe to compete. Later in live he became a bike racer, a father to another Olympian and now he lives in Colorado. Still a friend and still comes by when he is in town. We followed the Olympics back then hoping that Mike would have the luck, the wax and the strength to win an Olympic medal. He never did but he still had a great career.

Years later (the 90s now), I was invited to Steamboat Springs to watch a Nordic Combined World Cup. I had never seen one before and was quite excited to see the event my good friend Mike did all those years. It was quite fun to watch, but the interesting thing was there was a young group of Americans there, Billy Demong, and Todd Lodvick among them. They did quite well for being so young and we were all sure the future was there.

But Nagano, Salt Lake City and Torino didn't pan out as expected no medals. Vancouver has changed all that. This is not a miracle on snow story, this is a story of hard work and our racers becoming the best in the world. They were not underdogs they were favorites.

If you watched last night you may have noticed the US skiers had some pretty long jumps. The weather then changed and some of the other good skiers did not even come close. The US team had the luck this year. I have seen events where the same has happened to the US team. This is an outdoor sport. So we had the luck, the fast wax and fast skies and the athletes who have really put in the time to become the best in the world.

I have followed these guys for 15 years and it is so cool to see these guys do what Mike tried to do all those years ago. Mike should be proud and so should all of those athletes that came before. I don't really care about a dynasty, I just think it is cool that a sport that has been so special to me and to Sunnyside Sports has had the exposure on the TV and that all that hard work has payed off.

Cline Butte

2010-02-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

I am going to Mallorca next month for my 8th time, and when I go I always stay in the same town Puerto Pollensa. I have been asked by friends - don't you get tired of the same roads? - Well I don't. We manage to find new roads, new cafes, and we always like to return to our favorite places. I like to remind these friends that I have lived in Bend for over 30 years and I still love to ride the same trails and roads, ski the same hills and loops, eat at the same cafes and do all of this with the same friends.
I am not saying I don't like new things. I loved going to Meissner ski area this year and skiing some new trails for the first time. A couple of years ago I couldn't get enough of the new funner trail. I like both. This week I went someplace new for me, the top of Cline Butte. When I first moved to Bend we used to wonder what all those towers and buildings were. There were stories about super secret radars etc, but truth is I never had a reason to go up there, the road is gravel, so not so good for a road bike, and I don't really like driving my car that much.
36 years later I finally made it. The local mountain bikers put some pretty radical trails there some years back, so radical that local legend, Carl Decker, broke his back on one of the more tricky descents. That put me off trying those trails.
Things change though, a couple of years ago a new trail system was put in at the base of Cline Butte, it is called Maston. There is a nice pretty flat 11 mile trail, about 1 hour on bike. I like a little farther, so I took Phil's suggestion and rode a fairly new single track to the top of Cline Butte. It is sweet. The last 15 minutes is pretty grueling,as it follows the road.
Once on top you can see most of Central Oregon, it is a great view. There are a few choices for going down. I stayed away from the one where all the riders had full face helmets and full armored pads. The one I took was single track, with a couple of mandatory drops. I had to walk around two of them, but it was still a fun trail, and it was someplace new. Pretty cool after living here so long.
Thanks for reading.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™n T-Mobile

Kitties on my lap

2010-02-08T20:41:00.001-08:00

We have three kitties, Rupert, Alex and Ariel. Alex is the perfect lap cat, always on a lap,mine, Kathy's,a student, someone's. Rupert is a doer, we don't know what it is he does, but he is pretty busy. His main job is to save us from the evil white cat from across the street. We are pretty sure it must be evil or Rupert wouldn't spend so much time keeping us safe. However at 8 pm every day it is lap time for Rupert. We have two laps available most days in our home, but Rupert has to be in the same lap as Alex, and Kathy is the chosen lap. Sometimes they are on top of each other, sometimes spread out, but always together. Alex is small, Rupert is big, in fact twice as big as Alex. Tonight Kathy is out so I am the lap, that is what that photo is -Alex and Rupert. I feel honored to be so picked.
Ariel is, of course, off by herself. That is how she is. I can't really go to bed, two kitties are just too important to disturb.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Sinus Infection

2010-02-04T11:57:00.001-08:00

In this photo I do not have a sinus infection I have a happy infection. It seemed wrong to put in a photo of someone (me) with a bad headache.

I guess the good thing is I have never had a sinus infection, an ear infection or even a throat infections since at least grade one (that is canadian for first grade). I was sick plenty my first year of school and then my doctor took out my tonsils. I didn't miss any school for about 4 or 5 years. I heard about sinus and ear infections but I didn't have clue as to what that was. When I got a little older those mysterious illnesses popped up again as my friends started having children. Children it seems live with those infections all the time. So here I am at 59 years old experiencing something new. I would kind of like to jump into that photo, 72 degrees, and no infection. Maybe this is a new way of natural healing, get a photo of when you feel great and just transform your self into that person. I do feel somewhat better today so I am off on a walk with my sweetheart, we may see the mountain lion we saw the track off, that could scare me out of the infection.

I started to learn French the same day I got my sinus infection, so I associate French with a headache. I hope that is short term though because I am enjoying learning French.

On another note we have been watching a series on Canadian History we got from Muffy. She used these to teach Zoe and Tosch about Canada. Though the United States and Canada share a common history, it is different enough that we have learned quite a bit. The first post Columbian European settlement in North America was an English settlement on Newfoundland. I never new that. Unfortunately the early history of the native americans and the euros is much the same in both countries. We are only up to around 1700 so we do have a ways to go, I am sure there will be many new and interesting things to learn.

Thanks for reading and take care.

Don

OBR 2010 SILVER LAKE

2010-02-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

24th OBR and it still is as fun as ever. Sunnyside has been involved in OBR from the start. I never really thought about growing older with the ride but that is what happened. I was in my thirties when it started and now I will be 60 in a few months. There are some on this ride who were on that first ride and I can say it has been fun to have this 20 + year connection. This ride is more like a family reunion than anything.
This year we are doing the same route we did 10 years ago, some eastern Oregon, some cascades, some western Oregon, with the jewel of Oregon thrown in -Crater Lake. This is my favorite route. I feel lucky to get to do it twice. The photo is our camp. Lots of colorful tents, and if you were here you would hear lots of laughter. That is what this ride is about, nice roads, and laughter. Good times.

AVATAR BLUES

2010-01-20T19:37:00.000-08:00

Kathy and I went to see Avatar the other day. I thought it was super cool.

I have this memory of Kathy and I sitting in front of a Safeway grocery store with a petition for people to sign warning them of the greenhouse affect and us trying to get them to ban aerosols so this wouldn't happen. Most looked like us like we were from outer space.

We fought for a lot of things back then, like saving our Redwood Forests, not driving so much, etc. We were radical conservationists. Now the biggest movie of all time is about that same subject. Our off the wall concerns of the 60s is now the subject ot the biggest movie ever. I am not sure that is a good thing. What it means is that we were right but we were not effective in stopping global warming. It is nice not to be thought of a radical conservationist but as someone who has real and proven concerns about our future.

However that is not what this blog is about. It is about the "Avatar Blues". People who have seen this movie go home depressed because they think the planet Pandora is so beautiful and reality is not. I heard the craziest quote, some teenager wished we had 3D all the time. Is that child on a computer all the time?

Like I said I loved this movie, I liked the theme and yes I though Pandora was awesome... but I love the desert, and I think where I live is even more awesome then Pandora. I think our world is more awesome. I think our world is worth saving also. The photos are random, they are places I have been the last year. People who have Avatar Blues need to go outside, go for a walk, though I would recommend a mountain bike ride down some fast trail to wake up their senses and to see and feel what our 3D world looks and feels like.

Take care.

Don

BEING CANADIAN

2010-01-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

It is now official I am a Canadian Citizen. I wrote about this last Spring and today I found out is now official. I am pretty well chuffed about this. I am not sure exactly why. My mom grew up in Canada and met my Dad when she worked in Waterton Park and he worked in Glacier park after WW II. They got married and lived in Montana just south of the Canadian Border. I have many early memories of of crossing the border to see all of my Canadian Relatives. I started school in Canada. I remember saying zed and finding out it was the same as Zee.

I went to Calgary for the 88 Olympics and thinking this was part of me, but not thinking it would be anything more than a thought.

Last year Canada decided to do something about all the Canadians that were made to renounce their Citizenship when they became United States Citizens. I fit into that because Mom was a Canadian when I was born. I am not sure what I will do being a Canadian. I might race in the Canadian National Cyclo Cross championships, I may travel to Cuba, I doubt I would move up to the great white north but it could happen.

It is ironic that when we had Bush as president I was ready to move to a country that was closer to my politics and Canada was a choice. Now that I am Canadian it is their government that I don't agree with. I guess it shows one that staying home and trying to affect change is better than running away.

It feels good to have what I have felt for a long time official.

Don