Killer Weekend (the good kind of killer!)

This weekend being my first round-the-clock 24 Hour event I was able to gain some valuable experience. Firstly, forget getting rest, little sleep can be had and you generally don't much feel like eating to renew you strength. Second, Boyne has the hardest trails I have yet to ride in Michigan. There's 1250 ft. of climbing in one loop of 9 miles, some fast technical downhill single-track and more sand than I typically like. The final decent included a smokin' fast 1/8 mile of super deep sand that I found extremely hairy. And thirdly, I'm not in the kind of shape I would like to be in, this place kicked my behind!

We started the weekend by arriving early Friday afternoon, checking-in and moving-into the condo. We set-up our pit (two tents, chairs, gear, etc,) then hit the course for a pre-race ride. This was an important thing to do as none of us has ever rode the course but it took quite a bit out of us and knowing what we know now we most likely wouldn't waste our energy on a pre-ride again.

The race was started with what's called a Lemand start; basically you take the front wheel off of your bike and at the whistle run approximately 100 yards with your wheel in hand to where your bike is set-up. You then put the wheel back on and race away. Kind of an odd start to a 24hr race in my opinion but it was fun anyway. Lloyd raced the first lap so he was the one that had the pleasure of the foot race.

After Lloyd's first lap, he tagged me for the second lap, then Drew, Pete, back to Lloyd and so on. Our lap times were fairly consistent at 63-75 minutes per lap (mine being the slowest, for the record) during the daytime hours. We rode a bit slower in the dark (for obvious reasons). We raced pretty hard the first two laps and generally started to fatigue a bit by night.

The race got rained-out at 6:30am. Nasty thunderstorms rolled in and we quit riding after our first 4 laps each, so we ended up with 16 laps. Had it not rained we would have finished with 22 laps. I was disappointed we couldn't finish on one hand and thankful on the other, I was beat. My 4th lap (2nd night lap) was pretty hard on me. I was so fatigued that I was finding it hard to control the bike on the faster downhill sections as I was loosing upper body and arm strength. This proved to be dangerous as I nearly creamed a few trees at high speed in the dark. But harder yet was the climbing! This place goes up, up, up; so much so that there were a couple of hills I just had to walk up. There is a section called "the grinder" that just kept going up. It felt like I was climbing for 10 minutes straight, just to get to an even steeper climb later. All in all, 4 laps seemed about right for me. 5 would have been really tough and 6...well who knows...I'd have done it but would have probably paid dearly for it.

But it was a lot fun and my race partners were great company. These guys love bikes, riding them and riding them hard. I really do enjoy hanging out with them; they have great attitudes and lots of spirit.

Unfortunately, I didn't take many pics. I thought I would have lots of time between laps to walk the course and take some photos but I was just too tired and needed to catch some rest between laps. Time flew by. I did get a couple though and as others post photos on the MMBA forum I'll snag a few.

Also, if you didn't catch the hail storm on Thursday night I have included a shot from my front porch, it was pretty cool.

I drove over to our property in Charlevoix Friday night after dinner and got a couple of sunset shots too.

24 Hours of Boyne Race this Weekend

Well after the "mudfest" at the 12 hours of Addison race, the bike needed a serious cleaning and the follwing list of parts:
New Cassette
New Chain
New Rear Derailleur
New Cable and Housing for Derailleur
Derailleur Hanger
New spoke and Skewer
It's cleaned up and ready to go. Lloyd and I are rolling out in the morning to Boyne Highland for the 24 Hours of pain. Should be fun.

Guess where? It's easy!

Here are the choices:

1.Sparta Tennesee
2.Tahquamenon Falls
3.Udell Hills, near Wellston, MI
4.Loch Drunkie
5.Jordan River
6.Meads Bay
7.Lake Superior
8.Magoon Creek, Manistee, MI
9.Paradise, MI

Getting the boats wet

Saturday brought some decent weather for a change so Veronica and I headed up to a section of the Lapeer State Game Area to do some paddling.



The lake had two distinct sections that were separated by a levee. The opening was just a bit wider than the kayaks. One side was just covered in lily pads and the other was open water.


The lake has about a 3-4 acre island worth exploring too. We hiked around it for a spell and then fought the wind back to the truck.

The Cross was Built to Save

The features that I see

carved into the cross

span the globe a thousand times

encompassing the lost

the sum of populations

will someday coincide

with the depth of Gods great love

that draws us by his side

these timeless deep impressions

so honestly concede

the frail human condition

found in Adams seed

believing in the savior

who opened up His grave

will pass us into glory

through the cross God built to save

planted in the earthen mound

this simple wooden frame

gave freedom to humanity

who lived their lives in shame

the stripes, the nails, the crown the cries

left marks from sea to sea

for all who will embrace his name

and the cross God built to save

12 hour race takes me out in 5

Should have stayed in bed. I knew the trails would be bad but hadn't really thought about what would happen when 100 or so riders pushed through the mud for 12 hours non-stop. Many people had debilitating mechanical failures, sadly myself included. On my third lap the mud had completely siezed up my drivetrain (for the ? time!) and pulled my (very expensive) XTR rear derailleur up and over into my spokes. The derailleur and the hanger were destroyed. I had to hike back to the pits about a mile and a half where I hosed the bike down and had it converted into a single speed. We took the broken parts off and put a new chain on just one cog, this left me in only one gear to ride in. Well...about a mile into the next lap in one gear took me over the edge, so I walked back to the tent and hung it up. My partner Lloyd had a cold and really wasn't all that pumped to be there anyway so we decided to just go home 5 hours into the day.

The photos of me and my bike are after the first lap only. I couldn't begin to explain how much worse we all looked later in the day. On my breakdown lap there was almost a football sized chunk of mud on the back of my bike where the rear wheel, chainstay and seatstay meet. Did I have fun? Sure. Would I do it again? No.

Details

As I enjoyed lunch on the patio at home yesterday it seemed that everywhere I looked there was some kind of flower in bloom. Many of the flowers go quite un-noticed. Some are very small and insignificant. It was those that drew me in. The smallest of them very often had insects on them collecting nectar. They were tough to photograph, but I did get a few decent shots of the little buggers at work (or play).

So many joys in life are found in seemingly insignificant places and moments. Overlooked and often undervalued, they cycle through life contributing to the big picture in ways we may never really understand.

Lets try to look closer at life's details. I'm convinced we are missing so much of the beauty in this world. We all have different places we will be drawn into. With many of us it will be the natural world and others may look more closely at their own lifestyle...the details, the small often neglected aspects.

The Lyric

The illusive lyric

how DOES it get away?

simple thoughts

in the flicker of an eye

vanish

only a ready pen will tighten the noose

around the wings of this art.

Superimposed against our lives

the lyric lies in wait

will I see this frail whisper

before it fades from site?

I'll write because I'm chosen

to give someone this word

some things I've remembered

others from the sword.

Race season is here!

Well, next Saturday I'll start racing. I've already skipped a few cross country races because I've decided to compete much less than last season. I'm probably not going to race any time-trials at all. Conditioning has become much tougher this spring, mostly because of very little exercise and too much food this past winter. I managed to add 15lbs to my mid-section and hey, it's slowing me down!

Last night I cranked-out a 28 mile trek of backroads and a couple of laps through the Addison Oaks race loop. It's regretably the only reasonably long ride I've been able to fit in this spring.

The first race is a 12 hour epic at Addison Oaks County Park on May 13 from 10am-10pm consisting of a nice mix of single track in heavy woods and a bit of two track (service road). The trail only has a few midsize climbs, some minor technical features (log piles, rock/boulder beds) and all-in-all is pretty fast. The flow is very enjoyable, quite a few sections on the course allow for "recovery" which I use without reservation. My brain wants to ride full-out the whole race but hey...it's 12 hours, you need to recover.

In case your wondering, I have a team mate. We alternate laps over the 12 hours. He is the faster and stronger of the team and an all-around great guy. His name is Lloyd Lind. Two years ago he was the NORBA state champion in the 40 over beginner class. He won 12 races in a row his first year racing. Not a bad guy to have on your team eh? I managed 3rd in state last year in the same division. We both race sport division now and it's the most competitive of all the classes. Many ex-elite/expert riders eventually end up in the sport class in their 40's. I can only hope to not finish last this season. I feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about it.

















Veronica and I ride together about 3-5 days a week. We have an 11 mile loop we like alot with some very tough climbs or an 8.5 mile slightly abbreviated loop. She rides a 6 mile loop solo on the nights I go on training rides (the painful days). I've tried to convince her to compete (just for the fun of it) but she's been a tough nut to crack. It really is a great way to do something together that's healthy and challenging. I just think it would be cool if we could go to the races together and both push it to the limits!

Memorial Day weekend our 4 man team will take on the 24 hours of Boyne race...but that will be another story. God Bless.

Love is the mortar

Come together, arm in arm
Brave the weather, face the storm
Equal judgment, steady mind
Singular in purpose, walking the line

With and not against you, blended flowing streams
Parallel intentions quick to animate the team

Planning the work, working the plan
Keeping in step, with our fellow man
Love is the mortar, fusion the key
To keep our feet steady, and our motion free

With and not against you, blended flowing streams
Parallel intentions quick to animate the team
United we stand, divided we fall
Unless the Lord has built the house
Why labor at all

With and not against you, blended flowing streams
Parallel intentions quick to animate the team

Noise from an empty heart

Amos 5:21-23 The Contemporary English version:

I, the Lord, hate and despise your religious celebrations and your times of worship. I won’t accept your offerings or animal sacrifices—not even your very best. No more of your noisy songs! I won’t listen when you play your harps.

Amos 8:11-12, the Lord, also promises you terrible shortage, but not of food and water. You will hunger and thirst to hear my message. You will search everywhere—from north to south, from east to west. You will go all over the earth, seeking a message from me, the Lord. But you won’t find one.

Why? Amos prophesies during a period of national optimism in Israel. Business is booming and boundaries are bulging. But below the surface, greed and injustice are festering. Hypocritical religious motions have replaced true worship, creating a false sense of security and a growing callousness to God’s disciplining hand. Famine, drought, plagues, death, destruction—nothing can force the people to their knees. Israel had tension between their heart condition and their actions. Noise from an empty heart!

Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Growing & Going

Build us up and send us out
four walls we cannot see
make our vision greater Lord
to look outside of me
Pour compassion on my heart
and swiftness to my feet
our world is slowly choking
on it's tasteless temporal meat
We glide past many people
throughout our selfish days
not even glancing round us
to see their hollow gaze
Lord build us up and send us out
we'll rise up like a flood
prepare the way before us
to share your endless love.

Pride

Pride lies awake at night burning its fire

Gathering heat to inject your desire

Pride stokes competition that flames up in greed

Pitting man against man to see who will succeed

Pride breeds in our mind it sings tunes in our heart

Preaching total control of our world as we start

To believe we are better or bigger or not

Till we are pierced through with its well placed shot

Pride is the mother of all other sins

If you’re fed on her milk there is no way to win

You'll be bloated so fast by consuming the lie

Then burst with contention to snap every tie

Give pride an inch it’ll drag you for miles

Spin you out of control; leave your value in piles

From shore to shore to peak to pungent alley

Dig in your heels it’s the devils road rally

Struck by Your Leaving

I’m touched by your love
Struck by your leaving
I’m flooded with hope
You are the reason
The shade by your side
Keeps me from burning
And I’m touched by your love
Struck by your leaving.

I’m touched by your love
Struck by your leaving
I’m impelled by your tug
Stirred by your pity
The shade by your side
Keeps me from burning
And I’m touched by your love
Struck by your leaving.

I’m submerged in the sounds
Sounds of your witness
I fear not the thorns
Deep in the thicket
The shade by your side
Keeps me from burning
And I’m touched by your love
Struck by your leaving.