Random photos

Very rarely do I catch this view. I will not be having any prospective buyers out on the deck.

I did NOT stage this picture.

This is just before my ride today at 11 o'clock. I made it out the door and about a quarter mile down the road before I noticed the strange hop in my rear wheel. Being keenly aware and realizing that something was amuck, I glance down to there and saw what appeared to be a small portion of a tub protruding from betweenst the tire and the rim. Luckily I was able to get off the bike, get a glove off, and get the air out of it before any sort of explosion. Then I had to come back home and fix it.

Eventually I was able to make my way down the mountain to Colorado Springs. My plan was to head east until I hit 25 or so miles and then head back up the mountain. While riding through Old Colorado City, I rode up on a group of three riders. One of the guys was wearing a full USA cycling outfit (I refuse to say that other term). I dangled about 50 yards off these guys for a while and could not help but notice that Captain America had the absolute worst form I've ever seen. Knees kicked outwards, body rockin from side to side and up and down and all around on the flat roads more than a pro tour rider on the last HC climb of the day. I'm gonna guess that the uniform was purchased. I'm gonna HOPE that the uniform was purchased.

I now have 2 dudes that want to come look at the van today so that's wonderful.

It's May?

As I laid in the futon last night trying to get to sleep (no...I am not in trouble...Heather has been sick all week and I can't sleep at all with the coughing and sniffling) I thought about bicycles a bit right after I got done thinking about large fish. Last year at this time I had a ton of miles in. This year....not so much. I appear to be having a little difficulty getting motivated right now. The Alma is covered in mud from the last overnighter I did with Marshal. I should probably do something about that. I didn't think it was possible but the wind this year appears to be even more robust than last year (and I typed that as the plastic Adirondack chairs slid across the deck). The cold weather is certainly not helping me either (light snow yesterday morning). I am so sick of having to suit up in knee warmers and fleece, and a hat just to get a ride in. I want to race in August and it's definitely not that I'm taking things lightly or any sign of a lack of respect. Perhaps I'm a little disgruntled that this is attempt #3 with no finish to show for it (but certainly many many fond memories and an entirely new outlook on life which is probably more important but still...a horse pill for a competitive guy to swallow). This will be the last one I think (for several reasons). I actually know what the reason is but don't wanna talk about it (for fear that it will create some drama for Heather and me). It's nothing like marital problems (we're doing wonderfully aside from the coughing and futon). I'm sure some of you have an idear and others will know when we get together for beers in about a month when we roll into the STL.

In other news I drove the van out to 11 Mile Reservoir last night and threw some big spoons but I still think it's a bit early for the large Pike to be coming in to the shallows. I spent a good amount of time sitting in the van with the sliding door open and watching the sun go down over the Divide (brings back good memories with a guide buddy of mine named Jack...a crazy dude who actually attended culinary school and served as the chef for the Grateful Dead while they were on the road). Jack's got stories and they are good. I drove over to the lower spillway on the Dream Stream and there was not 1 vehicle in the lot. Pretty rare. It was good to drive the Vanagon......again. A lifter had bled down from sitting over the winter and was making an awful racket. The drive was just what it needed to get pumped up again and now it's quiet. I've had at least 20 inquiries on the van and one guy from Cascade (which is just 8 miles or so down the mountain) wants to come check it out tonight so that's pretty cool. He's got a 71 Westy as well. He sounds like a cool guy. I want someone nice to get Ron B.

16 days left

Until summer vacation and now that I'm at the high school, some of those last days are half days for finals. Definitely in the home stretch now and, while that's a good thing, the population of students that I work with tend to start to come unglued toward the end or towards long breaks like Thanksgiving. They're generally labeled "problematic" but they really do want that structure as much as they buck. I think for many of them, they begin to realize that they are not going to be in their safe place for 2.5 months and that's scary for them. Even when they're a pain they're such good students and I'm lucky to work with them.

I wonder when someone will buy my van? Within the first 5 minutes of it being online in 2 places I had 4 inquiries and an offer of 2 grand cash from a local guy who said that I was way over priced. I just saw a guy selling an 89 Carat model and although it did have a turbo diesel conversion, he was asking 24,000 for it. The Vanagons are weird because they have such a perceived value. I really don't think I'm asking too much but we'll see. Today I had an offer of 2250 for it from a guy in Seattle that just wanted to have a courier come and flat bed it. I turned him down too. I started it up last night and the motor was making a strange noise. I'm fairly certain that it's a lifter that bled down from sitting all winter long. Hopefully it'll pump up and quiet down when I take it for a drive, possibly over to a reservoir tomorrow night, to fish.

I also wonder if I'll catch a trophy Pike tomorrow night?

THIS...............

COULD ALL BE YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!

Back and forth

I really hate trying to get motivated for a task at hand when I'm spending a portion of my time thinking about something else. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the Tour Divide. I've also been thinking an awful lot about big ass Pike too. The romantic side of me would love to have a unique bike to do something that special on. Sometimes I think I chose the wrong career. My old Vanagon puts a smile on my face even when it leaves me stranded. Deep down I know money can't buy hapiness. While Colorado is beautiful, the relocation here was stressful and continues to present challenges, professionally speaking, that end up with both of us plotting a way to get back home soon. Oh...I should mention that, unike the last time I talked about cool frames, I am not on Vicodin. Anyways...I don't NEED a unique and certainly not a custom frame for something like TD but it would increase the cool factor. Today I got a really nice email from Dave over at Victoria cycles. The more I look at his art, the more excited I get about something as epic as TD. I know it's a long way off and I worry that not giving the CTR the respect and time it deserves will potentially haunt me later on but it's hard.

This is a 650 bike that was recently featured in the new Moutnain Flyer. I have not seen this magazine back in the midwest (except for the one that's on the toilet tank back at that one bike shop in Chesterfield). Do yourself a favor and go to their site at www.mountainflyer.com and check it out. It's different. This frame is a lot like the baby blue one I originally took a liking too.

The dropouts are horizontal on this one but they're unique and still look the mutts nutts.

Heather likes this bike but I was more interested in the lug work. The wooden fenders aren't ugly either.

This is another one that I keep going back to since I first saw it a few weeks ago. This was on display at the San Diego Bike Show but I had no idea it was a 650 bike. I love my 29er and don't know that I'd really consider checking out a 650. Probably be cool to ride and feel the difference though. This would be a really fun bike in either SS or fixed form for a coffee shop/pub crawl bike. I actually like the curved seat stays here but the larger area on the blue or maroon bike is more practical for an Epic Designs bag.

I know I could probably call any frame builder and get exactly what I want but, for me, there's an immediate draw to this company.

Round 2

Today I went back to the dentist for Round 2 of the root canal. Within minutes of having the gas turned on, it felt like an old friend was back. Today I had to go with Dark Side of the Moon. I was in a damn good spot when The Great Gig in the Sky was playing and Clare Torry started belting out her lyrics. I was a little disappointed that there was no home remodeling show or any tv on today for that matter.

As I sat there in the chair breathing in the goodness I began to think about funny things. For some reason I made a connection between dating (and specifically...sex) with going to the dentist. I'm not going to go into details here cuz this is a family site but I started laughing. Picture me with the gas mask on, this dental dam in place, instruments hanging out of my mouth and....me giggling slightly while thinking about things and looking at myself in the reflection of the powered down tv. All the while the dental assistant is in the room and I DO NOT want her to notice and then ask me what's so funny. I thought of one good joke and thought, "Man...I gotta remember that." Then minutes later...another one. And another one. Soon I was wishing I had my Blackberry so I could jot these things down as I knew I'd forget them. Then I figured even if I did have it with me, the notes would only look like...fjdhdfrerjfdjdjbvvdfjdl.

Then for a split second I actually had the mental fortitude to think, "Wait...I wonder if this is like when you're drunk and you think something is so funny but sober people around you are only annoyed by your antics." So now I'm not even sure if it's worth sharing but I had fun anyways. Root canal is done and now all I need is a crown.

Beautiful day to be out on the water. I don't normally fish much still water but every now and then I get a hankering to do so. Today was one of those days. Spring Pike fishing can be pretty good and each year I don't go. A student at school lives on the dam for one of the reservoirs. 2 weeks ago he landed an 18 pound Northern that taped at 36". I actually have a picture of it but I can't post that. Believe me when I say it was impressive. So today I went out to pursue the Northerns. Some of the coves still have some ice in them. I'm a little early. The females probably won't be moving into these coves for another week or two but that 's fine. It was good to get out and scout some things.

I didn't catch any Pike today but I did catch 8 rainbows. They got bigger as the day went on but even the biggest one wasn't anything to write home about. The most exciting part of the day was when I force fed a common Carp in the ass with a big Husky Jerk. Thankfully I didn't get him that bad and he shook it off a few minutes later. He did make the drag scream though. The scale that was left on the hook was the size of a quarter. I'll go back out there again next weekend and see how things are going.