Bike Lane

Wow, as a commuter this looks great...

LightLane is a company designing a rear bike light that creates a laser-lit virtual bike lane that goes where you go.

There’s no timeline as to when the LightLane bike light will be available, but the company has a targeted retail price of between $80 and $100. www.lightlanebike.com

I plan to be one of the first people in line buy one!

Mechanicals

I had some issues riding to work this morning. I'm thinking the temperature had something to do with it. I left the house about 0530 and it was a balmy 14 degrees! After about the second stop I noticed my back tire was not riding smoothly, it felt like the brake was on.

When I arrived at work I found out that yes the brake was rubbing, the wheel would not spin very good. I made a few adjustments to the back brake and it seemed OK. While checking out the back brake I noticed I had a bad spoke. I did what I could to fix it.

I also noticed that my lights were pretty dim by the time I got to work. I'm thinking maybe the cold is having an affect on the batteries as well. I usually leave my bike in the breezeway where there is no heat. Tonight I'm bringing it in the house to work on it so I think I will just leave it inside for the night to see if that makes a difference on the lights. If so then I know I need to bring the lights in the house and not leave them on the bike.

After getting home I took a closer look at the back tire and was able to fix the spoke, I think it must have just worked it's way loose. I cleaned and lubed the brake cables and I'm hoping that will fix the sticking problem. I really need to clean and lube the chain too but I ran out of energy. I swear riding in the cold just sucks your energy.

So far the low temperatures have not been bad, I've had a couple mornings where I did not dress quite warm enough, I needed more protection on my face. Today I added long underwear, and a scarf to my ensemble, I also wore my mountain bike glasses, they keep the wind out of my eyes, and I had a nice hot cup of tea before I left the house. I didn't get cold at all. I think the key is the hot tea made of honey and cinnamon. It's my new favorite!

There's a big ass winter storm on it's way due to arrive tomorrow afternoon so I may get my first chance to ride in the snow. I sure hope I'm ready for it! The Weatherbug just went off again I think I'll go check the weather...

Cold Weather Riding

So far I've been pretty lucky the coldest day this Fall was this morning; a chilly 27 degrees when I left the house.

I have my routine down fairly good, this morning I even had time to make and eat a bowl of oatmeal before heading to work. As the weather gets colder I plan to shower before I go to bed so I can keep some of the oils on my skin as protection. Taking a shower in the morning helps with waking up but it takes all of the oil from your skin and leaves you exposed to the elements.

My routine goes a little something like this:
cell phone alarm starts playing the Mexican hat dance at 0415
I crawl out of bed and let the dogs outside.
Brush teeth, use toilet and find clothes for the day, not necessarily in that order.
Let dogs back into the house and feed them.
Jump into shower, get dressed.
Pack lunch and work bag.
Grab a bite to eat and something to drink, fill water bottle.
Put on riding gear; Techpant Overtrouser by Endura, super bright yellow windbreaker jacket from REI, and Sugoi vest, Spider gloves, Pearl Izumi liner, and Bell Ghisallo helmet. I wear my regular work clothes underneath.
Set alarm system, lock up the house and pedal off to work.

If the weather is over 40 I'll wear a headband instead of the liner and regular biking gloves instead of the Spider gloves. Once the weather gets really cold I'll add another layer under the jacket and possibly long underwear. As I said earlier now that it's getting cold I'll start showering before bed and also get my lunch ready and work bag packed the night before. This will save me some time in the morning. At this time of the year I have to dress for a 20 degree difference between the time I ride to work and the time I ride home. Example at 0530 this morning the temp was 27 degrees, at 1430 the temp was 50 degrees. The tech pants were packed in my work bag and the liner and Spider gloves were replaced with a headband and biking gloves.

I'm also looking at getting a new helmet, I really like the Nutcase helmets and hope to purchase one of those real soon. They have less ventilation which I hope will make it warmer and they come in some really fun designs. And while I'm looking at a new helmet I'll be checking out new gloves too. The pair I have work great for skiing but my hands don't move enough on the bike and my fingers were pretty cold this morning. I plan to check out those claw gloves. I had a great hand warming idea on my ride home today that if it works could be a great new invention for us bike commuters. I'm not saying anything at the moment but the idea has been formed in my mind now I just need to figure out how to bring it to life.

I've checked into studded tires and I'm not sure if I'll be able to get them to fit my rims. My tires are 700cX 28 and the smallest studded tires I've been able to find were 32's I don't know if they will work or not. The young gentleman at the bike shop thought they might. I guess I'll find out after the snow starts to fly. In the mean time the Armadillo Nimbus tires will have to do. If all else fails I can ride my mountain bike when it snows, I know I can get studded tires for that one.

Well, that's all for today...

Bicyling for Ladies

The Common Sense of Bicycling: Bicycling for Ladies by Marie E. Ward.

You can click here to read it online or download it from google books. Written in 1896. Things have changed a bit since then but not a lot. It's well worth the read.

A Case for Separated Bike Lanes

Winter Riding

This year was not one of my best years for riding. I've struggled with some injuries and been a little depressed about it. I did so much riding last year and I felt really good coming into winter. Here it is October and I'm feel sadly out of condition. I realize that I commute to work most days which I fail to count as riding. I always think it's only 6 miles and most of that is flat but seriously most people can't even ride 6 miles so I really need to start giving myself credit for it. But that's not what I'm here about tonight. I'm writing tonight because I've decided I'm going to work hard at commuting to work through the winter.

One of my long time dreams is to do a super long distance ride, something like the Underground Railroad or the Ride across America. In order for me to do that I need to spend time in the saddle and outfit myself with the proper gear. I also need to learn what to bring, how to survive out on the road and how to fix a broken bike. Well, I'm pretty handy, when I took the entrance exam to join the military they said I was "mechanically inclined" and tried hard to recruit me. If they had let me fly airplanes and blow things up I probably would have joined, but that's another story. Anyway, I've been reading a lot lately about commuting, touring and bikes.

I believe the bikes I have now will work fine for my immediate needs however I think I need a few more accessories for my bike. The first thing being a new headlight. My favorite headlight was on my mountain bike that was stolen this summer. I've been looking at a lot of lights and I think I would really like one of those lights with the generator, I mean it's gotta be more environmentally friendly than batteries, right?!? I remember when I was a kid, my big brother had one of those lights on his bike and I thought it was soooo cool. I need to get to the bike store and actually take a look at one before I decide. Checking products out on the Internet only goes so far, I'm a hands on kinda person. I need to open the box and look at what I'm buying.

The second thing I need is different pedals which is no big deal, I've taken the pedals off my Terry and will put them on my Specialized. However when I removed the pedals from the Terry I noticed that the rubber washer thingy needs to be replaced so I need to get to the bike store and buy one before I put those pedals on my Specialized. With these pedals I can either clip in or use regular street shoes and I'm thinking on a cold blustery Minnesota morning I'm not going to want to be wearing bike shoes. A big 'ole pair of mukluks will be nice.

As for clothing I think I'm going to have to learn as I go along. I know dressing in layers is going to be my best bet. I have a locker at work and I'm thinking it would be a good idea to keep a change of clothes in there, at least dry pants, a shirt and socks. Maybe I'll toss in a raincoat as well, you never know in Minnesota.

I'm also going to invest in new racks for my Specialized, I wasn't going to do it but I'm tired of carrying a bag on my back and I think having a rack in the back I can just strap my lunch bag to it and not have to worry about anything. I have fenders from my old Bianci hybrid and I'm going to see if they will fit on the Specialized as well; that should help limit the splash back and save me some discomfort.

Tires are another issue, I've started reading about what everyone else is doing but it seems it all depends on your personal preference and where you are riding. For now I'm going to see how well my Armadillo Nimbus 700c x 28's work. I'm sure I'm going to needs something a little knobbier but they should be OK for now. I will for sure get to the bike store and have something in the basement ready to go so that when the snow starts flying I'll be ready.

I'm also going to spend lots of time reading about touring bikes! And taking them for test rides. I already have several on my list to check out. Hmmm, sounds like a need a trip to the bike shop; what a perfect thing to do on a Monday night. Now I know what I'm doing tomorrow and with that I shall sign off.

Awesome Video

St. Paul Classic

I cannot tell you how good it felt to be back on my bike again. This summer has been hell for me. I've sustained more injuries than I care to talk about. The sad thing is they did not happen while riding so they were not even worth it. It's one thing if you have a crash while bombing a downhill or having a great ride through a rock garden; but pulling your hamstring while pulling out tree roots is stupid. In any case I participated in the St. Paul Classic today and had just a fantastic time.

Rode with some old friends and some new friends. Everyone met at the starting line and we rolled out about 9 AM a nice easy cheesy ride to the first rest stop. Saw lots of kids on the ride, don't know if it's because we started out so late or if there were more this year. From what I hear there were about 7000 riders this year!

The second rest stop was at Indian Mounds Park, lots of cookies and coffee, yummy. Great view overlooking downtown St. Paul. There were a few climbs to get to Mounds Park but they were not too bad. Next stop Como Park! The ride was fairly flat until we hit the big hill on Wheelock Parkway. I was thinking about this hill the entire time, and wondering if I was going to make it. My knees are in pretty bad shape this year so I was concerned. But I had nothing to worry about it was a piece of cake, well maybe not that sweet but I didn't have any trouble with it. I've been in physical therapy most of the summer for my pulled hamstring and the arthritis in my knees, I guess it's working.

We arrived at Como Park pavilion and enjoyed some great music, coffee and brownies. Well I enjoyed the coffee most everyone else was into the lemonade. I love me some coffee and it's not often I pass up a free cup. Como Park is the last stop before the end of the ride.

I have no idea what time we finished the ride as I was not paying any attention to the time or mileage. We had several "new" riders with us so it was a nice easy casual Sunday ride.

After arriving back at the starting point we decided we needed food and a beer so we rode over to the Groveland Tap for lunch. My game plan was to ride my bike back home from the event; but after food and a beer I took Dave up on his offer of a ride home.

The weather was perfect, the company was great! Now I'm inspired to get some more miles in before the snow starts flying.

My riding this summer has been limited mostly to commuting back and forth to work. Now that I'm feeling better I plan to do more riding. I've had my hours at work changed the past few weeks in order to have some daylight to ride into work. I don't know how much longer that will last. I think I will need to invest in a stronger headlight. I lost my good light when my Kona mountain bike was stolen a while back.

Now it's time to relax and enjoy my evening. 0530 will be coming along real quickly.

This will be great to see on the big screen!

How to Clean and Lube Your Bike

I have to say I enjoy "working" on my bike as much as I enjoy riding it. I like to take it apart to see how things work and putting it back together again with hopes that it will still work. One thing I've found to be really important is keeping my bike clean. Over time I've learned a few things about the proper way of cleaning my bike. If you’ve let the muck build up on your bike, here's a step-by-step guide that will get it looking like new – and running much better – in less than an hour.

Check out Biker Radar, make your bike happy!

How to Ride a Bike Downhill

This Will Put a Smile on Your Face...Swinging

Marian Bear Memorial Park

Kathy and I started out early again on Wednesday (June 3rd) morning to meet with Cindy for some mountain bike riding in the Marian Bear Memorial Park which is located in the San Clemente Canyon.

Over forty million years ago an ocean covered the canyon. Fossilized mollusks, such as snails and clams from that period are still found in the canyon walls. Horizontal lunes of round rocks at many levels, separated by clay and sand, represent the various levels of the ocean washing sand away and leaving rocks at surf level. Wind and water erosion have also contributed to the depth of San Clemente Canyon.

Native Americans have inhabited the area of San Diego County for 10,000 years. Evidence of their presence still remains in San Clemente Canyon. In the late 19th century, this area was named Clemente Canyon for a Native American rancher. During the 1970's, nature's balance was threatened by plans to place State Route 52 along the canyon floor.

However, Marian Bear, an active community leader and environmentalist, worked tirelessly to preserve the canyons in their natural state. She was the driving force behind realigning the highway from the canyon floor to the north hillsides. In the 1980's another community campaign resulted in an additional 72 acres in the southeast section for the present total of 467 acres. On July 31, 1979 the park was rededicated by the City Council of the City of San Diego on behalf of the People of the City who are indebted to Marian Bear for her energetic and unselfish efforts as a Planner, Naturalist and Conservationist and her lasting contributions toward the preservation of open space for future generations.

The main canyon and its tributaries continue to support a population of resident wildlife including raccoons, skunks, rabbits, amphibians, reptiles, and birds and serve as pathways for coyote, fox and other mammals. Along the length of the canyon are oak, sycamore, and willow trees.

The canyon has an intermingling of native plant communities some of whose range is restricted to Southern California and Northern Baja California. There is a riparian woodland along the creek beds and side canyons where water flows. The hillsides contain coastal sage scrub and chaparral.

Our first big climb...

after making it, well maybe I should say after getting to the top we had a super fun downhill ride.

It does not look like much but from where I'm standing there is a nice downhill run then a dip and a climb to where Cindy is perched waiting for us...

After catching up with Cindy we had another great downhill run.

Scenic view along the trail...

After descending we entered into a more wooded area which followed the creek...

I am not going to lie, I did not make it through this while still on my bike :(

This was such a gorgeous spot we decided to stop and hang out for a while...

Not real sure if it was Cindy or Kathy's idea but we decided to follow this set of Railroad tracks "to see where they went" It was not much fun riding on the loose, sharp rocks.

At one point we entered some brush where I would have sworn there was no trail. The plants were so dense you had to hold on hard to your handlebars or the plants would take them.

We spent several hours exploring the trails, taking pictures and making videos by the time we finished we were hot, sweaty and full of dirt. And we had big smiles on our faces :)

I can hardly wait to get back to San Diego and explore more mountain biking in Southern California. I'm tentatively planning another trip out there at the end of September. The game plan is to drive out so I can stop in Nevada and Colorado along the way. I better start saving my pennies or try to find someone to come with me and share the expenses.

Mission Trails Regional Park

Kathy and I set out early this morning with hopes of finishing our ride before it got too hot. We headed to Mission Trails Regional Park> the morning was a bit overcast which in my opinion is excellent for riding. The marine layer did not last long and within 20 minutes of riding we were full on sun.


Kathy driving us to Mission Trails...

We're ready to ride!

Road leading to the trails...

The idea was to ride to the top of this ridge in hopes of finding the springs we had heard about. Well, enroute to the top we met up with a couple super nice guys who patrol the trails for the park system; they let us know that the military which owns most of the surrounding area would be shooting this morning and advised us to stay off the ridges. Thank you so much we will stay the hell off the ridges as neither one of us can ride fast enough to dodge a bullet. The guys gave us some ideas for alternative routes.

We rode on for a while then took our first left and stopped at the crossroads with three barrels marking the path.

We hung a right at the barrels and started a steady climb upwards over what appeared to me to be a riverbed absent the water. We climbed for quite some time then decided to turn around and check out a different trail. We had ourselves a nice quick descent back to the barrels. We then caught the trail we had started out on and found ourselves once again on a steady upwards climb over a bed of loose rocks and sand. For me this was new, I don't have a lot of experience in riding over river rocks and sand. We did have some hard packed dirt and a lot of fun up and downs.

Kathy climbing to the top... first trail

Hmmm, which way to go...

Kathy almost to the top... Second trail

scenic view along the way

Kathy and I spent several hours exploring the trails, stopping along the way for pictures and video. At one point during our ride we heard the coyotes take down their prey. I don't have any idea what they caught but it scared the hell out of me. I had just passed an area and the next thing I know I heard this blood curdling scream. I immediately stopped as I thought for a second that maybe Kathy had fallen or something. It was pretty spooky.

This was a really fun ride for me and a great chance to experience riding over a bed of loose river rocks and sand, we don't get a lot of that around Minnesota.

I have always loved the desert and know that when I grow old that is where I will retire to.

Exhaustion...

What a wonderful feeling. I'm sitting in San Diego California just taking a few minutes to myself. I was up at 0600 this morning, Kathy made a delicious breakfast, scrambled eggs, yogurt and fresh fruit along with a bagel. Yummy! We then put our bikes in the van and headed to Lake Hodges. I was not sure what to expect as I've never been off-road riding in California.

Whew, it was beautiful! We rode about 14 miles of moderate trails around Lake Hodges which is part of the San Dieguito River Park Trail system. About halfway through the ride we stopped along the lake for a snack. What an excellent day for a ride, it was overcast with a temperature of around 65. Just as we finished the ride the sun came out, perfect!

The Lake Hodges area had been damaged by wildfires a couple years ago but it's coming back. This is a picture of one of the irrigation projects.


Absolutely breath taking, I truly love the desert.


This is the spot where Kathy and I stopped for a snack.


View from the trail


Me starting the ride...

Twin Cities Ride 2009

I participated in the Twin Cities Ride 2009 this morning. The ride is put on by the MS Society to raise money to help fight Multiple Sclerosis. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to ride as I pulled the hamstring in my right leg a couple weeks ago but I decided the ride is close enough to home that if my leg started bothering me I could just ride home.

I arrived at the Maplewood Communities Center, registered, put my number on my bike and was on the trail around 7:45 AM. The morning started off a pretty chilly 44 degrees and I was thankful I had decided at the last minute to pull on my windbreaker. The ride took place along the Gateway trail which is one of my favorites. I took it pretty slow to start with in order to let my legs warm up. At the first rest stop I did a few stretches, grabbed a bite to eat and hit the trail again.

I skipped the second rest stop and continued onto the third stop where I took a short break, had another snack and some Gatorade. There was a bit of a breeze in a few areas and the only time I felt my hamstring was on one of the hills. I just dropped down into a lower gear and took it slow. I was back at the Community Center and eating pizza around 10:15 AM. All in all it was a good ride, I'm glad I decided to do it.

I've been seeing a physical therapist for about a week now to help with my knee issues. I have arthritis under my knee caps. My knee caps also don't "track" correctly so when my knees bend it's pretty much bone on bone which doesn't help the artritis. Now I know why my knees hurt so much. The PT is helping to get my knee caps into the correct position so when they bend it's doing so correctly. There's really nothing to be done about the arthritis, just another pain management issue but if we can get the knee caps aligned correctly that should help.

On Thursday the PT taped my knee caps into the correct position to see if there was any change in how they feel. Well I can tell ya they felt better riding today than they have in a long time. I'm also working on strengthening my quad muscles to help relieve pressure on the knee caps. Another thing I found out is that I walk with my feet pointing outward; now I need to re-train myself to walk straight. Whew, it's like learning to walk all over again. But if it helps to make my knees feel better then it's worth it.

Now that I've gotten this 30 mile ride in I'm ready for the next one! I'm thinking, weather permitting I'll take a ride around the lakes next Tuesday. I'm also going back to commuting to work, if I can ride 30 miles with a pulled hamstring I can certainly ride the 5 miles to work and back.

Gateway Trail

The Gateway trail is about 1 mile North from my house; as I enter the trail I always ride past the Ramsey County Cemetery. I've lived here nearly all my life and did not know this was a cemetery until they posted signs a few years back. The cemetery was established in 1893 on the grounds of the county almshouse and poor farm, the Ramsey County Cemetery was a "Potter's Field" for indigent persons, the homeless, and patients at Ancker Hospital who died without relatives or friends able to pay funeral costs. No provision was made to provide headstones and with few exceptions graves were unmarked. When the cemetery was closed in 1923 there had been 2991 recorded burials. Afterwards, the burial grounds reverted to agricultural use as part of the poor farm. In 2001, the 2.45 acre site was designated a heritage park by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.

I begin the Gateway Trail at the 5 mile marker at White Bear Ave and travel East to the end at Pine Point. From my house to Pine Point and back is a nice 26 mile ride.

Not sure if you can see them but there are a couple Egrets in the water.

Horses are a frequent sight on the trail and if you are riding your mountain bike off road you need to announce yourself and yield to the horses. I've never had any problems with the horses and the riders have all been friendly.

I have a dream... the plan is to extend the Gateway State Trail from Pine Point Park through the Wilder Forest, to William O'Brien State Park, up to Taylor's Falls and Interstate State Park. Continue the dream of a Twin Cities to Duluth trail system, connect other trails and recreational areas, connect surrounding communities and continue the same non-motorized multi-use recreational trail opportunities.

The Gateway State Trail is one of my favorite rides and the fact that it is only 1 mile from my house makes it all the better. I can cruise to Stillwater in about an hour or I can head West and connect with the Bruce Vento trail and from there it's an endless network of bike trails.

I may not have any coffee houses in my neighborhood but I have something better; the Gateway State Trail!

First Ride of the Year

Took the mountain bike out yesterday for a spin on the Gateway. Once again I encountered snow just past the 694 bridge. I guess I thought with the sixty something degree weather we had that the snow would have melted but alas I was mistaken. I hit several patches of snow and slushy/icy crap. I handled it much better this year than last. I only put my foot down once and of course it was in the freezin' cold slushy puddle. It was about that time that I decided to turn around and head back home. Once my feet are cold my entire body gets cold and my shoes were pretty wet by then. There was a lot of water on the trail along with some muddy spots. 

All in all it was a fun ride. I took it nice and easy and just enjoyed the lovely weather. There is nothing like 60 degrees in March to get me antsy for summer. 

The lottery drawing for the Chequamegon Fat Tire festival happened last Saturday so I'm waiting to find out if I got in. That will be fun. Tara's not going this year so I think I'll be on my own. I plan to stay in the same place as last year, it was super nice and the owner was great. I hope to go up again on Thursday afternoon, ride the course on Friday then race on Saturday. If I find someone else who is going and wants to share the room I may even stay until Sunday. It would be fun to do some Sunday/Funday stuff. Tara and I were supposed to do the Rough Stuff orienteering last year but it didn't work out. This year they've added a poker ride to the Rough Stuff and that looks like fun. 

Ok, time to get ready to curl...

Riding in Boulder

Boulder Colorado may have become my favorite place to ride. If I could figure out a way, I think would move here. OK, so I'm out riding a cheap ass heavy borrowed bike and guess what, it was a fantastic ride. Why you ask? Well because people in Boulder love to ride bikes! I have never been any place where people are so respectful to riders. Every intersection I came to the cars yielded, it did not matter if they had the right- of-way or not. They stopped and waived me through; it was great!

The weather here today was near to perfect, 65 and sunny. The challenges I had came from the altitude, my poor Minnesota lungs were not quite acquainted with the lower level of oxygen. I have trouble enough breathing when I ride so this was quite the challenge. I loved it anyway and for the most part the areas I rode today were pretty flat, only a couple hills.

Tomorrow I hope to get into the mountains. There's a path about 1 mile from the apartment I'm staying in and it goes right to the mountains. Today I rode to the mountains and back with a few side trips, well actually a few "oops, wrong ways". I'm thinking of renting a high end road bike as the bike I used today really did not fit me and it weighed about 50 pounds! I can't complain, it was free. I just would really like to put on some miles and a bike that fit me and was lighter would make it so much nicer.

Boulder has over 300 miles of designated bike trails. Since the 1970's the city has taxed the citizens a .5% tax to purchase open space (park land) and build bike trails. It's great, no matter whether you ride on a bike only, a multi-use trail or a bike path along a road the riding is great. It was unbelievable to me how great the drivers were.

And the apartment we're staying in is perfect, only $90 a night! I would love to come back and dedicate an entire week or more to riding. I'm sure if I did some training in this altitude I would be a much better rider in Minnesota.

I can't wait to get out and ride again tomorrow!

Underground Railroad Bicycle Route

I think I may have found my dream ride. This would be an adventure of a lifetime and I think I may need to find someone to ride along with me. I was surfing around the Internet this morning and checking out cycling websites and blogs. I stumbled upon a video of a bike ride someone had taken; the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. So I googled it, the funny thing is that it brought me back to the Adventure Cycling website which I had already looked at early today. 

The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route honors the bravery of those who fled bondage and those who provided shelter. This route passes points of interest and historic sites along a 2,008 mile corridor. Beginning in Mobile Alabama and ending in Owen Sound, Canada. 

One of my dreams has been to travel on my bike, pack my bags and hit the road. I'm going to spend a some more time on this and see what it would actually take to do a ride like this. I don't think it's something I could realistically fit in this summer or anything but I can certainly gather the information needed and plan for it. I get 5 weeks vacation a year from work, I can start socking away some money and see if I can't find someone to ride along with. I know I could do this alone but I think a riding buddy would be safer. Hell, I must be getting old if I'm thinking about safety. 

Breast Cancer Ride

Breast Cancer Ride 2009

Last week I received a call from Kari Mitchell, one of the organizer's for the Breast Cancer Ride. She called to inform me that the BCR, in addition to benefiting the Open Arms of America association was also benefiting the Susan G. Komen organization. This was great news! Kari and I talked for some time about last year's ride and what was in store for this year. She said they were tweaking the return ride as some riders had trouble with the hills on the second day. Kari said they are working on a route that would hopefully include part of the Cannon Valley Trail.

I have already committed to this ride and hope to get others to ride with me. This was one of my favorite rides last summer. Another thing Kari mentioned is that this year the ride will take place August 1 - 2, so that it doesn't conflict with the MS150 ride. Last year they were only about a week apart, if I remember correctly. I've already committed to the MS150 ride again this year too.

If you're interested a blog has been started for the Breast Cancer Ride, it was developed to allow riders, crew members, volunteers and supporters of the ride a chance to share their stories, training regimen, fund-raising techniques (I sure could use some of those ideas) or anything else they want to write about.

As most everyone knows I love to ride my bike and I usually do rides "just for the fun of it." The St. Paul Classic, Mesabi Trail ride, even the Tour of Saints rides were examples of that but the Breast Cancer ride and the MS150 ride hold a different meaning for me.

Cancer has hit my family hard on both sides, nearly all of my aunts and uncles have died of cancer and my grandmother on my mom's side died of cancer. My father was diagnosed with cancer nearly three years ago. I have three cousins battling cancer right now, all of which are under 50 years old, one is under 40. Both my Grandmother and my Aunt on my dad's side had breast cancer and I've had three biopsies for Breast Cancer myself, fortunately they were all benign. To say this cause holds a special place in my heart would be putting it mildly. I also have several friends who have battled Breast Cancer, this is something that is just not going to go away. We need research, we need medicine, we need people to contribute to organizations like Open Arms of America and Susan G. Komen.

If riding a bike isn't your thing, then volunteer, sponsor someone (pick me), collect money from your family, friends, co-workers, get involved. An Orientation Meeting will be held Monday, February 9 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at the Bloomington REI store, what better reason to stop by the REI store. There will be more orientation meetings so check the Breast Cancer Ride website. The orientation meeting is a great place to learn more about the Breast Cancer Ride. I'll be there, come on by.

Sessioning...

picking out a small section of trail and doing it over and over again until you get it right.

I recently read this article on the Mountain biking by 198 website "How To Become A Better Mountain Biker and in part 2 he discusses sessioning; in other words practice. This is a great piece of information and something I never do. This year I'm adding it to my riding. Rock gardens are my fear zone, so they are first on my list. Practice, practice, practice.