Camp Manitou

Worked on the trails at Camp Manitou, the YMCA Camp near Monticello, with Sammy and

Lance.  After clearing and trimming and cutting for a few hours, Lance showed me the new

trails.  They are fresh and raw, but after some use they will be great.  There are some

log crossings and an old bridge over the creek that gets your attention.  Lance showed me

how to ride the berms at full speed and where to go fast on the bumpity bumpity.  A

good time!

Trail Work

Jim Bell has emailed me, asking for trail workers

at Camp Manitou near Monticello.  He is trying

to reclaim the old mt. bike trails there, which

were once part of the Blast Series.  Anyway,

I'm going to work there tomorrow (Thursday 16th) starting

at 10 or so, and you all are invited too!   Maybe we

will ride the trails after work.

Plum Creek

Yepper, rode the Plum Creek trail this afternoon.  The first

little left hand turn seemed easier today.  I noticed at least

four logs cut including the log pile you had to lift over.  Good.  I

was tired of those logs.  Good job you workers!   Thank you,  Kris, Kyia,

and Ben.  Also, give the Monster Machine a hug.  Hope it gets

fixed soon and feels better.  

Tire Blowout

I started out the day with two cups of espresso,

then had another small one at the Corner 

Bean, compliments of Coach Anderson.  Kyia,

Coach et moi proceeded to ride 40 miles

on the road.  I drafted the whole time.

The most interesting event was Anderson's

Tire Blowout on the bridge near Clearwater.

His tire exploded, scaring all of us--big cut

in the Michelin Pro.  The fix?  A five dollar

bill tucked into the tire!  Money

fixes everything.  Hey President Bush!

How about some more money for me?  

Murphy Hanrehan

Yep, I biked on the trails at Murphy with Sam St. Pierre.  He guided me around since he

had been there previously.  I think they are now my favorite trails--fast, turny, and fun.

There is one minor rock garden that we rolled over, and one strange bridge with 4 or

5 steps or drops, but otherwise it is really flows!  Sam said they were designed and

built by and for mt bikers, and it shows.  

Party!

According to the NYT, the top bosses at AIG had a good time

after the $85 billion bailout.  They went to the exclusive

St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, CA.  The tab for the 

weekend?  $442,000!  That's $200,000 for rooms,

$150,000 for food (what do you get for that kind of

money?), and $23,000 for the spa.  (Don't ask!)  

Let the Good Times Roll!!!

Foreclosed House

The house across the street has a notice of foreclosure.

The unpaid mortgage is for $200,000.  But what with

the broken windows and damage the house is worth....

well, what?  Nobody is going to pay $200,000 for this

crappy little house.  Ever.  I think it is worth about 

$20,000, tops.  But the bank probably will not

sell it for that.  So there it sits.  Meanwhile there

are all the "derivatives," which were sold for more

hundreds of thousands, based on the "value" of this

house, which the market says is basically zero.  Now

multiply this situation by many thousands, and you

get some idea of the current financial crisis.  Now

our government rides to the rescue!  They buy the

mortgage for $200,000 or maybe less.  Now what?

The house still sits there unsold, and the "derivatives"

remain basically worthless.  OK, the government

sells the house for $20,000.  Great, we the people

take the loss.  And Wall Street parties on!

Trail Report

Al's trail has been mowed and one tree removed.  Apparently this trail is now legal.  See

the yellow trail signs.  The old bluff trails seem to be officially approved too.

There are new trails south of the Fire Station.  Follow the

trail signs.  One new trail goes around the gully.  Another goes along the river

bluff.  (It is interesting that the illegal trails have suddenly become legal and

the City Council doesn't know anything about it.  The Right Hand doesn't

know what the Left Hand is doing.) Kyia's trail has two down trees that need

to be removed.  The Ridge Trail needs work.  The side hill trail is getting

sketchy, and you can't get under that big tree anymore.  Coming back

on the River Trail there is a two-foot washout that requires major dabbing

or you go in the river. I think the steep little Jail climb needs to be re-done;

it is getting pretty eroded.  The college quarry is all ridable except for the

rocky trail.  The teepee is gone.  Ride On. 

Hey Ben, I wanted to comment on Harry's blog.

Now I'm a blogger!