Friday, November 30, 2007

KICKING IT OLD SCHOOL







I know what does this post have to do with mountain biking? Well after reading Timmy's blog tonight I became inspired. You see long before I gave a shit about actually racing my mountain bike I simply rode for the pleasure of riding. When the weather turned cold some of my friends and I would turn to snowboarding. Alpine Valley in the heart of Highland Mi was where I used to LIVE in the winters. Season passes, you might say I had a few. I think in 1990 was when I got my first. I remember the days when snowboards first came out. The wooden Burton Performer was my first. Concave bottom and three aluminum fins. Couldn't turn that thing for shit. Recalling some of those early boards it's hard to believe that the ski resorts even let us ride at all. I remember Alpine let us ride on Thursday nights after 6pm when the lifts re-opened after the grooming/dinner break. This was back in the day when Pine Knob, Mt Brighton and Mt Holly wouldn't even allow snowboarding (imagine that now). As technology grew and boards got better more and more kids took up the sport. We even had the Alpine locals (or the AVC) as we were known in the day. Guys like Scott Ray, The Dean brothers Scotty and Jimmy, Scott Hope, Matt Globke, Mike Lantzy, Jay Wahl and even a skinny kid named Billy Holmes (who always said he was trying to get sponsored to ride a snowboard but that Mountain biking was what he got paid to do). Yeah OK whatever Bill. But anyway we were there riding for the comraderie almost like an extended family. You never really kept in touch with many of the guys in the off season but you always knew that as soon as AV could start making snow you would surely see the same faces lining up in the park to take runs in the pipe or digging out hits on some of the parks gaps. Unfortunately as most of these kids grew older they got into drugs. I remember Scotty Dean was smoking pot by the age of 12 and doing acid and shrooms shortly thereafter. Soon the core group of kids that used to hang out there were more into looking to score their next bag of weed than they were into riding. Familiar faces didn't show up anymore and I kind of lost the passion. It's funny I ran into this guy Gregg who was working at the Apple store in Somerset about two years ago. He used to ride AV on occasion and kept in closer contact with some of the kids we used to ride with. Apparently most of the guys have turned into delinquents and I guess Scotty Dean totally lost it after doing to much acid and was permantely living as a ward of the state in some mental health institution. It's to bad because that kid had the most talent of anyone. So, Tim I know what you mean by running into the same loud mouthed punk kids AKA "the winter friends" every year. I miss some of my old ones and wonder what they are really up to. I hope everyone is doing well. I even think this winter I'm going to break out the old Joyride El Feugo 154 (only true AV locals will remember that board) and take the kids out to the hill, errrr old trash heap. I do wonder if I'll run into any of the old crew but I doubt it...TC

RIP

Evel took his final ride today. Who could ever forget that failed attempt to jump over the Snake River Canyon on his rocket powered "Skycycle". I still think that he pulled the chute on purpose after take-off effectively ruining any chance of clearing the canyon. Any guy that has a 70's pinball game named after him was truly the stuff.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

GETTING READY FOR WINTER

TODAY'S RIDE THROUGH THE RAIN AND SLOP HAD ME THINKING IT'S TIME TO PUT UP THE CARBON STEED AND TIME TO SLAP THE FENDERS ON THE OLD CRACK AND FAIL. SINCE THE HEADSHOCK REBUILD FAILED AGAIN I DECIDED TO HAVE THE LBS SEND THE FORK TO CANNONDALE FOR A FACTORY REBUILD. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY GOT IT RIGHT. HOPEFULL NOW CAN GET IT OUT ON THE TRAIL AGAIN.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

SLEEPING WITH ONE EYE OPEN

Gripping your pillow tight....EXIT, LIGHT .....ENTER,NIGHT...TAKE MY HAND WE'RE OFF TO NEVER NEVER LAND.... What Lyrics and how appropriate. Thanks for the inspiration Timmy. The funny thing is today was the opening day of firearm deer season and as DC and I were spinning around PLRA I always feel a little twitchy knowing that somewhere out there could be some KOOK with his .30-06 Bolt action Remington glaring down his sights at us. This time of year we usually run into at least 4 or 5 guys out there who give you the stink eye as you roll by them. Tonights loops included one lap forward then one lap backwards including the horse trails, which were part of our original trail loop before the separation. Not one hunter seen on first loop, however on the second loop by the horse trails we came upon a older gentleman toting his rifle. As Don rolled by the hunter I could see the disguist in this guys face, as if our presence was scaring off all of his precioud deer. The second lap concluded at about 5 pm which put us at about 2 hrs for tonights ride. Not bad at this time of year. The funny thing was when we got there there was only one other car in the parking lot. As we were leaving about 5 other guys pulled up getting their lights out for a night ride. While I admit back in the day we used to do alot of night rides this time of year I really don't miss them especially since the leaves are getting so wet and the trail was getting rather treacherous. ENTER NIGHT..... Now on a post script if Jamie G reads this blog or if anyone reading it knows her can they convey a simple message to her? Now that TRHWoOC is back on the air can she PLEASE BLOG ABOUT IT? What happened to that OC energy drink guy ? Did he die?

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

LUSTING

Damn these things look sweet. I want one but Timmy told me today that he heard that they are ALREADY SOLD OUT!!!! HELP!!! ANY IDEAS?

Never leave your bike unattended

This is the first rule of mountain biking as stated per Cathy....Back in the day if you went in to use the outhouse at PLRA by the time you came out your bike was usually about 10 feet up in a tree hanging by its rear derailer (yes Cathy was a nimble climber). Today's recipient of the Cathy bike prank was none other that Timmy Finkelstein. After riding for a while at Stoney I came out to check the parking lot and noticed that Tim's car was in the parking lot and his loaner bike was leaning up against the bathroom. So in memory of Cathy I decided to move his bike slightly (only around the corner of the building) making sure to make some noise in the process to alert him of my prank...I couldn't help but wonder if Tim heard me and if he did what was he thinking...was somebody stealing his loaner bike...How would he explain that one to Cullen? How many insurance claims could one have on the same bike? Well I didn't take Tim to long to find his bike (I don't think he was that pissed). Well that's all for now...hope this provided Mitch with some new blog material as I found out today from Tim that she is self-professed "blog geek". CYA TC

Saturday, November 3, 2007

CAMO MAN


I've never been much of a deer hunter. I figure it is just a way "the guys" can get away from their wives, drink some beers and try to kill something. I've had several encounters with hunters while riding at PLRA this time of the year. It's funny because they always look so serious as they are walking down the bike trail (as if deer run the same trails we ride). What is even funnier is that most of these guys are dressed up in all of their camo trying to be all stealth so as not to alert the deer to their presence. Today near the end of panty ridge I came across this guy walking up the trail towards me with wearing pretty much every piece of camouflage you could imagine. He even had one of those camo masks over his face. Now like I said I'm no deer hunter but from what I've heard deer are supposed to have a keen sense of smell and the most wiley of hunters try to do everything to keep their scent (read body odor) from escaping and alerting the deer to their presence. It was funny because even with all of his camo and scent block crap on I could still smell the stench of beer and cigarettes on this fool. I wonder if he got the "big one" today.

Friday, November 2, 2007

JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CROSS BIKE DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO RACE

Those words were spoken by none other that Tim Finkelstein after tonights ride. Well not that we actually rode together it was just that we met up accidentally in the parking lot after we both got done with a few laps at Stoney. I had been tossing around the idea of not racing tomorrow or sunday as I would much rather get up early ride for a few hours then spend the rest of the day with the kids. My decision not to race was made easier tonight as I got home to find my son was puking which was then followed up by a bout of diarrhea (I know TMI for AK). Sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it shooting the whole day in the ass driving to AA then racing for 45 mins only to come home by 3 or 4 pm when I could have a couple hours of good riding in early in the morning and be back in time for lunch then a quick nap before off to swimming class. I'm still undecided about Sunday but if my son is still feeling sick I'm sure I'll be at home. Good luck to all the racers out there and thanks Timmy for the good advice....TC