2 lazy 2 run

New Trails

Sunday, 15 March 2009 23:12

Rode some new places this weekend as part of a vacation trail-hopping experience. Rode up at Swatara State Park on Thursday after work. Only about 7 miles of trails, fun twisty stuff, nothing technical, but fresh enough that I could do it twice without getting bored.

Rode over at Blue Knob on Friday. About fifteen miles there, maybe more, fun stuff. Blast of a technical trail on top of the mountain, called Mtn. View Trail, remined me of Rocks Ridge at Lykens, with a view that suits the name, come down off of that using Rock and Ridge Trail and you got youself a damned pretty little ride. Long climb to the top, but well worth it. Worth stopping by if you are ever in that part of the state.

Hiked at Prince Gallitzin SP on Saturday, which was nice enough this time of year...but looks like one of those hot summer weekend spots for the residents of Altoona, so probably gets too crowded...a couple of miles of rideable trails, but nothing that would ever be worth making any kind of effort to really bother with.

Then decided to tryout the rigid singlespeed vibe at Michaux on my way back home...hmmm...been wondering if I would enjoy it...love the rigid fork just about everywhere else...but Michaux??? Not so much...definitely slowed things down and felt like I was standing every friggin inch of that trail. Rode parts of the Maximus course and just never felt real happy with my rigid skillz...blastin through the rocky bits up at Rattling Creek or Blue Knob is one thing...but the first three miles of boulders at Michaux from the Bendersville lot wore down my focus...and I never really quite regained my enthusiasm for the rest of the ride...of course it is tough to tell when riding by myself, I get too distracted when out there alone...but, I got a new h-bar and new brakes to install and gonna play around with some different stems and am gonna switch over to the sus fork and try a couple of more times riding sus with the singlespeed...and if I still can't dig it, then it looks like I will be riding Michaux geared and with a fork this year...not sure yet if that means putting everything back on the el Mariachi for the occasion or consuming a nifty new inexpensive frame and throwing some parts on as a full-time geared bike...time and money...time and money.

Last Updated on Sunday, 15 March 2009 23:37

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The Power of Positive Thinking

Monday, 23 February 2009 12:37

Life got you down? Economic woes of the nation got your brain in a bunch? Fearin the future? Emotional devastation after every downward turn of the markets?

Well, turn that frown upside down...seriously...f- it...

Lately every news program has been talking about what a dismal year this is going to be and it seems that every conversation brings up this grand sense of uncertainty and fear of what this coming year will bring. All the media hype is just bringin everyone down...

So, I say F- it....and with good reason...

1) No matter how poor I get, I will still own a bike and will still be riding. If I beg, I might even be able to buy a good beer every now and then.

2) Most of us will not be affected all that much by even a severe downturn in the economy...most of us may have to trim the excesses of our material worlds...but, as we have learned time and time and time and time again...happiness ain't in the material...

3) I will not get any dumber, uglier, slower, or more boring by any economic downturn...

4) The absolute worst thing that could happen is that I could lose my job, not a find a new one, not be able to pay my bills...if things get this bad I will simply take my La Cruz, rack it up, and head out onto the trails and roads of the Americas, leave everything behind, explore the world by bike, live off the land, sleep under the stars, running from the man while writing a great book of poems...which just happens to be my greatest dream...so, hell, I say bring it on.

5) Even if the markets return to the levels of 1990...it won't be so bad...I had a good bike in 1990...and the world had Jane's Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but no Britney Spears...

6) I've noticed that my happiness is in no relation to my annual salary anyway...so who cares? The bucks give you a couple of opportunities...also take a few away...had some great times living dirt cheap and turning wrenches at bike shops...

7) Retirement is a great myth spread by the man to get everyone to work hard while they are young in hopes of this great ease of work after 65. I have no desire to retire, the whole thing sounds so miserably dull...is miserable...not me, working til the end...working at something, don't know what...but working...maybe I'll go back to turning wrenches then?

So, I am bucking all the naysayers...brushin my shoulders off...this year is gonna be my BEST YEAR EVER...Hear that world? You ain't bringin this one down...

And for all my riding buddies who are worried, I say don't sweat it...if any of you lose your job, I'll spot you an inner tube whenever you need one...

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