DIRTBAG

YES, 80 MILES ON DIRT ROADS, OR MOSTLY DIRT ROADS. I PLANNED TO HAVE A SOCIAL RIDE, AND IT WORKED OUT PERFECTLY. I HOOKED UP WITH RYAN OFF THE START, THEN MATT, AND THEN SHELIA, BRIAN, MIKE AND ANGIE CAME UP. SO WE HAD A NICE LITTLE SUPPORTIVE GROUP, ALL 7 OF US FOR MOST OF THE RIDE. SHELIA HAD THE FIRST FLAT OUTSIDE OF CLEARWATER, AND MIKE FIXED IT FOR HER. I HAD THE NEXT FLAT AND RYAN AND MIKE FIXED IT, WITH RYAN USING HIS BIG FRAME PUMP. NICE! I LOVE PEOPLE WHO CHANGE MY FLATS FOR ME! WE MADE FREQUENT STOPS FOR FOOD,

PEE, AND JOKES. AT THE GAS STATION, BRIAN HAD A FULL LUNCH OF HOT SOUP, NUTS,

CHIPS, YOU NAME IT. I THINK WE WERE THERE OF MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR. THEN

CAME THE OFFICIAL STOP WITH WONDERFUL MONSTER COOKIES. (I HAD THREE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.) AT ABOUT 60 MILES

MATT DROPPED OFF--HE WAS RIDING A FIXED SINGLE SPEED! WHEW. THEN SHEILA HAD TWO MORE FLATS IN A ROW. GREAT! MORE REST AND CANDY BARS! WE PUTTED ALONG TO THE FINISH--OVER 7 HOURS AND A GREAT TIME! AT THE FINISH ALMOST EVERYBODY WAS GONE! BEN SAID JIM BELL FINISHED IN A LITTLE OVER 4 HOURS, 3 HOURS AHEAD OF US. GOOD JOB, JIM. THANKS TO BEN ET. AL. FOR PUTTING ON A FUN EVENT. I HAD NEVER SEEN OR RIDEN MOST OF THE DIRT.

Octopus and Bakery Treats in Portugal

Segway Riding

Mike wanted to ride a Segway, so we tried it at the beach near Sintra. Mike went very fast,

Elena was good too. I about fell on trying to get on the thing. It is kind of fun.

DNS

I went down to do the first MBS race, got there after 9 and watched the citizens race, then I went out to pre-ride the course which I figured I could do before the rain hit. But hell no, half way around the bike patrol stopped me and said the "course was closed!" because , well, it was going to rain. I mean, WTF? why can't you ride the course before the race starts? Particularly when the race wasn't going to start for another 2 hours! A while later it did indeed rain pretty hard and I left without racing in the mud.

Mattress Burning

Mattress Burning is a fun event that happens every spring around here. Sort of a local version of Burning Man. Usually the event begins at night, say 2 or 3 in the morning. Everybody gathers around the fire, and the police come with their flashing lights, and they hang around talking. Everybody has a great time!! I mean, it unites the community and is sort of a farewell party as people are leaving to go back to the lake or where ever they came from. An added feature is abandoned couches.

painting

Dead Fox

I rode the Melrose Quarry today. On the way in there was

a dead fox hanging from a tree! Very strange. But it raises

an issue, namely, should you do anything about dead animals

on the ground, like hang them from a tree!? I see dead squirrels

and dead birds sometimes, but I don't want to touch them because

well. . .disease? creepyness?

On another topic, the old bridges on the North Loop are falling apart!

Seriously, it looks like in a couple of places you are going to fall through.

Also, there is an annoying tree down, which you can hop over at an angle,

but it ruins the flow.

Kyia's Birthday Party

TRAIL REPORT

Al Benson and I worked on the East River Trail (next to the river) today. Al cut down several trees with his old chainsaw and I did some light lifting. One of the trees was huge and overhanging the trail--dangerous! Al also reconfigured the trail in a couple of places, both where the trail was washed out. Anyways (as we say) the trail is now rideable! Also, the Upper East

River Trail (aka the Ridge Trail) is rideable. To cross the stream, look for the rocks to walk on. Al wants to build a bridge. The West River Trail (on the other side of the river) is fine, Plum Creek is OK, and the trail south of the Fire Station is OK too including the return up the hill.

Biking at Minus 15 today

Twenty Below.