Sunny miles

Last night I took the road bike out for a loop. Nothing fancy, just a local spin up to the college and down the backside into the countryside and around.

My friend Matt who is doing the Great Divide Race has made it from the Canada/Montana border down to Steamboat Springs so far. He had a freak mishap that broke his bike 4 or so days ago- he was stretching while riding, got offtrail where he hit a rock and the top and down tube of his bike buckled. But, he had a new bike overnighted to him and built it back up and continued. I'm proud of him that despite that setback of a day and a half or so, he kept in it and fought back. GO MATT MCFEE!!!!!!

Sorry I haven't had pictures in awhile. Here's one from my ride the other evening.



Warm forest smells
faint sunlight trickles down
it's me
just me and breeze

Happy Wednesday

Yesterday was an odd day. I passed a guy who was riding a unicycle and pushing a trailer thingie in front of him. I’m not sure what was in the trailer, but it was an impressive looking setup. I think I need to master the unicycle.

I rode out Skyliners at lunch and wow, were there a lot of other people out! I did a nice steady pace out keeping the cadence nice and high and staying in a good time trial tucked position. Coming back is always a blast.

I increased my laps at the pool. For awhile now I've been just doing a mile and some kicking work but I tacked on another 4 laps which is 400 yards and I still felt good. Although, after the lunch ride, my legs felt like giant sacks of sand when I did the kicking part of my workout. Afterwards I sat in the steam room and was treated to some beat boxing by one of the guys in there. hahahahah random!

I noticed this morning that they have started digging where "The Mercato" is going in....where the old Crane Shed was. Sad.

I donated blood yesterday. It went less than smooth - my arm has blood underneath the skin everywhere and I assume a bruise will be along to follow shortly. I filled the bag in record time of 5 minutes 11 seconds. Booyah - I have good veins! I didn't really feel like swimming after work, so what the hell, we went to the brewery and drank instead.

Not much else to report.

Let it ride

Today I rode with the Bend Bella Cyclists on a group road ride. I put in about 70 miles in near perfect riding conditions. We went out along the Prineville Reservoir and then I rode back into Bend. It is a beautiful area to ride along with the Crooked River running alongside the road. I've been told that river has the most fish per mile than any other river in the states. I saw at least 30 people along it fishing so maybe it's true. If you live in Central Oregon and ride a bike, you MUST ride out there.

I got brave and made some apricot cherry turnovers for dessert tonight. They are delicious! I love summer fruit months - there are so many things you can do! Here is the recipe I used - but I used fresh fruit instead of the dried fruit listed in the recipe.



Ingredients

1 cup apricot nectar
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 (3-ounce) bags dried sweet cherries
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 (18 x 14-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
Cooking spray
Preparation
Combine the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Stir in almonds and vanilla. Cool completely.

Preheat oven to 375º.

Combine the butter and oil. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining dough to prevent drying). Lightly brush phyllo sheet with 1 tablespoon butter mixture. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon crumbs and 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar. Repeat layers once. Top with 1 phyllo sheet. Gently press layers together. Lightly coat top phyllo sheet with cooking spray. Cut stack lengthwise into 4 (3 1/2-inch-wide) strips. Cut each strip in half crosswise. Spoon 2 tablespoons of cherry mixture onto 1 short end of each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold 1 corner of edge with 1-inch border over mixture, forming a triangle; continue folding back and forth into a triangle to end of rectangle. Tuck edges under triangle. Place triangles, seam side down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat triangles with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining phyllo, butter mixture, crumbs, brown sugar, cherry mixture, and cooking spray.

Bake at 375º for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.
Yield

16 turnovers (serving size: 1 turnover)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 155(25% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 1.9g; CHOLESTEROL 3.8mg; CALCIUM 21mg; SODIUM 62mg; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27g

Is the world flat?

No, but my tire was. We went to Oakridge for the Super D mountain bike race today. For $15 I got a tshirt and two shuttle runs up to the top of the course. The course was fast and furious. It didn't seem like the best course for a race because there was literally nowhere you could pass anyone. So, looked like whoever got the holeshot was going to win. I think that could have been me....but on my 2nd practice run I got a flat tire. The shuttles were taking longer than expected and the race was supposed to start at 2. We didn't get up to the top from the second shuttle until about 1:35 or so. The course was something like 4.5 miles long and I was stupid enough to not have a tube with me. I had to walk out and didn't have time to get back to the start. I found Derek waiting for me on the road and we called it a day. BUMMER!

Tomorrow is road ride day!!

1 minute late

Yesterday I rode from work out to Phil's, up to the helipad, all the way down Storm King across the highway along Storm King, and then home. I had estimated I'd be home at 7:30. I got there at 7:31. It was an ambitious after work route and I had my doubts that I'd make it. I was pretty much on the gas the whole time and was really tired by the time I rolled into the driveway. It was such a nice ride out there though - only passed two other riders way up at the start of Phil's. I like the way the sunlight filters in through the trees in the evenings. Sorry, no pics.

This weekend I am thinking of doing a race in Oakridge. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. My knee hurts today.

Over and out - Have a great weekend.

Happy Summer!

So today is the first day of summer. Summer to me means BBQ's and concerts down in the Old Mill. It means hot dusty rides followed with cold showers. It's floating down the river and drinking beers at insert bar name here . I went to the Farmers Market yesterday down in Drake Park and made my favorite purchase...cookies! They are the big ones 5/$5 so I you know, I had to buy 5. With Derek's help, they are gone already.

It has been muggy out the last few days for my rides. I am sweating to death the whole time so it was refreshing to switch it up and go swimming last night. But then hopping on the bike to ride home I sweated out whatever water was left in my body. I took a roundabout way home from the pool. I like to go different ways and check out different parts of town you know. I took a waay detour and ended up over on the southeast part of town on American Lane. What the heck...there are houses everywhere over there now too!

I have to say that this being commute options week - I haven't seen much more than the normal cyclists and walkers that I see any normal day on my rides in. Maybe they are all on a later schedule than me though. Who knows.

Not much new to report.

Movie Night

I went for a road ride after work - up into the edges of Redmond and then back. I was racing the clock to get home in time to shower and get to the Oregon premiere of 24 Solo, a documentary type movie about the leading male 24 hour racer. It was a great movie and the Webcyclery sponsored COTA fundraiser was completely sold out and some people were standing for the whole movie!!!

I have a couple pics from my Sunday ride up.

Some flowers will grow anywhere! These were coming out of the rock.



I found these beauties at about 5500'.



The snow is gradually melting away off the mountains but the backdrop is still amazing.



Our ride up Farewell was perfect - about 70 degrees and no other riders in sight.

99 cents a pound!

I LOVE CHERRIES!



They were on sale for 99 cents a pound so I bought a few pounds and made fresh cherry crisp. It was sooooooo dang delicious. Crisps and cobblers are my favorite desserts.

Saturday we did a great mountain bike ride - it was perfect weather out and I didn't get any mosquito bites! It was the first time this season we rode out of Swampy Lakes. Ride time was about 2.5 hours and we had the rest of the afternoon to goof around still.

Come On Big Boy, Let's Go

What has gotten into people? I was out for a lunch ride in the nice sunshine with cool breezes blowing through the Old Mill and up ahead a bit is a bigger (in shape but just big) guy on a bike. A truck pulled out from the left and kind of cut him off so he sprints up next to the truck and yells at the guy, "Watch where you're going, you don't need to cut me off!" They stop next to each other at the stop sign at Bond and continue to yell at each other (with profanities). The guy on the bike is HEATED! He slams the truck with the side of his fist and dents the door in. Truck driver throws the truck in park and gets out. "Come on big boy let's go!". I'm still approaching from behind cautiously, wondering where this could possible go. Guy on bike puts his bike between himself and the truck driver and a little dance ensues as truck driver tries to get at bike rider. I swerve around them and continue on my merry way.

Lots going on again this weekend. I have big ride plans, and we're buying a new grill! Woohoo!

2007 Cascade Cycling Classic

I heard rumors that the race was cancelled for women this year due to low turnout. That is a shame.

Edit: not a rumor anymore:
In what has been one of the toughest decisions in recent history for the
organizers of the Cascade Cycling Classic a decision was made this week to
postpone the women's Pro 1-2 race until 2008. A conflict with scheduling
has forced this difficult decision as this year's Cascade Cycling Classic
competes for the same time slot as the USA Cycling Elite National
Championships in Seven Springs Pennsylvania. "We are just heart broken
about this situation," says Chad Sperry this year's race director for
Cascade. "Last fall I sat down with the owners of the event, Mt. Bachelor
Sports Education Foundation (MBSEF), and we had decided to take the women's
race to a whole new level adding an additional stage and boosting the prize
purse. We were so excited about 2007 and then the schedule for Nats came
out this last winter and we saw the scheduling conflict for the elite women
and it was incredibly demoralizing". The USA Cycling National Road Festival
women's elite time trial falls on Friday July 13th and the road race on
Monday July 16th. With this event being a huge focus for every pro women's
team and nearly every elite team in the country it has left little to no
competitors available to race elsewhere. "We would have made the decision
to postpone the event earlier but we wanted to make absolutely sure the
field would not going to be there. We were hoping that there would still be
a fair number of women riders not attending nationals but in recent weeks it
has become very clear that nationals is the highest priority on the women's
U.S. racing calendar" says Sperry.

It is important to note that 2008 will see the women's race back bigger and
better than ever as MBSEF has made the commitment to make the Cascade
Cycling Classic one of the premier women's races in the country. "Though we
are very disappointed as to what has transpired this year we are already in
the works planning next year's event for the women" says Sperry. "We have
talked with USA Cycling and they have assured us that we have their support
for next year and there will not be another scheduling conflict with elite
nationals". So stay tuned in early 2008 to some exciting new changes to the
women's race and an even bigger and better event than ever.

With nationals still a couple months away for the pro men, their race looks
to be another very exciting event. Last year saw a battle of epic
proportion as a hard charging Chris Wherry from Toyota United picked up a
time bonus on the last stage to beat Jeff Louder from Health Net by less
than a second. Chris and Toyota will be back to defend their title and will
again have a tremendous fight on there hands as Cascade looks to be the
decisive race for this year's hotly contested NRC series. Look for Health
Net, Toyota United, Navigators, and Priority Health to all bring their top
squads as the NRC men's individual and team standings are still anyone's for
the taking. "We are super excited at the pro men's field this year," says
Sperry. "We have not seen the NRC men's individual or team standings this
close to call in year's". With Cascade being on the tail end of the NRC
series you can count on some very hard racing by the top teams in the U.S.
as they try to collect every series point they can get. It is looking like
another epic battle shaping up in the Oregon Cascades. For info on the race
or to follow results be sure to check us out on the web at
www.cascade-classic.org

Chad Sperry
Race Director
Cascade Cycling Classic
541-980-2344

Crit time

Tonight I did a local road crit race. I don't really race road bikes, only have a couple times in the past, but it was something to do. There were only 7 of us ladies and after a few laps we were down to just 3 of us in the lead pack...two teammates of Bend Bike N Sport, and then me. We traded off leading and drafting and sprinted a couple laps for prizes. I have to say that I am disapointed in myself. I guess my heart wasn't into it because I never really pushed the pace and instead, just sat in and took my pulls. I should have attacked and tried harder. I'm not much of a sprinter, never practiced it and don't really know what to do, but I did ok and won a prize for one of them. I had a good time though and was happy to support the event.

There were a lot of folks out cheering us on and that was nice. Hello to Brent, Jen, and their new puppy Leroy. He's so cute!



Here are a couple pics Derek took.





Next up - a bunch of singletrack riding for fun this weekend!

GDR

My friend Matt is doing the Great Divide Race that starts this Friday. Daily updates are supposed to be posted on another blog. I wish him the best of luck...it's going to be a mental battle.

I had a nice ride this afternoong - up Skyliners and back. That ride is so peaceful because there is hardly any vehicular traffic and the views are all of manzanita, trees, and snow-capped mountains. What more could you ask for?

Tomorrow night is the women's crit over by Summit High at 5:30. Come out and cheer the ladies on if you're around!

Successful Race

Saturday we drove down to Ashland and met up with a larger group to do some practice runs of the Super D course. It starts at the Mt Ashalnd ski area up at the top, and the trails go down 4500 feet down by Lithia Park. It's a 12 mile course and we did it twice before retiring to a pizza place for pizza and beers in the evening. I was feeling pretty good about my chances and new I'd have to work like crazy to win the Pro class.

Sunday we headed up to the top and it was completely fogged in and cold up there. I didn't feel much like warming up but forced myself to. I was the first pro woman to go and lined up in the start gate for my 10:38 start. Bam, I was off. I pedaled as hard as I could down the upper double track and tried to keep it tight with no wasted movements. I swung onto the hill climb and gave it my all. It's at least a mile climb and I was going all out. I passed about 5 guys here on the climb and was feeling ok. I don't think I've ever been that tired. After that the course winds through the forest traversing the hillside back and forth...FAST! No problems there. I flew onto the 4 or so mile fireroad stretch and tried to keep it smooth through the gravel corners but had to slow waaay down twice because I was sketchy and felt like I would wipe out.

Next up was the true downhill part of the course. I felt really fast and passed about 4 more guys..including one guy who races with a guide in front of him telling him what to do because he is blind! I saw them ahead and didn't really know what to do. His guide tells him where turns and rocks, trees and roots are so I didn't want to interrupt. I yelled, Rider Back" and there was chaos. After passing them and a couple more guys I was nearing the end of the course and wanted to be safe so I slowed down in the tech section and rode very conservatively.

1st place by 8 seconds! I got a cool personalized award, $100, a shirt, and a map of the Umpqua River Trail. Sweet! I'm completely satisfied and beat my time from last year by 2 minutes I think. Derek did too!

So much going on!

June is so busy! Tonight is the final short track race in the 4 week series - Bendelite extended it this week and I'm happy to go chase the guys around in the dirt for 40 minutes or so. The criterium series is also going on every Wednesday at summit High so I think I'll do the women's one next week. It has been years since I've done a road race and criteriums were never my strong point, but I'd like to show support for the event. PLEASE ladies, come out and race!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday is the 12 Mile Super D race that Derek and I are doing. I just hope to beat my time from last year. That would involve...a)not falling off my bike in the snow bank and having to run it, b)not blowing through a switchback and taking out the camera guy, and c)not completely giving everything I have on the first climb only to be left dead the next 10 miles! Nevertheless, I had a great result last year and one money for my podium place!

This weekend is also Spring Fling. I have never gotten to attend this event because I have always been out of town that weekend, but I hope anyone reading this that is Bend this weekend will show support and attend.

The Dirty Half is happening this weekend as well! What stuns me is that 800 people are going to cram into the Phil's network running. That seems frustrating for positions about 10-800. DUSTFEST! Good luck to anyone racing - give it your all and I hope you meet your time goals.

That's all - get out and ride!

The Rain Game

The last couple evenings had been heavy rain so I was a bit skeptical when I packed my bag in the morning. After work I rode to the pool and spent about 1.5 hours swimming. It was cool out and after about 5:45 the place was empty. YAY! Afterwards I relaxed in the steam room and then hit the weights before riding home. I felt sprinkles and the sky looked dangerous, but I successfully made it home without getting too wet. Good workout.

Here waspy wasp.






We had to knock that thing down right away before it grew any bigger. He was building it in our doorway! It was cool to watch - animal planet up close.

24 Solo

The movie!

Monday, June 18
(THE 2ND) WEBCYCLERY MOVIE NIGHT @ McMENAMINS
24 Solo
9:00 p.m. | $5 per person | 21 & over

From the Award-Winning Producers of Off Road To Athens, comes a mountain bike movie like no other.

24 Solo follows the gut-wrenching story of Team Trek rider Chris Eatough on his quest for a 7th World Title in the unforgiving discipline of 24 Hour Solo mountain bike racing. In the face of increased pressure from sponsors, new competitors to the sport and a pregnant wife, Chris focuses his entire season on one race. Dark horse Australian National Champion, Craig Gordon challenges Chris to a level of intensity and exhaustion that leaves one rider hospitalized.

Shot on locations in China, California, Wisconsin, Maryland and Georgia using High Definition cameras, with an amazing array of camera angles set to original music from the award-winning Haik Music studio, 24 Solo shows the passion, excitement and intensity of the most grueling event in mountain biking.

See you there!

Young Dubliners

Sunday we went to the first summer concert of the series. For some reason, both Derek and I really like Celtic Rock. It's so much fun to listen to and the jig is a very entertaining dance. We lathered up with suntan lotion and headed down for an afternoon (with our beer cooler). The place was packed by the time the concert started and we lay on our blankets in the grass enjoying a brilliant summer afternoong Th Young Dubliners did not disappoint and we had a great time.



I'm sad we'll be gone this weekend for the Dusty 45's. We went to that concert last year and they have a pretty cool unique sound. If you're in Bend, check them out.

Death March

Saturday I rode with some people that were down from Washington. We did a gigantic loop that put me on the trails for most of the day. I started from home at about 8:00 and rode to meet them. We took a big looping route out KGB to and up Grand Slam, up Storm King, down Whoops, back up Upper Whoops, across Sector 16 and Swede Ridge, down South Fork, UP Farewell and all the way down Mrazek. It put my mileage with the ride from home above 50 miles and one of the guys with a GPS said 4700 of climbing so add a few hundred more for my ride. Whew! Sadly, I took no pictures except at the top of the hellish Farewell climb. It was probably in the high 80's temp wise, with little to no wind the whole climb. It's dusty and steep - nuff said. I had suntan lotion on, then got dusty, then put some bug spray on, then got dusty again, then sweated to death and got more dirt... beautiful.



I really enjoy riding with different people. I rode most of the way down Mrazek with a guy named Dave that moved to the states from South Africa and he had so many great stories. That's what mt. biking is about - meeting people, seeing new places and having fun.

Round 3

Last night was race #3 in the short track series. It was hot and dusty and I was praying for rain. Nope. I raced Derek's hardtail and was even passing some of the guys when BAM flat tire. I walked it down from the top of the course and luckily someone had a spare bike. It was a pink singlespeed but hey, I gave it a go. That was my first ride on a singlespeed and I'm happy I got to finish the race. I collected my 1st place prize and called it a day. I'll sure be happy to get my regular bike back though.

I couldn't sleep last night and when I got up early and looked out the window Derek asked me, "Did it snow?"

hahahha - um, no. But what I wouldn't give to have this melt down onto all our trails.