For any of you who have ever ridden a bike, wanted to, or heck, even if you just know someone who loves to ride, my Holiday gift to you is the following link .
Happy Holidays to all, and may the new year live up to your sense of wonder.
Friday, December 22, 2017
Happy Holidays You Big Beautiful World
It always amazes me when I return to Denver how quickly I lose sight of the greater world there is to explore outside the confines of I-70 and I-25. Especially at this time of the year when the focus turns to friends and family and celebrating the holidays I forget the feeling of being out THERE with the wind at my back and the sun (or more likely the rain) in my face and the sheer wonderment as to what is around the next corner or over the next rise. Fortunately the weather this year has allowed me to get out and indulge the urge to get on a saddle and turn the pedals. Yet doing so only whets my appetite to do more.
For any of you who have ever ridden a bike, wanted to, or heck, even if you just know someone who loves to ride, my Holiday gift to you is the following link .
Especially if you are stuck in a cube, or sitting watching the snow dreaming of sunnier days to come, read some of the stories, watch some of the videos, and be amazed anew at what this big beautiful world has to offer if we just get out there. There’s even hiking and sea kayaking if biking is not your thing. Regardless of where your passions lie, get out and explore them while you can. As one of the stories drives home, there is not always a tomorrow.
Happy Holidays to all, and may the new year live up to your sense of wonder.
For any of you who have ever ridden a bike, wanted to, or heck, even if you just know someone who loves to ride, my Holiday gift to you is the following link .
Happy Holidays to all, and may the new year live up to your sense of wonder.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Road Trippin’ over Turkey Day
Far be it to let a long holiday week go by and not head out of town. My wife, who often has an inordinate amount of sway in determining where we go (happy wife makes for happy life), has a penchant for seeking out interesting and fun destinations and this year was no different. This trip turned out to be a combination of destinations. First stop was Monument Valley that sits on the border of Utah and Arizona. The Monument is actually on the Navajo Indian Reservation and is a Navajo Tribal Park and not a National Park or Monument. While I’m sure when this land was set aside it was considered by white folks as useless desert the scenery is incredibly spectacular. While you may have never actually been there, through the countless films shot here (from where Tom Hanks finally stopped running in Forrest Gump, to more John Wayne westerns than I can count) you’ve visited Monument Valley via film more times than you know. The Navajo are very protective of this area and consider it sacred and therefore most access is limited to a rough dirt road that winds 17 miles from one stunning vista to another. There is limited hiking as well but what trails there are will take your breathe away. Interestingly, the bulk of tourists visiting the Monument are from other countries and the mix of Chinese, German, French, Australian, and other voices is an interesting audio backdrop to one of the most recognizable icons of the American West.
We also did some hiking in the Mexican Hat and Gooseneck Bend areas and picked up a river map for the San Juan River which we’ll definitely plan on kayaking or rafting next summer. The Gooseneck Bend area is a spectacular set of meandering bends in which the river flows more than six miles but only makes two miles of western headway.
So where to head after such spectacular wonders of the world? Southern California of course. We were on our way to hobnob with the world’s most famous rodent in his home digs in Anaheim. The contrast from Monument Valley couldn’t have been more stark - hiking there meant you could go hours and not see another person- while in California I was quickly re-educated in the concept of urban density. You occasionally see Colorado vehicles displaying “Don’t Californicate Colorado” bumper stickers but it doesn’t really hit home how crowded southern California is (from its ubiquitous highways to its grocery stores to its amusement parks) until you experience it first hand. If that’s what “progress” has in store over the next couple of years for Colorado then fasten your seat belt. Of course it’s so crowded because it offers a wonderful climate, ocean beaches galore, and the chance to be mesmerized as a Disney cast member in an oversized plastic head hugs a little child and you find yourself believing in magic if just for a little while. One of my former coworkers used to work for Disney and she constantly held up their standards of customer service as tops in any industry. For the most part she was right, but alas, it appeared that at least 6 out of 10 cast members were more involved in security and crowd control than in delivering the high standards of service Disney is famous for. What would Walt think about the world we live in today?
Did I mention that Disney knows a thing or two about throwing a parade and fireworks extravaganzas? This time of year the parade is Holiday (can I say Christmas?) focused. I was expecting a quick float or two trundling down Main Street but instead was treated to beautifully decked-out floats streaming by one after the other and here is where the Disney cast members really had a chance to shine.
Then at night, weather permitting, the Park hosts a fireworks display that takes your breathe away in much the same manner the magnificent vistas of Monument Valley do. Two of our three nights in the Park the fireworks were cancelled due to wind so expectations were sky high for Turkey Day eve to see if they would go forward and they didn’t disappoint.
We also did some hiking in the Mexican Hat and Gooseneck Bend areas and picked up a river map for the San Juan River which we’ll definitely plan on kayaking or rafting next summer. The Gooseneck Bend area is a spectacular set of meandering bends in which the river flows more than six miles but only makes two miles of western headway.
So where to head after such spectacular wonders of the world? Southern California of course. We were on our way to hobnob with the world’s most famous rodent in his home digs in Anaheim. The contrast from Monument Valley couldn’t have been more stark - hiking there meant you could go hours and not see another person- while in California I was quickly re-educated in the concept of urban density. You occasionally see Colorado vehicles displaying “Don’t Californicate Colorado” bumper stickers but it doesn’t really hit home how crowded southern California is (from its ubiquitous highways to its grocery stores to its amusement parks) until you experience it first hand. If that’s what “progress” has in store over the next couple of years for Colorado then fasten your seat belt. Of course it’s so crowded because it offers a wonderful climate, ocean beaches galore, and the chance to be mesmerized as a Disney cast member in an oversized plastic head hugs a little child and you find yourself believing in magic if just for a little while. One of my former coworkers used to work for Disney and she constantly held up their standards of customer service as tops in any industry. For the most part she was right, but alas, it appeared that at least 6 out of 10 cast members were more involved in security and crowd control than in delivering the high standards of service Disney is famous for. What would Walt think about the world we live in today?
Did I mention that Disney knows a thing or two about throwing a parade and fireworks extravaganzas? This time of year the parade is Holiday (can I say Christmas?) focused. I was expecting a quick float or two trundling down Main Street but instead was treated to beautifully decked-out floats streaming by one after the other and here is where the Disney cast members really had a chance to shine.
Then at night, weather permitting, the Park hosts a fireworks display that takes your breathe away in much the same manner the magnificent vistas of Monument Valley do. Two of our three nights in the Park the fireworks were cancelled due to wind so expectations were sky high for Turkey Day eve to see if they would go forward and they didn’t disappoint.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Work Ethic
America prides itself on allowing anyone with ability to get ahead at least in part through hard work. Through the course of my career I realized success depended more on working smarter, not necessarily harder. Still, one must be willing to put in the requisite hours and sometimes hard effort to realize whatever goal we’re striving for.
Nowadays my hard work generally takes the form of turning pedals as I cycle down the road or trail. Bicycling is an unforgiving taskmaster that forces one to ride often, and sometimes hard, to develop some level of fitness. Of course what is hard is in the eye of the beholder, or in this case the pedal turner.
Genetics also plays a large part in success and I could ride hard all day and would still routinely get passed by folks on their two wheeled steeds that make cycling hard look easy. Recently though I was reading “Adventure Cyclist” magazine and came across an article that took the concept of hard work to a whole other level. In this world of ultra endurance this and ultra endurance that there apparently are folks who aspire to something known as HAM’R, which stands for Highest Annual Mileage Record. What could be simpler? Just get on your bike and turn the pedals for as many miles as you can in 365 days. The record for HAM’R was broken this year by a young woman named Amanda Coker, a 24 year old from Florida.
Just for fun, wanna take a guess as to how many miles she rode? For some context, I ride anywhere from 4 to 6 thousand miles in a year. Some pro racing cyclists ride triple that amount. Some folks ride across the U.S. (approximately 3 to 4 thousand miles depending on the route) and you can even cycle the perimeter of the U.S.A. clocking 12,000 miles (the record holder - yes, they actually track these things - did it in 180 days). And yes, there is an official record to cycle around the world - 18,000 miles - currently held by a Scotsman who did it in 78 days while the female record holder took a more liesurely 144 days.
So, what number would you guess for Ms. Coker? Throw out all the numbers above, they’re not even remotely close. Over the course of 365 days Ms. Coker rolled a jaw dropping eighty six thousand five hundred and seventy three miles. And since she was so close, she kept at it to hit the big 100,000 mark in 423 days. To break the 365 day HAM’R record Amanda averaged 237 miles per day and her highest monthly total was over 8,000. Not bad for a young lady who suffered a traumatic brain injury when struck by a car while riding her bike in 2011. I won’t hazard a guess as to what she’s going to tackle next, but when it comes to work ethic she’s definitely got it. I can only empathize when she is called on to defend her record when someone inevitably tries to break it...
Nowadays my hard work generally takes the form of turning pedals as I cycle down the road or trail. Bicycling is an unforgiving taskmaster that forces one to ride often, and sometimes hard, to develop some level of fitness. Of course what is hard is in the eye of the beholder, or in this case the pedal turner.
Genetics also plays a large part in success and I could ride hard all day and would still routinely get passed by folks on their two wheeled steeds that make cycling hard look easy. Recently though I was reading “Adventure Cyclist” magazine and came across an article that took the concept of hard work to a whole other level. In this world of ultra endurance this and ultra endurance that there apparently are folks who aspire to something known as HAM’R, which stands for Highest Annual Mileage Record. What could be simpler? Just get on your bike and turn the pedals for as many miles as you can in 365 days. The record for HAM’R was broken this year by a young woman named Amanda Coker, a 24 year old from Florida.
Just for fun, wanna take a guess as to how many miles she rode? For some context, I ride anywhere from 4 to 6 thousand miles in a year. Some pro racing cyclists ride triple that amount. Some folks ride across the U.S. (approximately 3 to 4 thousand miles depending on the route) and you can even cycle the perimeter of the U.S.A. clocking 12,000 miles (the record holder - yes, they actually track these things - did it in 180 days). And yes, there is an official record to cycle around the world - 18,000 miles - currently held by a Scotsman who did it in 78 days while the female record holder took a more liesurely 144 days.
So, what number would you guess for Ms. Coker? Throw out all the numbers above, they’re not even remotely close. Over the course of 365 days Ms. Coker rolled a jaw dropping eighty six thousand five hundred and seventy three miles. And since she was so close, she kept at it to hit the big 100,000 mark in 423 days. To break the 365 day HAM’R record Amanda averaged 237 miles per day and her highest monthly total was over 8,000. Not bad for a young lady who suffered a traumatic brain injury when struck by a car while riding her bike in 2011. I won’t hazard a guess as to what she’s going to tackle next, but when it comes to work ethic she’s definitely got it. I can only empathize when she is called on to defend her record when someone inevitably tries to break it...
Saturday, September 23, 2017
All That Glitters...
All that glitters may not be gold, but in the Colorado high country at this time of year it's impossible to miss the spectacular harbinger of winter that is the changing of the Aspen. I grew up in the northeast where the fall colors are truly magnificent and nature's palette is far broader than the primarily gold that colors our mountainsides but all in all I'll take a crisp, cool fall day in Colorado staring at blazing gold trees anytime.
I have the luxury of being able to be in the high country when most folks are tied to their desks and am free to explore minus the crowds. The last couple of days I spent wandering the lower reaches of Independence Pass around the small hamlet of Twin Lakes. Every year it's anyone's guess as to when the Aspen colors will peak. Driving through Leadville I was afraid that I had missed the best of the Fall colors as the Aspen trees at the higher elevations seem to be past their prime but dropping down towards Twin Lakes the colors got brighter and more spectacular. Twin Lakes is the eastern portal to the road to Aspen over Independence Pass and offers a spectacular juxtaposition of the deep gold color of the Aspen against the deep blues of the lakes with the backdrop of the mountains highlighted by our clear Colorado skies.
I drove to Denver on Friday and of course noticed the crowds of folks heading the oppposite way up I-70 on their weekend pilgrimage and know that the parking lots, pullouts, and trails will be mobbed at the most scenic spots. For those of you unwilling, or unable, to brave the crowded high country this weekend here is a sample of what this year's foliage show...
I have the luxury of being able to be in the high country when most folks are tied to their desks and am free to explore minus the crowds. The last couple of days I spent wandering the lower reaches of Independence Pass around the small hamlet of Twin Lakes. Every year it's anyone's guess as to when the Aspen colors will peak. Driving through Leadville I was afraid that I had missed the best of the Fall colors as the Aspen trees at the higher elevations seem to be past their prime but dropping down towards Twin Lakes the colors got brighter and more spectacular. Twin Lakes is the eastern portal to the road to Aspen over Independence Pass and offers a spectacular juxtaposition of the deep gold color of the Aspen against the deep blues of the lakes with the backdrop of the mountains highlighted by our clear Colorado skies.
I drove to Denver on Friday and of course noticed the crowds of folks heading the oppposite way up I-70 on their weekend pilgrimage and know that the parking lots, pullouts, and trails will be mobbed at the most scenic spots. For those of you unwilling, or unable, to brave the crowded high country this weekend here is a sample of what this year's foliage show...
Monday, September 18, 2017
Pedal the Plains is all grown up
My wife and I have done several Ride the Rockies over the years so when the folks at the Denver Post added a new ride several years ago focused on the eastern plains we were intrigued. The Pedal the Plains ride started a lot smaller than its larger RTR cousin with a couple of hundred riders inundating small communities in the heart of Farmland, Colorado. Granted, Farmland, Colorado is not generally high on the list of vacation destinations but for three days in mid-September the chance to do some late season cycling on quiet rural (and generally flat!) roads was still attractive enough to get us off the couch and dust off the two-wheeled steeds.
This last weekend my wife Sophie rode this year's version starting out in Kersey (just east of Greeley) and then meandering on back roads to Keenesburg, Brush, and then back to Kersey. I opted to be lazy and do the sag duties which includes doing the hard work of sitting in an air conditioned car as I drive from town to town where I set up the tent. Being sag support is not something I've done before but for this trip thought I'd give it a try.
The 2017 Pedal the Plains, perhaps due to its close proximity to the Denver metro area, attracted over 1,000 riders so my wife was always in good company as she cruised the windswept prairie. The host communities really did a nice job of welcoming the riders and the meals, entertainment, and camping venues were very well planned. There was even a real lunch provided on each day's ride at one of the rest stops, something they weren't offering the last time we did the ride. The weather held out with a little rain on the tent Saturday night but the morning overcast each day quickly burned off to feature the spectacular blue Colorado skies our state is famous for. Day Two featured a Century Plus option of riding 115 miles that attracted a lot of additional riders to come out just for that day's ride. Sophie opted for the 62 mile regular option which was probably wise as there were still Century Plus riders out on the course at 7 p.m. 115 miles is a huge accomplishment and kudos to those hearty riders but the three day riders who partook of this longer option were still facing the final day's 72 miles bright and early the next morning.
Fortunately the wind Gods smiled and on Sunday riders were treated to mostly tailwinds gently pushing them on towards their final destination of Kersey. At the finish line medals and hugs were handed out before the cycling horde climbed back into their four wheel behemoths and scattered to the four corners but I'll bet many of them are already looking forward to next year's version of a now very grown up Pedal the Plains.
This last weekend my wife Sophie rode this year's version starting out in Kersey (just east of Greeley) and then meandering on back roads to Keenesburg, Brush, and then back to Kersey. I opted to be lazy and do the sag duties which includes doing the hard work of sitting in an air conditioned car as I drive from town to town where I set up the tent. Being sag support is not something I've done before but for this trip thought I'd give it a try.
The 2017 Pedal the Plains, perhaps due to its close proximity to the Denver metro area, attracted over 1,000 riders so my wife was always in good company as she cruised the windswept prairie. The host communities really did a nice job of welcoming the riders and the meals, entertainment, and camping venues were very well planned. There was even a real lunch provided on each day's ride at one of the rest stops, something they weren't offering the last time we did the ride. The weather held out with a little rain on the tent Saturday night but the morning overcast each day quickly burned off to feature the spectacular blue Colorado skies our state is famous for. Day Two featured a Century Plus option of riding 115 miles that attracted a lot of additional riders to come out just for that day's ride. Sophie opted for the 62 mile regular option which was probably wise as there were still Century Plus riders out on the course at 7 p.m. 115 miles is a huge accomplishment and kudos to those hearty riders but the three day riders who partook of this longer option were still facing the final day's 72 miles bright and early the next morning.
Fortunately the wind Gods smiled and on Sunday riders were treated to mostly tailwinds gently pushing them on towards their final destination of Kersey. At the finish line medals and hugs were handed out before the cycling horde climbed back into their four wheel behemoths and scattered to the four corners but I'll bet many of them are already looking forward to next year's version of a now very grown up Pedal the Plains.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Not all who wander...
Not all who wander are lost. And not all who wonder are crazy. One of the things I am finding I enjoy most about retirement is having the time to think about things I never had the time for when I was working. I've always been a wanderer at heart and I've come to find that the wandering of the mind is called wonder.
This last weekend I spent time camping, hiking, biking (and yes, wandering and wondering) in Goblin Valley State Park. Goblin Valley is about an hour southwest of Green River, Utah. For those who have been there you know what a special place it is. It was my first trip and I went specifically to film the rock 'Goblins' that abound in this secluded park. It's not a huge park but it makes up for its relatively small size by packing in a combination of great hiking, beautiful mountain biking trails, spectacular scenery, and at night a sky so full of stars it takes your breath away. In less than an hour one night I watched no fewer than ten satellites mosey across the starry backdrop only to be chased toward the horizon by the far faster, but more elusive, shooting stars. In the middle of this high desert with no city or even town lights to invade the show the night sky is not far different than it was for Native Americans gazing up five hundred or a thousand years ago. The park itself sits in a basin that millions of years ago was an inland sea and to the northwest the San Rafael Reef gives proof of a seashore where million-year old ripples lie frozen in time.
As I sat in my chair late into the evening gazing at the heavens Hurricane Irma was roaring across Florida after wreaking havoc across the Caribbean. Whether one believes in global warming or not most of the changes the earth goes through make a human lifetime less than a blink of geological time. The rocks around me, themselves once lapped by gentle waves of a bygone past, bore silent testimony of what can happen over enormous amounts of time. Even the starlight entering my wondering eyes was years old taking that long at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) to reach me from those distant suns. They say the universe is expanding at a rate that means it will continue to expand forever. I wonder what it is like at the very edge of the universe; what is is our universe expanding into? If you were on the farthest star at this farthest edge and looked out, what would you see?
The Voyager spacecraft is man's most prolific wanderer now traveling beyond the sphere of our planetary system at a speed of a mere 40,000 miles per hour. I wonder what will happen to Voyager when it is as old as the rocks that stand mute about me. While I'll never wander a billionth the distance of this intrepid emissary of mankind in my wondering I'm looking back and waiting for Voyager to catch up. In the meantime, I've got a bike to ride...
This last weekend I spent time camping, hiking, biking (and yes, wandering and wondering) in Goblin Valley State Park. Goblin Valley is about an hour southwest of Green River, Utah. For those who have been there you know what a special place it is. It was my first trip and I went specifically to film the rock 'Goblins' that abound in this secluded park. It's not a huge park but it makes up for its relatively small size by packing in a combination of great hiking, beautiful mountain biking trails, spectacular scenery, and at night a sky so full of stars it takes your breath away. In less than an hour one night I watched no fewer than ten satellites mosey across the starry backdrop only to be chased toward the horizon by the far faster, but more elusive, shooting stars. In the middle of this high desert with no city or even town lights to invade the show the night sky is not far different than it was for Native Americans gazing up five hundred or a thousand years ago. The park itself sits in a basin that millions of years ago was an inland sea and to the northwest the San Rafael Reef gives proof of a seashore where million-year old ripples lie frozen in time.
As I sat in my chair late into the evening gazing at the heavens Hurricane Irma was roaring across Florida after wreaking havoc across the Caribbean. Whether one believes in global warming or not most of the changes the earth goes through make a human lifetime less than a blink of geological time. The rocks around me, themselves once lapped by gentle waves of a bygone past, bore silent testimony of what can happen over enormous amounts of time. Even the starlight entering my wondering eyes was years old taking that long at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) to reach me from those distant suns. They say the universe is expanding at a rate that means it will continue to expand forever. I wonder what it is like at the very edge of the universe; what is is our universe expanding into? If you were on the farthest star at this farthest edge and looked out, what would you see?
The Voyager spacecraft is man's most prolific wanderer now traveling beyond the sphere of our planetary system at a speed of a mere 40,000 miles per hour. I wonder what will happen to Voyager when it is as old as the rocks that stand mute about me. While I'll never wander a billionth the distance of this intrepid emissary of mankind in my wondering I'm looking back and waiting for Voyager to catch up. In the meantime, I've got a bike to ride...
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
With Apologies to the Boys of Summer...
Over in France at about this time of year there's a quaint group ride involving about 190 blokes who spend a quiet month taking a scenic pedal around France. Le Tour, as it is referred to rambles up Hill and dale for about 2,000 miles with average mileage of about 100-120 per day. My wife Sophie and I are spending 6 days covering 218 miles and with all due respect to the folks turning the pedals over in France we're perfectly happy with our little jaunt through the Black Hills.
We're back in Custer this afternoon having made it to Deadwood, which is the end of the Mickelson Trail, and then turning around yesterday with a 49 mile day back to Hill City.
The trail definitely is more of a climb heading north so we are enjoying the downhill grades on the return journey. Deadwood is a gambling town, somewhat similar to Colorado's Black Hawk and Central City and the folks up there looked at us as if we were slightly crazy for having ridden non-motorized cycles to their town. Perhaps they know something and Sophie and I really are a little off kilter.
On one of the 18 mile-long climbs going into Deadwood I was passed by my first E-Bike with a little old lady slowly turning the pedals while her steed zoomed up the 3 percent grade at probably 20 mph. I've got to admit that I was a little conflicted. Technically the Mickelson bans all "motorized" vehicles and I'm not aware of a waiver for electric powered vehicles (are golf carts next?) but on the other hand the joys of the trail would likely be impossible for little old ladies, and anyone else, who doesn't have the physical ability to truly pedal the trail under their own power. I know some mountain bike races now have categories for E-Bikes but still it's going to take some getting used to hearing the quiet hum of these bikes blazing past us as they become more and more popular.
Sophie keeps asking me what my favorite thing about the trail is. I can't pick one segment as on each section there are parts that are absolutely wonderful along with a couple of patches that are just long, slow, hot grinds up, and then up some more until we reach the top of the hill. The trail also has a different feel to it heading south than it did north and there's a lot of scenery we hadn't noticed on the way to Deadwood.
As far as we've seen there is only one bike shop along the route. Rabbit Cycles in Hill City is a fully stocked shop run by 5 or 6 ladies (mothers and daughters I'm assuming) and much to my wife's joy they had all sorts of cute Mickelson Trail-inspired clothing and accessories. As if our BOB trailer wasn't heavy enough already we left Rabbit Cycles slightly more loaded than when we arrived. Surprise, surprise...
The long days see us in the saddle by 6 a.m. to beat the heat. And heat there is - talking with one of the South Dakota Parks staff at one of the trailheads he told us he hadn't seen it this hot, for this long, since he's lived here. Thanks much for sharing. Just like the Ride the Fault Line trip we did in June by 9 a.m. our jerseys are soaked through and we're drinking as much fluid as we can to keep up with our A.S.P. (astronomical sweat production). The good news is that with tomorrow's 44 mile ride back to Edgemont, the southern end of the trail, everyone tells us that the temps at that end of the trail are usually about 10 degrees warmer than the northern sections. As always with these rides it will feel weird to be off the bike and behind the steering wheel but certain parts of my anatomy are looking forward to sinking into a plush Toyota seat. The heck with E-Bikes, there's nothing like the quiet rumble of a V-6 engine in an air-conditioned minivan.
We're back in Custer this afternoon having made it to Deadwood, which is the end of the Mickelson Trail, and then turning around yesterday with a 49 mile day back to Hill City.
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| Hill City welcomes you with the mother of all benches |
The trail definitely is more of a climb heading north so we are enjoying the downhill grades on the return journey. Deadwood is a gambling town, somewhat similar to Colorado's Black Hawk and Central City and the folks up there looked at us as if we were slightly crazy for having ridden non-motorized cycles to their town. Perhaps they know something and Sophie and I really are a little off kilter.
On one of the 18 mile-long climbs going into Deadwood I was passed by my first E-Bike with a little old lady slowly turning the pedals while her steed zoomed up the 3 percent grade at probably 20 mph. I've got to admit that I was a little conflicted. Technically the Mickelson bans all "motorized" vehicles and I'm not aware of a waiver for electric powered vehicles (are golf carts next?) but on the other hand the joys of the trail would likely be impossible for little old ladies, and anyone else, who doesn't have the physical ability to truly pedal the trail under their own power. I know some mountain bike races now have categories for E-Bikes but still it's going to take some getting used to hearing the quiet hum of these bikes blazing past us as they become more and more popular.
Sophie keeps asking me what my favorite thing about the trail is. I can't pick one segment as on each section there are parts that are absolutely wonderful along with a couple of patches that are just long, slow, hot grinds up, and then up some more until we reach the top of the hill. The trail also has a different feel to it heading south than it did north and there's a lot of scenery we hadn't noticed on the way to Deadwood.
As far as we've seen there is only one bike shop along the route. Rabbit Cycles in Hill City is a fully stocked shop run by 5 or 6 ladies (mothers and daughters I'm assuming) and much to my wife's joy they had all sorts of cute Mickelson Trail-inspired clothing and accessories. As if our BOB trailer wasn't heavy enough already we left Rabbit Cycles slightly more loaded than when we arrived. Surprise, surprise...
The long days see us in the saddle by 6 a.m. to beat the heat. And heat there is - talking with one of the South Dakota Parks staff at one of the trailheads he told us he hadn't seen it this hot, for this long, since he's lived here. Thanks much for sharing. Just like the Ride the Fault Line trip we did in June by 9 a.m. our jerseys are soaked through and we're drinking as much fluid as we can to keep up with our A.S.P. (astronomical sweat production). The good news is that with tomorrow's 44 mile ride back to Edgemont, the southern end of the trail, everyone tells us that the temps at that end of the trail are usually about 10 degrees warmer than the northern sections. As always with these rides it will feel weird to be off the bike and behind the steering wheel but certain parts of my anatomy are looking forward to sinking into a plush Toyota seat. The heck with E-Bikes, there's nothing like the quiet rumble of a V-6 engine in an air-conditioned minivan.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Out and About on the Mickelson Trail
Folks say the Edgemont to Custer segment is perhaps the least scenic of the route but the first 16 miles climbing through Sheep Canyon was as pretty as anywhere we've ridden. The trailheads are scattered every 10-20 miles and are a welcome place to find water and restrooms as well as some welcome shade in the trailside shelters. Even though we were starting out on a Saturday we saw very few other cyclists in the 44 miles to Custer.
The climb out of Custer is beautiful as it wanders through mountain meadows, pine forest, and stunning rock formations. Half of the distance to Hill City is climbing but at the top you are rewarded with a view of the Crazy Horse Memorial off to the right. From a distance the head and face is quite distinctive but the rest of the monument - the torso and horse - seem to have not progressed much in the last decade but that doesn't seem to deter the steady stream of cars headed up to see what there is to see. In all fairness there is an impressive museum and visitors center that is worth half a day if you're in the area but today we were looking forward to the 7 mile not-much-need-to-pedal descent so decided to save a revisit to the monument for another day.
Hill City, like Custer and the other towns in the Black Hills, is all about the tourists. Sophie has a special tie to Hill City as she has a teddy bear on display at the "World Famous", "Guiness Book of World Record-holding" Teddy Bear Museum. Of course, so do more than 10,000 other folks who have donated their own special teddy bear over the years. The stories behind some of the bears will likely bring you to tears so bring a hanky just in case. There's also a very talented chainsaw log carver who turns out carved bears, buffalo, mutant ninja turtles, and all sorts of other wooden critters while you watch. Sophie and I of course had more pressing business to attend to which is why I sit here lounging by the pool drinking lemonade and writing this blog.
Friday, July 7, 2017
Michelson Trail Here We Come...
Six hours out of Denver and you're in another world. The tiny hamlet of Edgemont, South Dakota is, as the locals might say, a fer piece from the hustle and bustle of the big city. That big city now stretches almost to the Wyoming border what with the pace of new development along the I-25 corridor but once you cross the border into Wyoming the pace becomes more sane and instead of tract homes and retail centers one sees mainly the wind-blown prairie. Though I'm sure Wyoming is undergoing its own modest growth only noticeable change Sophie and I see as we head north is that the speed limit has now been raised to 80mph from the 75 in Colorado. I'm dating myself but my first trip to Yellowstone was back in the Jimmy Carter years when the national speed limit was 55. On the way home that trip I received one of my first speeding tickets when the friendly folks of the Wyoming State Patrol nabbed me blistering down the road at a staggering 65mph. Of course in today's world everyone seems to tack on another 5-10 over the posted speed limit so in the great state of Wyoming 85-90 is the new norm.
Getting off the very well-beaten path of I-25 at Wheatland the road that beckoned took us on a meandering path through Lusk, WY and then to Edgemont where we're camped out at the Cowboy
Inn where Glenda, the manager, couldn't be friendlier if you'd known her for a lifetime. Such pure, open, welcoming friendliness sadly takes some getting used to for us city folks but I suspect that 'come on in, we're glad you're here' is the norm in these parts so Sophie and I will do our darndest to adjust. It's a tough life but hey.... Oh, and the rooms are clean and comfy, the AC is downright frigid compared to the scorching heat outside, so what more could we ask for.
Tonight we're packing the bikes and BOB trailer. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn we set off on the
George S. Michelson Trail for a 6 day jaunt to Deadwood and back. We'll pass through Custer, Hill City, and Rockford along the 109 mile path to Deadwood where we'll turn around and head back the way we'd come. It's not often we get to ride a trail both ways so we're looking forward to some leisurely 35-50 mile days in the saddle taking in the scenery of the Black Hills. So enough for one night, pardner, we'll catch up out along the dusty trail...
Getting off the very well-beaten path of I-25 at Wheatland the road that beckoned took us on a meandering path through Lusk, WY and then to Edgemont where we're camped out at the Cowboy
Inn where Glenda, the manager, couldn't be friendlier if you'd known her for a lifetime. Such pure, open, welcoming friendliness sadly takes some getting used to for us city folks but I suspect that 'come on in, we're glad you're here' is the norm in these parts so Sophie and I will do our darndest to adjust. It's a tough life but hey.... Oh, and the rooms are clean and comfy, the AC is downright frigid compared to the scorching heat outside, so what more could we ask for.
Tonight we're packing the bikes and BOB trailer. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn we set off on the
George S. Michelson Trail for a 6 day jaunt to Deadwood and back. We'll pass through Custer, Hill City, and Rockford along the 109 mile path to Deadwood where we'll turn around and head back the way we'd come. It's not often we get to ride a trail both ways so we're looking forward to some leisurely 35-50 mile days in the saddle taking in the scenery of the Black Hills. So enough for one night, pardner, we'll catch up out along the dusty trail...
Thursday, June 29, 2017
A Ride In the Woods
With apologies to Bill Bryson's beloved book "A Walk in the Woods" I humbly submit that right up there with a glorious stroll through Mother Nature is the chance to see her creations from the saddle of a mountain bike. I'm fortunate to spend a fair amount of time in the little town of Leadville, Colorado which offers extraordinary scenery as well as an abundance of ways to enjoy it on two wheels.
My wife is not a particular fan of mountain biking finding it sometimes physically and technically overwhelming to ride trails that routinely top elevations over 12,000 feet, grades of 15+ percent and sketchy descents that make you wish you'd brought a parachute.
Leadville hosts numerous challenging events through the summer, including the LT 100 MTB race that sees thousands of riders come to test their mettle riding hither and yon over some spectacular Rocky (emphasis on the rocky) Mountain terrain. This time of year the Leadville trails are still fairly quiet, especially mid-week and I truly love being able to enjoy them while not in a testosterone-induced frenzy. I've often wondered why there are not more organized mountain bike rides rather than races. I enjoy the chance to pit myself against my fellow competitors as much as the next guy (or gal) but slowing down to truly look around and smell the wild roses along the trail remain among my most cherished rides.
Last night I took a sunset ride along parts of the LT100 mountain bike and LT100 running routes but at a far more leisurely pace. For 24 miles I had the trail completely to myself. No cars, no people, just glorious trail leading me - no, pulling me, over the next rise in anticipation of what was around the next bend.
Mind you, to my wife's point, this wasn't the easiest of rides and I had to push, rather than ride, my two wheeled companion up some steep terrain but unlike in a race I made sure to stop and enjoy the views from the overlooks, to take in the contrast of the
green forest canopy against the blue Colorado sky, and take pictures to enjoy when the snows of winter come as I think back on this ride.
For those of you familiar with the Colorado high country you know that late June into July is the height of wildflower season and on last night's ride the sides of the trail were awash in the reds, whites, yellows, blues, and purples of thousands of flowers as far as the eye could see.
The LT100 mountain bike race doesn't happen until early August and sadly by the time those riders roll these same trails the flowers will be long gone. Perhaps that is just as well as who would even notice amidst the constant clamor of "On your left!". Dare to stop for 30 seconds to take a picture and a hundred riders would pass you by. But the images from this and other rides, taken at a far slower pace, are among those I'll cherish for a lifetime.
My wife is not a particular fan of mountain biking finding it sometimes physically and technically overwhelming to ride trails that routinely top elevations over 12,000 feet, grades of 15+ percent and sketchy descents that make you wish you'd brought a parachute.
Leadville hosts numerous challenging events through the summer, including the LT 100 MTB race that sees thousands of riders come to test their mettle riding hither and yon over some spectacular Rocky (emphasis on the rocky) Mountain terrain. This time of year the Leadville trails are still fairly quiet, especially mid-week and I truly love being able to enjoy them while not in a testosterone-induced frenzy. I've often wondered why there are not more organized mountain bike rides rather than races. I enjoy the chance to pit myself against my fellow competitors as much as the next guy (or gal) but slowing down to truly look around and smell the wild roses along the trail remain among my most cherished rides.
Last night I took a sunset ride along parts of the LT100 mountain bike and LT100 running routes but at a far more leisurely pace. For 24 miles I had the trail completely to myself. No cars, no people, just glorious trail leading me - no, pulling me, over the next rise in anticipation of what was around the next bend.
Mind you, to my wife's point, this wasn't the easiest of rides and I had to push, rather than ride, my two wheeled companion up some steep terrain but unlike in a race I made sure to stop and enjoy the views from the overlooks, to take in the contrast of the
green forest canopy against the blue Colorado sky, and take pictures to enjoy when the snows of winter come as I think back on this ride.
The LT100 mountain bike race doesn't happen until early August and sadly by the time those riders roll these same trails the flowers will be long gone. Perhaps that is just as well as who would even notice amidst the constant clamor of "On your left!". Dare to stop for 30 seconds to take a picture and a hundred riders would pass you by. But the images from this and other rides, taken at a far slower pace, are among those I'll cherish for a lifetime.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
A little perspiration, a little inspiration...
When the temp hits 95 and the humidity feels like a Colorado thunderstorm and the asphalt stretches interminably into the hazy distance the perspiration flows more quickly than the passing miles beneath our wheels. Inevitably during any long tour there comes a challenging point where you question why you are out there, pounding the pedals, while the locals are all comfortably ensconced in the air-conditioned comfort of their homes and automobiles. Perhaps that's why fools like me, along with the several hundred other cyclists out here keeping me company, ride in the first place. To overcome those challenging moments. And for riders this week when the going gets tough they just have to look around for Sharon.
Sharon Roggenbuck is a lot of inspiration when the perspiration really starts to flow. 78 years young Sharon is a World Class triathlete who started swimming, biking, and running when she was 40. Since then she's amassed more than her share of podium finishes and is looking forward to the upcoming world's in Australia. When she first started tri'ing she did the swim segment sidestroke and borrowed one of her kid's bikes for the cycle portion.
Sharon is ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) certified as well as a spinning ang group exercise instructor. Still going strong on her titanium steed you'd best not dawdle lest you want to get left in Sharon's dust. And should (when...) that happen its the perfect chance to mix a little inspiration with that ever-present perspiration.
Sharon Roggenbuck is a lot of inspiration when the perspiration really starts to flow. 78 years young Sharon is a World Class triathlete who started swimming, biking, and running when she was 40. Since then she's amassed more than her share of podium finishes and is looking forward to the upcoming world's in Australia. When she first started tri'ing she did the swim segment sidestroke and borrowed one of her kid's bikes for the cycle portion.
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| My wife Sophie Chats with Sharon |
Monday, June 12, 2017
Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude
Jimmy Buffet knows his way around a song and his Changes in Latitude is no exception. Last year at this time we were on our way to Alaska having just made it to Dawson Creek which is the start of the Alaska Highway. Dawson Creek sits at 55 degrees North Latitude while Springfield, MO, where we spent the night two nights back, is at an almost tropical (just kidding) 37 degrees North. Since, for the math inclined out there, each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles, that's a difference of some 1,240 miles. The difference in attitude, as Mr. Buffet points out, is considerably greater.
A year ago I had just retired from my employer, Pinnacol Assurance, and was anxious to hit the road after being a desk jockey for too many years.
In Dawson Creek this morning it's 50 degrees but 'down' here in Missouri it's a balmy 70 with temps heading towards the low 90's. As we had headed north through Wyoming and Montana last year we had seen a fair number of Trump/Pence signs and in a month we'd be taking a picture for a couple of avid Trump supporters at the Artic Circle. Who knew then that in less than a year Mr. Trump would actually eke out a win and take office as President.
We had visited in Montana a World War II Japanese internment camp and I had contrasted that against Mr. Trump's demand to build a wall. While the physical wall on our southern border may never materialize, there are plenty of walls that have been erected between Americans. Used to be when a political party lost an election they'd huff and puff but then quiet down safe in the belief that in another election cycle their candidate would prevail as the American political pendulum inevitably swung back and forth. This time the wounds and divisions seem longer lasting and only time will tell if we can ever regain our balance as the UNITED States of America.
What's any of this have to do with heading South for a bike ride? Probably not much but as we've been riding now for two days, and I'm admittedly a little tired and cranky, we've seen a lot of Trump posters still up down here so it drives home how much Mr. Trump, love him or hate him, has already changed the world. I hope he can help the country come back together. As Mr. Trump's predecessor, Abraham Lincoln, once said, a house divided cannot stand.
Our route is taking us through countryside adjacent to the New Madrid earthquake fault and last night we had a speaker tell us more about the massive quakes from 1811-12. His real message though was how unprepared the area is should a similar quake hit today. There are more than 50 million folks in harm's way. As much as Mr. Trump's victory jolted the political landscape even his historic win pales compared to what Mother Nature can do. And as the speaker pointed out, the New Madrid fault shifts in about 140 year cycles so the area we are riding through is overdue for the next big shake.
All this is too much to ponder for this tired cyclist. Today's 72 long, hot and windy miles ending in Paragould, Arkansas has plum tuckered me out. Now if I could only find that lost shaker of salt. Whoops, sorry Mr. Buffet, wrong song.
A year ago I had just retired from my employer, Pinnacol Assurance, and was anxious to hit the road after being a desk jockey for too many years.
In Dawson Creek this morning it's 50 degrees but 'down' here in Missouri it's a balmy 70 with temps heading towards the low 90's. As we had headed north through Wyoming and Montana last year we had seen a fair number of Trump/Pence signs and in a month we'd be taking a picture for a couple of avid Trump supporters at the Artic Circle. Who knew then that in less than a year Mr. Trump would actually eke out a win and take office as President.
We had visited in Montana a World War II Japanese internment camp and I had contrasted that against Mr. Trump's demand to build a wall. While the physical wall on our southern border may never materialize, there are plenty of walls that have been erected between Americans. Used to be when a political party lost an election they'd huff and puff but then quiet down safe in the belief that in another election cycle their candidate would prevail as the American political pendulum inevitably swung back and forth. This time the wounds and divisions seem longer lasting and only time will tell if we can ever regain our balance as the UNITED States of America.
What's any of this have to do with heading South for a bike ride? Probably not much but as we've been riding now for two days, and I'm admittedly a little tired and cranky, we've seen a lot of Trump posters still up down here so it drives home how much Mr. Trump, love him or hate him, has already changed the world. I hope he can help the country come back together. As Mr. Trump's predecessor, Abraham Lincoln, once said, a house divided cannot stand.
Our route is taking us through countryside adjacent to the New Madrid earthquake fault and last night we had a speaker tell us more about the massive quakes from 1811-12. His real message though was how unprepared the area is should a similar quake hit today. There are more than 50 million folks in harm's way. As much as Mr. Trump's victory jolted the political landscape even his historic win pales compared to what Mother Nature can do. And as the speaker pointed out, the New Madrid fault shifts in about 140 year cycles so the area we are riding through is overdue for the next big shake.
All this is too much to ponder for this tired cyclist. Today's 72 long, hot and windy miles ending in Paragould, Arkansas has plum tuckered me out. Now if I could only find that lost shaker of salt. Whoops, sorry Mr. Buffet, wrong song.
Friday, June 9, 2017
Off again...
Having been home from my Arizona and San Diego trip for a month or so my feet started itching for the road that beckons so it's off again. This time my wife Sophie and I are headed east, bike (tandem) in tow, to do the Ride the Fault Line bicycle tour. Over a week's worth of riding we'll pedal almost 400 miles in four states (Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky) along a route highlighting the New Madrid earthquake fault. I don't think California has a "Ride the San Andreas Fault" probably because they are still waiting on the 'big one' to hit. The New Madrid Fault is way ahead of the anxious dudes and dudettes out west as the midwest's 'big one' (actually a series of three quakes - December 16, 1811, January 23, 1812, and January 23, 1812) happened more than a hundred years ago with magnitudes of 7.5 to 7.9 and they remain the most powerful quakes to hit the contiguous United States east of the Rocky Mountains in recorded history. They were named after the town of New Madrid which was close to the epicenter. New Madrid at the time was part of the Louisiana Purchase but now is in the great 'Show Me' state of Missouri. The quakes were felt over approximately 50,000 sq. miles while by comparison the 1906 San Francisco quake rumbled over about 6,200 sq. miles. Fortunately, since the Louisiana Purchase was still sparsely populated so few people were impacted. If the quakes had happened more recently, given the area's current population one can only imagine the damage they would do. Hopefully the folks at in Cali have to wait a long, long time for anything like them.
Of course to bike 400 miles over the course of 7 days we'll end up spending 6 days (3 coming, 3 going home) and driving almost 2,000 miles but for those of you who are cycling fanatics you'd agree that was a fair exchange. We've been staying at KOA campgrounds, last night in Salina, KS and tonight in Springfield, MO. Both KOA's have been delightful but the Springfield campground is really, really nice and also far removed from the closest highway. As I'm writing this I'm sitting on a nice umbrella-covered patio by our cabin listening to birds chirp and flags flap. I'll take that any day compared to the roar of trucks rumbling down the road at 75 mph.
Tomorrow we'll be in Sikeston, MO where the ride begins and I'm looking forward to trading a car seat for a bike one. It's finally June which means 100 degree temps and almost equal humidity so this Colorado boy is going to be sweating like a pig. Several years ago we biked the Katy Trail which goes from Clinton, MO to St. Charles and I've never been so hot in all my days. Hopefully the Ride the Fault won't' outdo that but we'll soon find out!
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| The Salina, KS KOA has aWizard of Oz theme |
Of course to bike 400 miles over the course of 7 days we'll end up spending 6 days (3 coming, 3 going home) and driving almost 2,000 miles but for those of you who are cycling fanatics you'd agree that was a fair exchange. We've been staying at KOA campgrounds, last night in Salina, KS and tonight in Springfield, MO. Both KOA's have been delightful but the Springfield campground is really, really nice and also far removed from the closest highway. As I'm writing this I'm sitting on a nice umbrella-covered patio by our cabin listening to birds chirp and flags flap. I'll take that any day compared to the roar of trucks rumbling down the road at 75 mph.
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| It doesn't get much more comfortable than this.... Wait, where's The pool? |
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| Aah, that Midwest sense of humor... Cowabunga! |
Monday, April 17, 2017
Wrapping my arms around Southern California
Leaving Arizona I was excited to trade the desertscapes for some seascapes in San Diego, California. As a child I grew up for a very short time in Northern California in Marin County and have been to San Diego as an adult before but visiting there is still a treat. San Diego, and Southern California in general, is a wonderful place although I find it hard to wrap my arms completely around its unique lifestyle. For people-watching though it's hard to beat. Having worked in Human Resources for a time I found myself constantly fascinated by the mix and blend of behaviors along the coast this Spring.
Campland on the Bay is an all-inclusive RV campground and if you were so inclined you'd never have to leave. They have their own beach, swimming pools, game rooms, restaurant, store, boat rentals, etc. And every night at 11:30 they come over the speakers reminding folks that it's now quiet hours, a very pleasant change from the sometimes rowdy late night behavior I had experienced at Lake Pleasant in Arizona. But as nice as COTB is, the real attractions lie outside its gates on the public beaches, boardwalks, and other destinations this part of the country offer.
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| "Good Rhino..." |
Of course no one heads to San Diego without wanting to go to the ocean and with our trusty bike steeds beneath us we explored beaches, boardwalks, and attractions from Coronado Island to La Jolla. There are beaches galore - Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Imperial Beach - and all the ones we visited were extremely clean and seemed family friendly. And for those with furry companions, there are even dog beaches. The beaches all seemed to have well-equipped lifeguards driving some very nice rescue vehicles. Just offshore there were the requisite surfers, windsurfers, kite surfers, and body boarders while on the warm sands were the ubiquitous beach volleyball players and sunbathers. I'm happy to report that this year's swimwear for the ladies is scantier than ever ("David!!! Keep your eyes on the bike path!") and the Southern California women seem to have worked out hard over the winter months to be in good shape to model the latest fashion trends. Thank you ladies, your efforts were very much appreciated!
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| Aah! Love, beachfront weddings and no limit on your Mastercard... Priceless! |
San Diego is also home to more museums than I can count but with every visit I try to check out at least one. This year, while Sophie was slaving away at her conference I took in the San Diego Maritime Museum adjacent to the Broadway Pier. This particular museum has an eclectic assortment of vintage sailing ships along with two submarines. I love working with wood and put me on a sailing ship where you can smell the varnish and be blinded by the sunlight shining off the brightwork and I'm in hog heaven. The Maritime Museum is also one of the less expensive museums and for an additional small fee you can also take a 45 minute ride on a pilot boat around the San Diego Harbor where you'll see lots of naval ships, yachts and sailing ships, and even see Navy Seals conducting their small-boat training.
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| Yup... Just happy to be here! |
A trip to this part of the country is a journey into sensory overload and it will take some time to fully digest this year's San Diego/SoCal visit. As much traveling as I have done the more I realize how lucky I am to live in Colorado and as much as I'll miss the sights and sounds of my California Dreaming it will be nice to finally get home.
Now where'd I leave that winter parka?
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| Fresh sea air, great museums, and beautiful weather... Tough to go wrong in San Diego! |
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Farewell to Spring Training 2017
Spring Training is over for 2017 and the baseball teams are making their way back to their home stadiums across the country full of eager hopes and dreams for the soon to start regular season. Having worked the final game yesterday between the KC Royals and the Texas Rangers, which perhaps fittingly ended in a 0-0 tie, I turned in my shirts, punched out and am heading toward my next destination of San Diego. My wife Sophie has an ASCM (American College of Sports Medicine) annual conference she'll be attending but we'll also get to spend some time together sightseeing and relaxing.
A special thank you to Chris, Danny, Bob, Larry, Griselda, Sue, Nadine, Shoey, and all the rest of the Aramark 2017 Spring Training crew. It was quite an experience! Though the names will slowly blur with time the friendliness of this great group of folks will not soon be forgotten.
At the end of yesterday's game there was a celebration for the "Sundancers", the volunteer group that act as ushers, parking attendants, and general help around the stadium during games. Founded in 2002 the group boasts more than 750 members and raises charitable donations supporting area youth-related programs and projects. In 2016 the Surprise Sundancers gave out more than $200,000 in college scholarships. I don't know if I'll ever reside in the area but if I did this is a group I'd love to be a part of. When
my wife was down visiting me a week or so ago she was 'adopted' by one of the Sundancer volunteers by the name of Melvin during one of the games. He couldn't have been nicer to her and for that and all the larger group does, many thanks.
They say it's a small world and yesterday I had Sara B., another Pinnacol retiree, swing by and say hi during the game. She and her family were down enjoying a couple of games and the excuse to escape the cold wet weather at home in Denver. She had retired after 30 years with Pinnacol and was looking fresh and rejuvenated as it seems a lot of Pinnacol retirees appear. Sarah had been a Sr. Underwriter at Pinnacol, something I would have loved to be if I hadn't gotten called to the 'dark side' 😉 of Human Resources way back when.
A word to the wise for future fans planning on coming to Spring Training. If you want Spring Training gear - hats, shirts, pins, etc. - try to attend games early in the season. The merchandise ordered for Spring Training's run of six weeks is gone when gone. Yesterday's final game saw all merchandise discounted 40% but fans were selecting from what little merchandise remained. Some seemed surprised at how little was left, especially of Royals gear, but a 2017 Spring Training shirt isn't worth much at the start of the 2018 season so Aramark, the retail vendor at Surprise Stadium, had been careful not to over-order.
So that's it from Surprise Spring Training 2017. Thanks for bearing with me through this chronicle and I hope to see you on down the road!
A special thank you to Chris, Danny, Bob, Larry, Griselda, Sue, Nadine, Shoey, and all the rest of the Aramark 2017 Spring Training crew. It was quite an experience! Though the names will slowly blur with time the friendliness of this great group of folks will not soon be forgotten.
At the end of yesterday's game there was a celebration for the "Sundancers", the volunteer group that act as ushers, parking attendants, and general help around the stadium during games. Founded in 2002 the group boasts more than 750 members and raises charitable donations supporting area youth-related programs and projects. In 2016 the Surprise Sundancers gave out more than $200,000 in college scholarships. I don't know if I'll ever reside in the area but if I did this is a group I'd love to be a part of. When
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| Sundancers pose for their 2017 end of Season picture at Surprise Stadium |
They say it's a small world and yesterday I had Sara B., another Pinnacol retiree, swing by and say hi during the game. She and her family were down enjoying a couple of games and the excuse to escape the cold wet weather at home in Denver. She had retired after 30 years with Pinnacol and was looking fresh and rejuvenated as it seems a lot of Pinnacol retirees appear. Sarah had been a Sr. Underwriter at Pinnacol, something I would have loved to be if I hadn't gotten called to the 'dark side' 😉 of Human Resources way back when.
A word to the wise for future fans planning on coming to Spring Training. If you want Spring Training gear - hats, shirts, pins, etc. - try to attend games early in the season. The merchandise ordered for Spring Training's run of six weeks is gone when gone. Yesterday's final game saw all merchandise discounted 40% but fans were selecting from what little merchandise remained. Some seemed surprised at how little was left, especially of Royals gear, but a 2017 Spring Training shirt isn't worth much at the start of the 2018 season so Aramark, the retail vendor at Surprise Stadium, had been careful not to over-order.
So that's it from Surprise Spring Training 2017. Thanks for bearing with me through this chronicle and I hope to see you on down the road!
Monday, March 27, 2017
A Little Rain Must Fall...
Today's game at Surprise Stadium featured the Colorado Rockies taking on, and unfortunately losing to, the Texas Rangers.
Driving back to Lake Pleasant afterwards the weather in the distance looked a little foreboding and soon enough the first scattered drops began to fall. Reaching the campground the skies let loose with what was my first Thunderstorm of the year complete with thunder, lightning, and even a little bit of hail. The desert never ceases to surprise. So for those where the precipitation is still white and cold this video is for you. Stay warm and dry wherever you may be!
Driving back to Lake Pleasant afterwards the weather in the distance looked a little foreboding and soon enough the first scattered drops began to fall. Reaching the campground the skies let loose with what was my first Thunderstorm of the year complete with thunder, lightning, and even a little bit of hail. The desert never ceases to surprise. So for those where the precipitation is still white and cold this video is for you. Stay warm and dry wherever you may be!
Final Four
Last night's game featured the Texas Rangers versus the LA Dodgers with the Rangers winning with a 10th inning home run after 9 innings of scoreless play. Temperatures were in the 70's and low 80's under clear blue skies. In other words another perfect day for a baseball game. It was also the last weekend game of the 2017 Spring Training season and was the fourth to last game on the schedule for Surprise Stadium.
Phoenix is also hosting some of the March Madness basketball games. I'm not much of a basketball fan but Larry, the coworker I've mentioned in prior blogs, is a devout fan of his almamater's team the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks have made the Final Four, having not been in the "Sweet 16" in the modern era before this season. I know he'll be rooting them on in style as he makes his way cross country to West Virginia for his next 'workamping' gig.
With the season coming to a close there are things I'll miss about Arizona and some things I could have done without.
I'll miss Lake Pleasant on a quiet and peaceful morning. It really is a very beautiful place. I won't miss the weekend and the occasional mid-week rowdy campers who bring the term noisy campground to a whole new level. I've mentioned before Lake Pleasant seems primarily a locals Park and they seem fine with the rowdiness but if you like tranquility in a beautiful desert setting stay far away from here or bring a good pair of ear plugs.
I'll miss the flowers. The desert in bloom is amazing.
I'll miss the sound of wild burros as they make their way not so stealthily through the campground in the middle of the night. Last night, being Sunday, the campground was as quiet as it ever gets and the burros seem to know when to come and nibble on the grasses that grow in the tent sites. Last night I had a burro eating about fifteen feet from my camper at 12:45 am. He had made quite the ruckus as he came into camp which gave me time to grab my camera and attempt to take his picture.
My apologies that the pic didn't turn out better but the ghostlike quality gives a hint at the elusiveness of these beautiful animals.
I'll miss the beauty of a quiet baseball stadium before the crowds arrive. There is a serenity of a well-kept but empty ball field that hints in anticipation of what is to come.
I'll miss the playing of the National anthem before each game. As divided as our country is these days it's one remaining instance that allows us to remember that beneath the animosity we are all still Americans.
I'll miss the uncrowded drive to the stadium on the 303. The lack of congestion is something Colorado drivers can only vaguely remember, if at all. I won't miss the aggressiveness of Arizona drivers who think nothing of going 20-30 mph over the speed limit. They also have a penchant for not tolerating being behind an out of state car for more than thirty seconds so beware they'll try to pass no matter how fast you are going.
I'll miss the weather. Who could complain about sunshine and warm conditions in March? Even for the couple of days it was already approaching triple digits it was better than the cold snow and slush much of the country was dealing with.
I could go on and on but suffice it to say there was more good than bad, more happiness than sorrow which to me is the hallmark of a good trip... May all your journeys be so favored.
Phoenix is also hosting some of the March Madness basketball games. I'm not much of a basketball fan but Larry, the coworker I've mentioned in prior blogs, is a devout fan of his almamater's team the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks have made the Final Four, having not been in the "Sweet 16" in the modern era before this season. I know he'll be rooting them on in style as he makes his way cross country to West Virginia for his next 'workamping' gig.
With the season coming to a close there are things I'll miss about Arizona and some things I could have done without.
I'll miss Lake Pleasant on a quiet and peaceful morning. It really is a very beautiful place. I won't miss the weekend and the occasional mid-week rowdy campers who bring the term noisy campground to a whole new level. I've mentioned before Lake Pleasant seems primarily a locals Park and they seem fine with the rowdiness but if you like tranquility in a beautiful desert setting stay far away from here or bring a good pair of ear plugs.
I'll miss the flowers. The desert in bloom is amazing.
I'll miss the sound of wild burros as they make their way not so stealthily through the campground in the middle of the night. Last night, being Sunday, the campground was as quiet as it ever gets and the burros seem to know when to come and nibble on the grasses that grow in the tent sites. Last night I had a burro eating about fifteen feet from my camper at 12:45 am. He had made quite the ruckus as he came into camp which gave me time to grab my camera and attempt to take his picture.
I'll miss the beauty of a quiet baseball stadium before the crowds arrive. There is a serenity of a well-kept but empty ball field that hints in anticipation of what is to come.
I'll miss the playing of the National anthem before each game. As divided as our country is these days it's one remaining instance that allows us to remember that beneath the animosity we are all still Americans.
I'll miss the uncrowded drive to the stadium on the 303. The lack of congestion is something Colorado drivers can only vaguely remember, if at all. I won't miss the aggressiveness of Arizona drivers who think nothing of going 20-30 mph over the speed limit. They also have a penchant for not tolerating being behind an out of state car for more than thirty seconds so beware they'll try to pass no matter how fast you are going.
I'll miss the weather. Who could complain about sunshine and warm conditions in March? Even for the couple of days it was already approaching triple digits it was better than the cold snow and slush much of the country was dealing with.
I could go on and on but suffice it to say there was more good than bad, more happiness than sorrow which to me is the hallmark of a good trip... May all your journeys be so favored.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Stayin' on the trail...
Stayin' on the trail.... Or not. With five days to go until the end of Spring Training I'm starting to collect quite a stash of memories from this trip. In the last week I've had two visitors join me at "Camp David". The love of my life, Sophie, flew down for her Spring Break to enjoy the Arizona heat and she got a full taste of what temps in the high 90's in March feel like. While I was slaving away at the old ballgame she was out hiking and biking. I did get a chance to take her to old town Scottsdale one day and another day we rented a boat on Lake Pleasant to see its pristine waters in style.
My wife loves to captain the boat so most of the time I sat back and relaxed while she took me bouncing over the waves (she really likes the waves - the bigger the better!).
I also was visited by Tim from Denver for a couple of days. I worked with Tim's wife for many years at Pinnacol and have gotten to know Tim as well. He was nice enough to take me out to a ballgame and dinner while here and he's flying back to Denver today where apparently snow fell overnight.
We took in the Mariners/Angels game at Peoria Stadium and had great seats along the third base line. I took Tim on a flower-filled walk on a short section of the Wild Burro Trail at Lake Pleasant. Both he and Sophie picked a great time to come as the desert is really in bloom.
At my work some of the folks are leaving for other gigs around the country. When this is all done I'll miss working with Bob and Larry who were with me most days at the 3rd base tent. Larry is quite the free spirit and really made the time fly by. His ability to connect with almost anyone (he was especially fond of those of the female persuasion) is something I wish I had.
As I mentioned, the desert is in bloom. A lot of the snowbirds are readying their rigs in anticipation of heading north when the weather gets too hot here. As one RV'er told me, he leaves when the non-4 legged critters come out to play. Well, that time has definitely come. I'm hearing the rattle of snakes on my mountain bike rides now and the library now sports a sign warning folks to stay on the trails.
And in the Park office you can view live specimens of what you don't want to encounter up close and personal outside.
I'll leave you with a couple of baseball images to get your mind off snakes and the like. A lot of fans go to great lengths to dress up in their team apparel. I caught this fan sporting a great pair of boots the other day.
And finally, while Surprise Stadium really doesn't have a bad seat in the house this young fan at last night's game really did have a fantastic view.
I also was visited by Tim from Denver for a couple of days. I worked with Tim's wife for many years at Pinnacol and have gotten to know Tim as well. He was nice enough to take me out to a ballgame and dinner while here and he's flying back to Denver today where apparently snow fell overnight.
Monday, March 20, 2017
A Bird's-eye view of Surprise Stadium
I've got 9 days left until the end of Spring Training. The time has flown by as quickly as the heat has risen. Yesterday's game between the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners saw temps hit 97 degrees and the folks who had flown down from the Pacific Northwest were paying the price. Lots of creamy white skin left the stadium deep red and I don't think there was enough sunblock in the stadium to go around. There was though enough beer, brats, hotdogs, and all the other goodies folks consume at ballparks so they all seemed to leave happy and satisfied.
Surprise Stadium was built 15 years ago in 2002. At yesterday's game they honored the Sundancer volunteers who have been helping with games all of those years. These folks, clad in yellow shirts are all volunteers and act as ushers, parking attendants, and all sorts of other duties required to keep upwards of 10,000 fans happy. Each game fans can buy raffle tickets for $5 with the daily winner taking home half of the pot with the reminder going to help fund local charities the Sundancers support. Best known as the spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals the stadium also hosts the Arizona Fall League team, the Surprise Saguaros. The stadium sits in the middle of the Surprise Recreation Campus which is also home to swimming pools, library, ball fields, tennis and pickleball courts as well as a small lake and playgrounds. As is the stadium, everything seems to be immaculately maintained and the people of this Phoenix suburb really have something to be proud of. The drone video above gives a quick bird's-eye view of the stadium. Not quite the same as the pilots of the F35's and F16's from Luke Air Force Base get as they zoom over the stadium on a daily basis but not bad...
Surprise Stadium was built 15 years ago in 2002. At yesterday's game they honored the Sundancer volunteers who have been helping with games all of those years. These folks, clad in yellow shirts are all volunteers and act as ushers, parking attendants, and all sorts of other duties required to keep upwards of 10,000 fans happy. Each game fans can buy raffle tickets for $5 with the daily winner taking home half of the pot with the reminder going to help fund local charities the Sundancers support. Best known as the spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals the stadium also hosts the Arizona Fall League team, the Surprise Saguaros. The stadium sits in the middle of the Surprise Recreation Campus which is also home to swimming pools, library, ball fields, tennis and pickleball courts as well as a small lake and playgrounds. As is the stadium, everything seems to be immaculately maintained and the people of this Phoenix suburb really have something to be proud of. The drone video above gives a quick bird's-eye view of the stadium. Not quite the same as the pilots of the F35's and F16's from Luke Air Force Base get as they zoom over the stadium on a daily basis but not bad...
Monday, March 13, 2017
Desert in Bloom
My wife Sophie is down visiting me for her Spring Break and this morning we took a hike along the Wild Burro Trail. The round-trip of 7 miles took us along the lakeshore, up and over some rolling hills, and through some beautiful wild flowers. When I first arrived at Lake Pleasant everything was pretty much still brown but just a couple of weeks later the desert is now flowering. Thanks to some February and early March rains the flowers appear to be ready for the warm weather to finally arrive.
Along this morning's hike I took the video above . For those still locked in Winter's icy clutches it's a sneak peak of what you'll be experiencing in another month or two. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Odds and Ends
Yesterday the Kansas City Royals hosted the squad from Venezuela as part of the World Baseball Classic. These international teams are primarily made up of MLB players who hail from particular countries. As one KC fan told me, the Royals would be lost without Venezuelan players as a couple of the KC stars were playing for their country team as they whooped the Royals 11-0. Ouch! Guess if we build a wall we need to still find a way to let great athletes across the border but I'd hazard a guess they don't get here trudging through the desert or swimming the Rio Grande.
Team Venezuela plays at Surprise Stadium again today, this time hosted by the Texas Rangers. We'll see if the domestic team does better than the hapless Royals. Tomorrow is the first game under the lights and we've been told to bring some warm clothing as when the sun goes down behind the mountains to the west the temperatures plummet. Plummet being a relative term of course as the day time temps now are pushing the low to mid 80's. Still a 20 degree drop is noticeable and can feel downright cold after sweltering in the Arizona heat.
I'm still camped out at Lake Pleasant which I've concluded draws more of a local crowd than some of the other parks I've stayed in. It's a louder Park for sure as folks don't quite seem to grasp the notion of "quiet hours". Most of the folks I'm working with are "workampers" (www.workamper.com) and are staying in RV's in local RV parks. Monthly rates at these parks appear to range from $350 to $800 a month. I'm paying $20/day at Lake Pleasant or roughly $600/month but despite the sometimes noisy neighbors I'd still rather be out at the lake than parked close enough to the next door RV to shake hands when stepping out the door.
There is a broad mix of folks working Spring Training. A fair number are my age and are retired but interestingly there are some young folks in their late 20's and early 30's who have opted out of the corporate grind and travel the country working one workamping gig after another making ends meet. For me it wasn't the money that drew me but rather the chance to do something new in the warm Arizona sun. As long as what they pay me covers my camping costs I'm pretty good to go. A lot of the other workampers are still working to live so they talk about working at places at Amazon fulfillment centers, Walmart, etc. clearly there's no fun in that but I respect that people have to earn a living. I also admire their alternative lifestyle and the ability to lead a nomadic way of life (heck, the name of this blog is "The Road That Beckons") but I believe these folks in their quest for freedom end up working far harder than the average cubicle jockey in an office.
I'm stationed in the store along the 3rd base line and get to work on a regular basis with two guys that's present the spectrum of workampers. Bob is in his 75th year on this planet, has been retired for many years and has worked post-retirement in places like Yellowstone as well as Spring Training. He and his wife own a home in Sun City which is just north of Surprise but spend their summers working and living in nice places across the western U.S. Larry is 30 years younger than Bob, is twice divorced and apparently gave up a corporate banking job to roam the country. He's a baseball and sports fanatic and can recite trivia about many things ("who sang that song?", "name a MLB player who played every position in one game..."). Not independently wealthy he's also working at Walmart on top of the Spring Traing job so Larry is putting in some long days to make ends meet. One thing that all these workampers share is that they all seem to be very nice people. I've concluded that taking people out of the pressures of the typical corporate job really does allow people to be themselves and in most instances their innate goodness will come through. Hey, maybe we need to elect some workampers and send them to Washington. Spring Training ends in just a couple of weeks and their looking for a new opportunity...
Team Venezuela plays at Surprise Stadium again today, this time hosted by the Texas Rangers. We'll see if the domestic team does better than the hapless Royals. Tomorrow is the first game under the lights and we've been told to bring some warm clothing as when the sun goes down behind the mountains to the west the temperatures plummet. Plummet being a relative term of course as the day time temps now are pushing the low to mid 80's. Still a 20 degree drop is noticeable and can feel downright cold after sweltering in the Arizona heat.
I'm still camped out at Lake Pleasant which I've concluded draws more of a local crowd than some of the other parks I've stayed in. It's a louder Park for sure as folks don't quite seem to grasp the notion of "quiet hours". Most of the folks I'm working with are "workampers" (www.workamper.com) and are staying in RV's in local RV parks. Monthly rates at these parks appear to range from $350 to $800 a month. I'm paying $20/day at Lake Pleasant or roughly $600/month but despite the sometimes noisy neighbors I'd still rather be out at the lake than parked close enough to the next door RV to shake hands when stepping out the door.
There is a broad mix of folks working Spring Training. A fair number are my age and are retired but interestingly there are some young folks in their late 20's and early 30's who have opted out of the corporate grind and travel the country working one workamping gig after another making ends meet. For me it wasn't the money that drew me but rather the chance to do something new in the warm Arizona sun. As long as what they pay me covers my camping costs I'm pretty good to go. A lot of the other workampers are still working to live so they talk about working at places at Amazon fulfillment centers, Walmart, etc. clearly there's no fun in that but I respect that people have to earn a living. I also admire their alternative lifestyle and the ability to lead a nomadic way of life (heck, the name of this blog is "The Road That Beckons") but I believe these folks in their quest for freedom end up working far harder than the average cubicle jockey in an office.
I'm stationed in the store along the 3rd base line and get to work on a regular basis with two guys that's present the spectrum of workampers. Bob is in his 75th year on this planet, has been retired for many years and has worked post-retirement in places like Yellowstone as well as Spring Training. He and his wife own a home in Sun City which is just north of Surprise but spend their summers working and living in nice places across the western U.S. Larry is 30 years younger than Bob, is twice divorced and apparently gave up a corporate banking job to roam the country. He's a baseball and sports fanatic and can recite trivia about many things ("who sang that song?", "name a MLB player who played every position in one game..."). Not independently wealthy he's also working at Walmart on top of the Spring Traing job so Larry is putting in some long days to make ends meet. One thing that all these workampers share is that they all seem to be very nice people. I've concluded that taking people out of the pressures of the typical corporate job really does allow people to be themselves and in most instances their innate goodness will come through. Hey, maybe we need to elect some workampers and send them to Washington. Spring Training ends in just a couple of weeks and their looking for a new opportunity...
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Lake Pleasant
Thus far I'd give the nod to White Tank as the nicer of the two campgrounds. The facilities seem newer and better maintained. The nice thing about White Tank and having electrical is not having to listen to the roar of generators that I'm getting used to at Lake Pleasant. In both places I'm one of the few tenters with most folks rolling up in their RV home away from home. Last night on my stroll around the campground I even saw a couple sitting by their campfire watching, I kid you not, their big screen TV outside powered by the ubiquitous generator. That sight made me yearn for the wilds of the Yukon as I don't think the local fauna (bears) are into CNN. At White Tank most of the license plates appeared to be from out of state while at Lake Pleasant most folks are sporting Arizona tags. Fortunately by around 10pm the campground settles down and you can get some sleep.
While Lake Pleasant is farther away than White Tank the drivetime is about the same at 30 minutes. From Lake Pleasant the roads are not very busy and the main highway - the 303 - is uncrowded as this neck of the woods is still fairly undeveloped with urban sprawl. I can only imagine what it will be like in a couple of years though. This
Well, it's off to work I go slaving away at the ole' ballpark. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it...
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