the pink helmet

Follow Me to About.com!

2010-02-11T11:41:00.008-05:00

Phew! What a hectic few months. Worried I stopped writing? Don't be. I'm actually writing more--just on a different website.

As the new mountain biking guide at About.com Mountain Biking, I warmly invite you to visit my site any time. You'll find my new blog postings and whole lot more there--including a mountain bike forum, articles, step-by-step skill techniques, product & trail reviews, and more.

I'd love it if you stopped on by and left me some love on my new site!

Bookmark it! ;)

Punk Bike – The 20th Year

2009-12-10T16:23:00.006-05:00

Each year, Justin and I drive 5 hours across the state to participate in Punk Bike, an event put on by Dirt Rag. And each year, it seems, we ride our bikes less and less. Why?

Because sometimes standing around the keg of Tröegs catching up with friends you haven’t seen since last year’s event is more enjoyable than…

Slogging across a muddy trail:

Or throwing elbows in a derby:

Or charging recklessly downhill:

This year we slogged, threw elbows and were generally reckless with the best of ‘em. But we spent the better part of the enduro catching up with old friends and making new ones. And then, just like that, it was over.

And my bike is 10 pounds heavier to prove it.

Riding in a Winter Wonderland

2009-11-30T09:08:00.005-05:00

Though not technically winter, November is when my mountaineering gear gradually makes its way to the forefront of the garage. By now, we’ve typically ascended Mt. Washington’s snowy Lion’s Head trail, cross-country skied through a New England national forest and sunk our ice axes into the first freeze at Champney Falls.

Not this year.

In July, scientists announced the arrival of El Niño, and expected the climate phenomenon to last through winter 2009-10. It looks like they predicted right. Just three weeks shy of the first official day of winter and I can still mountain bike in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey.

Sure, the lack of wintry weather means my gaiters and crampons won’t come out for a while. But I’m not complaining.

My point of view on a sunny day at High Rocks.

Riding Wissahickon in late November in shorts and short sleeves.

Warm Night Air

2009-11-10T08:43:00.004-05:00

Of course my last post was about not riding in the dark. Because this one is about riding in the dark. No, I didn’t change my mind. I had company.

It was a balmy 68 degrees yesterday afternoon when I received an offer to ride later that night with my favorite roadie-turned-backpacker (“It’s great off-season cross training!”) -turned-roadie friend.

We set off after the sun had set and rode into the darkness to meet Justin on his commute home. The 15-mile ride felt effortless as we filled up on the unseasonably warm night air. Lights blinked, pedals spun and conversation flowed.

It was beyond enjoyable, undeniably refreshing—and not nearly as terrifying as I had imagined.

The Darkness

2009-11-05T08:16:00.006-05:00

My daily commute to meet Justin ended with Daylight Savings. Why? Because it is approaching pitch blackness when I would start my ride. And I’m scared of the dark.

In year’s past I’ve tried to continue the commute into winter, but it’s not enjoyable. In fact, I’m rather terrified to ride my bike alone at night. It’s not the cars that worry me. (The lights on my bike are plentiful and insanely bright.) It’s fear of the unknown: Who’s hiding in that 9-acre stretch of shadowy woods? What will emerge from behind that hedge?

Perhaps I am the only one who thinks about these things, save for my dad who likely passed on the paranoia to me. Really, I think he used to scare himself with his “ghost of Captain Benny” bedtime stories. But, I digress.

This year, my transition from starry sky to cellar is made a bit easier by a recent acquirement—a like-new CycleOps Club Pro 300PT with power tap.

It looks fairly appealing to ride, no? Certainly more appealing than my bike looks sitting in the trainer.

Let’s just hope these looks aren’t deceiving.

Show Off!

2009-10-26T18:46:00.003-04:00

It’s been raining. Every weekend. Forcing us indoors to accomplish things we’d rather put off. When it looked like we were about to cross off even more tasks on our ‘to-do’ list yet again this past weekend, we made the call. We would ride—rain or shine.

Cabin fever shoved us outside on a thirty-or-so-mile road ride. Sure it was wet, but the rain cooled us down from the unseasonably warm temperatures. (In case you are unfamiliar, “warm” in Philadelphia and surrounding counties = HUMID.)

The ride was good. The company was even better. And the scenery was phenomenal. Mother Nature is such a show off this time of year.

Heck, I’d flaunt it too if I looked like that!

Leaving Las Vegas

2009-10-21T13:50:00.006-04:00

A funny thing happened on my ride last night. I started to miss Las Vegas.

OK, funnier things have happened during my daily commute to meet Justin. Like the time we tried to stop a Possum from walking in circles. Or the time we bumped into Laura and Dan for the first time when my face was three times its normal size due to poison ivy—the only thing I took home from the Fair Hill race. Heck, even the time I ran over a dog was funnier than this. (I was on a bike and the dog escaped without injury.)

Perhaps the word I’m searching for then is “strange,” not “funny.” It was certainly strange for me to miss Las Vegas. In the past four years I’ve visited Vegas just as many times—for business and pleasure—and never once regretted coming home. Why was this time different?

Maybe it was because I was there for North America's largest bicycle trade event and show. Maybe it was because scantily-clad women and kitted-up cyclists mingled on casino floors. Or perhaps it was because after-hours parties consisted of the first-ever Interbike Tweetup and a bike polo tournament behind the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Or because the biggest cyclocross race in America took place a few short blocks away from our swanky hotel.

Whatever the reason, during a crisp fall ride I found myself reminiscing about my recent foray into the seasonless, seedy city. And was kind of sad to be home.

Blood, Sweat and Beers

2009-10-06T19:18:00.010-04:00

This is the second time I’ve returned from vacation and neglected my blog. I apologize, and offer an excuse (or three). I spent the last week playing catch up at work and at home, riding daily to meet Justin on his commute home before daylight savings strikes and “recovering” from what can only be described as the best event I’ve ever raced (and I use that word loosely) in.

On Sunday, September 20, Halloween came early in Durango, CO. Single Speed World Championships descended upon town and locals were treated to all sorts of costume-clad characters. SSWC custom dictates dressing up, and our crew (perhaps a little too) eagerly joined in.

At the crack of noon—or was it 11:00?— pros and novices alike assembled at the start line with more than 1,000 others, hung over and hankering to play in the dirt for 25 miles. To the townspeople lining the street we looked like a circus, I’m sure. But looks can be misleading. And in this case, looks are downright dishonest. Sure, Kelli Emmett may line up next to you in an ensemble straight outta Lieutenant Jim Dangle’s closet, but she’s here to race. Point proven by her third place finish.

Yeah, the course was hard, intensified by the extreme elevation gain, hike-a-bike sections and looming thunderstorm. But when 1,000 racers surge for the trail at once, we were assured plenty of “standing room only” occasions. I spent this time getting to know my neighbors and snapping photographs of the breathtaking scenery. (Harder than you might imagine while pushing a bike uphill.)

What seemed like a lifetime later, I made it to the top of the mountain where there was a party in full swing. A few people shoved plastic cups of beer in front of me as I pedaled by, and one friend I hadn’t seen in years begged me to dismount and drink up. After talking for a bit with the party-goers, other spectators shouted to keep going so as not to get caught in the storm. I heeded their advice and continued to roll my rigid 29er over the rocky crest. A look to my right assured I had made a smart (though unpopular) decision to ditch the party early. Dark clouds inched ever so close to the race. Additionally, one false move on the bike would’ve surely put me over the cliff.

By the time I reached the bottom, outside circumstances (such as the party stop) and my own meager skills got me cut off at the midway point. But I didn't care. I reconnected with Justin, who’d flatted in his purple unitard, and had one wacky conversation with Jacquie Phelan, who asked for my last name, then spelled it (correctly) and told me what it meant in Italian. Really.

The winners (guys: Ross Schnell; girls: Heather Irminger) didn’t get a cash-prize, or any prize, for that matter. They got a tattoo, once again, as SSWC custom dictates.

**Our good friend Justin Steiner took this charming shot of Heather Irminger receiving her winning tattoo.

King for a Day (or Three)

2009-09-11T14:11:00.006-04:00

We came from all over, many of us cutting the work week short and driving through the night, to converge in a small mountain town nestled in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

For some of us, it was the third year in a row we hauled mountain bikes, massive amounts of gear and microbrews to East Burke. For others, it was the first time they would experience the best trail network in North America.

With more than 100 miles of rolling singletrack, Kingdom Trails is a mecca for mountain bikers—and a destination I’ve frequented yearly since discovering it. This year, ten or so of us met in the tiny town with aspirations of frolicking in the dirt and forgetting about life for a while.

We frolicked. We forgot. We bought a thee-day pass for $25—a small price to pay for first-rate trail maintenance, markings and mapping—and while there was no shortage of trails, we were on borrowed time. We made the most of our limited stay in the Northeast Kingdom by making it our job to hit the greats: Sidewinder, Webs, Kitchel, Pastore Point, Heaven’s Gate, Tody’s Tour…

The riding is phenomenal—hardpacked, fast and filled with pine forests, hairpin switchbacks and the occasional maple syrup tube.

We went to celebrate the long weekend, waning summer weather, endless miles of singletrack and more.

I recommend you make the trip too—even if you have nothing to celebrate.

Mud…and a Marriage Proposal

2009-08-31T21:20:00.006-04:00

Last weekend the skies opened, the trail flooded and the bikes got dirty at the 24 Hours of Allamuchy. The precipitation was predictable—it rains at Allamuchy. Every year. Yet we’re back on the starting line. Every year. A good course, good brew and good friends make the race easy to come back to and hard to forget.

Despite the weather.

I went into this race a little less enthusiastic than Justin—who was still flying high from his French Creek finish. We planned on racing coed duo, and Justin planned on winning. (I even got a lecture about riding in the rain.) I decided we’d double up on laps so we could have more time to rest and refuel in between. Justin started the race with two back-to-back 10-mile laps and I quickly followed.

Around 9:00 p.m. he came back from his fourth lap sopping wet and covered in mud. The monsoon had come…and it was my turn to pedal closer to the podium. I must not have hid my disdain well. Justin dropped a note into my back pocket and gave me a kiss before I went out.

“Read this at your lowest point,” he told me. It reminded me of the notes I packed him when he raced the Tour Divide earlier this year—waterproof and all.

I never read the note. Much to my surprise, my third lap turned out to be my favorite. Accompanied by new dad, Ryan, from Princeton Tec, I splashed through rotor-deep puddles, pedaled in place through peanut butter sludge and dodged toads with the best of them.

I rolled through the start/finish around 11:00 wide-eyed, wet and willing to play in the mud again. But I never got the chance. For the first time it its 16-year history, 24 Hours of Allamuchy was called off. And Justin was waiting for me at the timing table.

“Did you read the note?” he asked. And right then, I knew what it said. I pulled it out and read it anyway.

As racers came through, the sound of time chips being scanned reverberated, and I thought it ironic that they had just finished an incredible ride as I was just about to start one—with Justin by my side.

I have a feeling we’ll be at the starting line again next year.

Despite the weather.

P.S. We won.

Pearl Earrings

2009-08-20T11:42:00.013-04:00

Pro mountain biker Katerina Nash wore pear earrings in the short track race at Mt. Snow. (I know because I stood 4 feet away from her at the start line!) She was also sporting cherry red sunglasses and banana yellow cycling shoes, but my eyes scarcely strayed from the studs that peeked out from under her helmet straps.

At Bruce Dickman’s countdown, the women pushed off the start line. And twenty minutes and a few laps later, Nash crossed the finish line first. Now that’s style!

The following weekend I packed for the MASS French Creek endurance race—bike, shoes, gloves, helmet, jersey, shorts, and variety of endurance food, pills and powders.

But this time I secured a pair of pearl earrings for good luck.

I pre-rode a bit of the course with Justin a day before the race until Steiner showed up to celebrate his first day of vacation with us. We threw around some Frisbees at the park’s disc golf course and then promptly headed to Slyfox for some food and local brew.

Seven o’clock Sunday morning came quick after a hot and horrible night’s sleep in the back of the truck. I lined up next to six other women at the start—once again, with less than a minute to spare. (Justin actually missed the start of his race as he was setting up our cooler under the tent!)

On my third lap (about 25 or so very rocky miles in), I was in pain. I made the decision that this lap would be my last. That kept me going. Seeing Justin over my shoulder (yep, he lapped me) helped too. But a quick good luck kiss—he was in 2nd place!—and he was gone. The pain stayed.

At 31.5 miles, I crossed the start/finish line and glanced at the time clock, hoping I’d surpassed the 6-hour mark. I hadn't. And 15 minutes was, unfortunately, plenty of time to start another lap. Shouts from the EWR tent boosted my confidence long enough for me to roll past my team and a few friends who had gathered under our EZ-Up. I began another 10.5-mile lap, uttering a few choice words once in the woods.

My fourth lap was desolate, sweltering and long. Rocks seemed pointier, obstacles more plentiful, hills insurmountable. Somehow I made it to the finish; most people had already headed to the registration building for the awards ceremony. And what a ceremony it was! Justin kept his lead (with a broken cleat in the last lap, no less) and took 2nd place in the men’s endurance category.

Maybe the pearl earrings were lucky after all!

Love. Pass It On.

2009-08-13T17:15:00.007-04:00

The first mountain bike I ever rode was my boyfriend’s sister’s Bianchi. And I pedaled that beast like a pro. Lugged its awkward, overweight frame up the “steep” hills of the (possibly illegal) mountain bike trail system that diverged off a nearby dirt road. Rebounded its rigid fork off rocks, roots and, really, just about anything that got in my way. And muddied its metallic finish when I sloshed through creek crossings aplenty.

It was love at first chainring "tattoo." And ten years later, I’m still in love with the sport (and the boyfriend).

Last week I had the desire to introduce someone new to the dirt. Naturally, I chose my fixie-riding, punk rock-listening, vegan brother. He was all for it. He just had to lose the tight jeans first. (Love ya, bro!)

He pedaled his sister’s boyfriend’s bike. (Pictured below—minus the dirt and profusion of tail lights.) It was awkward, rigid and only fitting for his inaugural ride.

We did the left loop at High Rocks—technical, steep, rocky—and he only crashed once. I think he’s a natural.

We cruised home from the trails on some back country roads and I yelled over my shoulder, “Did you have fun?”

“I loved it,” he responded.

Girls, Girls, Girls!

2009-08-04T14:26:00.006-04:00

While vacationing in Park City two weeks ago, I found myself without plans on a Tuesday evening. A stop in the local bike shop, White Pine Touring, earlier in the week left me with an option to ponder: the Tuesday night women’s ride.

I’ll admit I was hesitant to partake in this local ladies-only ride at first. My two neighborhood shops don’t offer weekly women’s mountain bike rides…or any weekly mountain bike rides for that matter. Plus, I’d never ridden with only women before.

Admittedly, fear of the unknown frightens me—even when (especially when) the unknown involves a group of girls. Would they give my Racer X rental the once-over and pass judgment? Fortunately, my fear faded the moment I hopped on my bike and pedaled towards the shop. Really, it was just a ride. Just for women. Just for fun.

When I rolled to a stop in front of the entrance, my jaw dropped. There must have been 50 people waiting to pedal off into the mountains—fifty WOMEN! On MOUNTAIN bikes! And this happens every Tuesday! I joined the Level II- Endurance group on a ride that took my breath away, and not just because we were at high altitude (but that was part of it).

Miles of emerald mountains, crystal water and auburn sky greeted us at the top of every climb. Ride leaders positioned themselves at switchbacks chirping cheerful pointers as we pushed past. And in the last few miles of the day, the trail dumped us into the parking lot of a garage where a few older men were holding band practice. To their delight, we stayed for a song as the sun set behind us.

“Only in Park City,” the girl next to me shouted above the music.

You got that right.

Because I Got High

2009-07-28T15:14:00.011-04:00

I’ve been a bit lax in getting a new post up here. It’s not my fault. I was high. Really high. Seven-thousand-feet-above-sea-level high. Spend 10 days in Park City, UT, and you too will forget you have a job, car and, yes, blog.

Yeah, we all know it has “the greatest snow on earth” (which I’ve been fortunate enough to test and confirm), but Utah has some of the greatest mountain biking on earth too—at least in my book.

I’ve been to Moab. I’ve pedaled Porcupine Rim, Slickrock, Amasa Back and Sovereign. Each one was mind blowing and unique—yet poles apart from riding Park City. The mountain town boasts more than 325 miles of trails: Singletrack. Doubletrack. Bike trail. Lift-served. We rode them all—Mid Mountain, Powerline, Tour des Suds, The Crest, Spiro, Spin Cycle—and never took the lift. (“That’s cheating,” Justin told me.)

The views at the top were worth every pedal stroke, muscle cramp and bead of sweat it took to get there.

And “getting there” was equally as stunning. Surrounded by stark white Aspens, we rode through burmed, rocky, switchbacking singletrack.

For the first time the terrain wasn’t the only thing that made the riding challenging. Altitude and heat made us East-Coasters take it easy. We learned the art of pacing, as I don’t think we ever truly adjusted to the altitude. And at the top of a steep climb on a triple-digit day, I blacked out. By myself. Summoning courage from my best friend, (for whom blacking out is a somewhat frequent pastime), I rehydrated, popped a few Honey Stinger chews and finished my ride.

Our stay in PC ended in a bar we frequented nightly to catch the last hour of the Tour and sip PBR pounders—Flanagans on Main St. On our last night in town, our newfound friend Tim (the manager with just three weeks on the job) was heartbroken when he found out his first “locals” were hopping a flight the next day. He shouted, “Last call” to a sparse crowd just as a group of unruly patrons walked in. But he let them stay, let us play Corey Hart from his iPod and laughed when an impromptu dance-off lasted until 2:30 in the morning.

We danced.

Luckily, I was having too much fun to take pictures.

Fair Hill 50-Miler

2009-07-16T17:14:00.009-04:00

When I heard about the 50-mile endurance option at this past weekend’s MASS race, I didn’t hesitate to sign up. There are few things I’d rather do on a Sunday than ride my bike. All day long.

I even convinced Justin to join in some local race scene fun—no panniers necessary!

When race day rolled around, I rolled up to the start line with 17 seconds to spare—and four or so hours of shut-eye behind me. (Any sleep at all is thanks to Justin. He spent the night on the floor next to the 150-pound Newfoundland we were watching who was terrified of thunder!)

Our somewhat stormy start to the 2009 Fair Hill Classic turned into a sun-shining, warm-breeze-rustling enjoyable ride. The endurance racers pedaled through the woods by way of two large loops equal to 50 miles. The course was reminiscent of White Clay Creek—fast, windy singletrack—with a bit more roots and climbing.

2009 Fair Hill Classic MTB Expert Course at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: Share GPS Tracks

It was my first MASS race of the season and my second race for the EWR team. I took 4th in the Enduro Women category (averaging 8.6 mph on lap 1 and 7.6 mph on lap 2).

Justin took 12th in the Enduro Men category (10.7 mph on lap 1 and 9.9 mph on lap 2) and a friend we dragged down from State College for the weekend—who recently celebrated a birthday milestone—kicked our butts and took 7th in the Enduro Men category (11.4 mph on lap 1 and 10.2 mph on lap 2).

Maybe I should start turning laps to techno…

If You Haven’t Been to Raystown

2009-07-10T14:49:00.000-04:00

Go. You'll love it. I promise.

We made the 4-hour drive last weekend, and after just a few miles on the trail knew we made the right decision.

Part pump track, part mountain bike trail, the new Allegrippis Trail System at Raystown Lake is thirty miles of machine-built merriment. We rolled, we swooped, we pumped. And the next day I couldn’t lift up my arms. Really.

Fun and (dangerously) fast, pictures really didn’t do the place justice, so we took some moving footage via the V.I.O.

…twice.

IMBA and the US Army Corps of Engineers did a darn fine job of creating a Mid-Atlantic mountain biker’s paradise. The place is likely everything you’ve heard, and more. We’re already planning a return trip in the fall (this time we’ll take advantage of the on-site camping with friends).

Just gotta build up some biceps first!

Rollin’ On Home

2009-07-06T13:30:00.000-04:00

Now that Justin is home, we’re back to riding anywhere and everywhere. Last weekend we saddled up and set out on a bikepacking trek from Pipersville to Glenmoore.

Our 50-mile route (100-mile loop) took us through Hatfield, Collegeville, Phoenixville and beyond. We stopped pedaling a few miles past Marsh Creek State Park and spent the evening at a friend’s house to celebrate his visit from a far-away state. The next day we reversed our tracks, stopping in Phoenixville for an alfresco lunch.

View Larger Map

Fresh from racing the Tour Divide, Justin carried all our gear—which wasn't much. We traveled light and fast (OK, maybe just light...), sans sleeping bags, a tent or pads since we slept inside. We took with us minimal food, essentials to fix a flat and a change of clothes.

On the quiet—and sometimes unpaved—roads we passed long-forgotten farms, trickling creeks, fields of dandelions and covered bridges. While the rolling hills of the Pennsylvania countryside are a far cry from the regal mountains along the Continental Divide trail, our ride was nothing short of spectacular. I'm sure Justin was happy to be riding on home turf. And I was happy to be riding alongside.

**Oh, in case you missed it, Justin talked about the Tour Divide in his own words when he got home.

Baby Got Back

2009-06-29T10:04:00.000-04:00

…last week safe, swollen and sporting a spectacular jersey tan.

I wouldn’t have recognized my mustached man if he hadn’t waved at me from outside the airport terminal (though Chris Hansen would’ve likely spotted him from I-95). Dressed in a borrowed Pabst Blue Ribbon T-shirt, swim trunks and silver bike shoes, Justin was noticeably not the same as the Philly International characters flanking him.

I put the car in park and stared incredulously as he hobbled in, out of the humidity and hordes of tense travelers. He grinned. I kissed his cheek. And for the first time in a long time everything felt right.

Once home, we celebrated his return with music, merlot and many, many massages. As Justin iced his ankles (wait, where were his ankles?!), we made plans for the next few days: mountain biking at White Clay, bikepacking to a friend’s house, barbeques and parties.

Then Justin spoke and I listened. I learned that:

Banff—or more specifically, Canmore, Alberta—is the priciest place to live in North America. So, Justin ate most meals at McDonalds prior to the race.

The race “officially” started after Matthew Lee yelled to the group of riders, “Congratulations, guys!” and took off.

Some nights Justin rode until midnight, barely able to stay awake on the bike.

Justin had to scare away moose on the race route.

He had to push for 40 miles in 30+ mph winds to keep a seven mph pace.

Racers will eat or drink just about anything to keep their calorie count high.

Justin raced about 1,100 miles, averaged 130 miles per day and stopped just outside of Jackson, WY.

Above all, I learned that time stands still when you swap stories from 2,500 miles away.

A few Tour Divide photos:

This is What I Told Him

2009-06-22T02:00:00.000-04:00

When Justin brought up the notion of not finishing, I gave him tough love.

I told him I wouldn't pick him up from the airport if he changed his flight. I reminded him that he called me the “first loser” when I won second place. I said his body was just in shock from riding over a thousand miles—and God knows how much elevation—in nine days. I said his leg swelling would subside, his Achilles would loosen up, his knee pain would dull down and his mouthful of sores would end after his sugar intake did. Above all, I told him he would regret abandoning the race because he was doing so well.

He countered by saying he regretted not stopping to enjoy the mountains he climbed, “the flowers he pissed on,” the friends who came out to cheer him on. He would regret racing away a whole year’s worth of vacation. “What’s the point if I’m not having fun?” he asked.

I had no answer. And, really, who was I to force him to finish? I watched his SPOT move from the comforts of home—detached from this year's extreme weather, sleep-deprived nights, pain and suffering, and physical exhaustion. Some people would be disappointed he didn’t finish, but most of us could never comprehend the magnitude of his journey. Who were we to judge someone’s valiant attempt at living their dream when most of us are still chasing ours?

He’d made up his mind. So, I changed mine and offered my support.

Justin went out not to challenge the masters of the divide, but rather himself, he’d said in his letter of intent. And he did. He went out to experience the grand tour of mountain biking. And he did.

I told him to spend this next week doing the one intention he never made good on in his letter: Take it all in. I hope he does.

Life's too short to not enjoy the ride.

Day 10 Race Briefs:
-Josh Ficke (8th place, 2007) drops out

-John Nobile (Current GDR border-to-border record holder) drops out

-Kevin Dean drops out

-Steve McGuire drops out

-The Italians are caught cheating

-Deanna Adams has a seizure

-Justin Kline decides to tour

What Would You Do?

2009-06-20T01:16:00.000-04:00

If your knees were throbbing and Achilles was aching?

You rode 16 hours a day?

And averaged five hours of sleep a night?

If you scaled mountains, but couldn’t enjoy the views?

If you had to repeat the cycle for two more weeks?

I heard from Justin today: The pace is too fast. The days are too long. The nights are too short.

What would you tell him?

‘Breathe With Me’

2009-06-17T15:45:00.000-04:00

I feel a little like the victim in Prodigy’s song, “Breathe.” Every time Justin’s dot hesitates, I hear the lyrics, Come play my game I'll test ya’. Psychosomatic addict insane…and every time it moves again, I hear, Exhale, exhale, exhale.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief this morning when I found out via MTBCast that Justin is alive and well (and apparently oblivious to being untraceable for the past 26 hours). He called in from Helena, MT, last night not knowing what day of the week it was—but knew he was Day 5 into the Tour!

In his call, he says he’s trying to wean himself off the 1,800 milligrams of Ibuprofen he takes DAILY for his injury. He tried taking fewer pills, but had a sleepless Sunday night, which did little to prepare him for climbing two big passes the next day. He saw his first cub sighting (thankfully, no momma bear was in sight) on the first pass.

The second pass, Richmond Peak, was “pretty much a nightmare,” he recounted. “There was a big storm that had just rolled in. So, super tacky, muddy…there were so many mosquitoes it looked like it was raining…and then hike-a-bike through a mile of snow at the top.”

Justin rode 130 miles yesterday and plans to make it to Wise River, MT, today—noted for its peaks, lakes and spectacular scenery.

View Larger Map

He continues to ride strong despite his injury and the unprecedented number of storms this year. In a recent race report, Kevin Montgomery wrote:

In addition to the terrain that the racers are facing, there are a number of bad storms that continue to rain down on the racers and slow down progress. Unlike recent years with generally favorable weather through Montana, this year the racers have been forced to endure many cold and stormy days.

Hopefully Justin will get the chance to chat up Rob Leipheimer (the older brother of Astana pro cyclist Levi) when he rolls through Butte like Matthew Lee did.

Also, if you haven’t noticed the split chart (I hadn’t until it was mentioned in the TD blog), check it out. There’s also been some banter in the comment sections that are worth a read.

For those of you who’d like to revisit 1996, here’s Prodigy's (family-unfriendly) video:

Exhale.

Border Crossing, Softballs and Frozen Pizza

2009-06-16T01:33:00.001-04:00

Click the slideshow to hear Justin's first "official” call-in from Columbia Falls, MT, Sunday night! Justin rode a couple hundred miles of the Great Divide on a vacation last year, so I had photos of what he's likely seen during this year's race.

Today—all day—I checked, rechecked and triple-checked Justin’s place in the race via the Leaderboard. And all day his dot hovered just above Creston, MT. I pondered. I panicked. I placed an unnecessary call that went straight to voicemail—and left a message (hindsight is 20/20). After a ten hour gap, his dot jumped significantly. What a suspenseful start to the week!

According to his recently updated map, Justin made it to Seeley Lake, MT, where it’s currently 57 degrees and cloudy—a brief respite from the storms that pummeled the racers on the first few days and will continue to do so for a while. The Tour Divide blog says Seeley Lake offers hotels, eateries—even a laundromat! But will he use it? ;)

Just ahead, Justin faces a 26-mile rolling dirt road, flat sections through pasture-land, and a long climb over Huckleberry Pass. He’ll descend into Lincoln (mile 521).

Check out this Day 2 race animation from Topofusion. Makes it look like everyone's riding together:

Tour Divide Replay Day 2 from Scott Morris on Vimeo.

Race briefs:
-Matthew Lee, has a 5-hour lead over the chase group. He skipped stopping at Seeley Lake to resupply because it was slightly off-route. Instead, he stocked up 26 miles later in Ovando.

-Swan River (mile 354), a resupply point, was found burned down.

-John Nobile has been slowed down by intense knee pain.

-Kevin Hall crashed, trashed his bike and will not continue on.

-Bruce Giroux got sidetracked, went off route and will need to backtrack to complete the race.

That’s all for now. Hopefully, Justin’s SPOT will go back to tracking him every half hour instead of every half a day. Oh, and for those who haven’t already, check out the TD blog for all things Divide. Kevin Montgomery took this year off from the Tour Divide and is doing a stand-up job coverig the 2009 race.

Divide Days 1, 2 & 3

2009-06-15T01:25:00.000-04:00

First, props to Princeton Tec for finding and posting the start of the race. Can you spot Justin’s Euro ensemble?

I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to the leaderboard. I didn’t even get out of bed this morning before I checked it. And when I clicked on Justin’s link, my heart sank. According to his SPOT, Justin hadn’t started riding yet and his individual page said he’d only ridden 184 miles in two days—not good. The little green tent on his map told me Justin had spent his second night in Roosville, MT. It was 8:00 a.m. there. Why wasn’t he pedaling yet? I thought incredulously. Wake up! I willed the sleeping dot on my laptop screen.

Five minutes later the cell phone rang and I heard Justin’s voice for the first time since he started the race. This is what I found out from the call:

He was awake(!) and currently in Eureka, MT, not Roosville. He started riding at 6:00 a.m., but hadn’t turned on his “tracker” yet. He rode 110 miles the first day, spent the night in Elkford, and rode 150 miles the second day. (The leaderboard isn’t calculating his total mileage correctly. A relief since it was reporting pretty slow progress!) A bad storm hit the first night, so Justin, Alan Goldsmith and others split a hotel room and separated from Jay and Tracey Petervary, the couple racing tandem, who pushed through the stormy night. The second day, yesterday, was “really hard,” he said. 150 miles of big climbs and hiking the bike over avalanche debris.

Justin is in good company at the moment, able to keep a similar pace with a few other riders. When he called, he was eating French toast with Steve Wilkinson, a Tour Divide racer who starred in this exuberant throwback from the 2007 race.

Right now it’s the end of the third day, and it looks like Justin is nearing Columbia Falls. Current leader Matthew Lee reported from Columbia Falls that there is a mile of snow-pack over Red Meadow Pass. Here’s hoping these guys don’t waver too much in the white stuff!

Vivé le Tour!

2009-06-13T01:49:00.000-04:00

Note: I’ve decided to devote most (if not all) of my pink helmet posts over the next few weeks to Justin’s race. I hope this serves as an outlet for my anxiety and excitement—and, most importantly, a community of support for Justin. Stop by often and leave some love; Justin will be thrilled to read your comments once he's back home!

From the time Justin found out about Tour Divide, he was hooked. Who wouldn’t be? Hailed as mountain biking’s greatest race and one of the toughest competitions in all of sport, Tour Divide claims to be the longest, most challenging MTB race on the planet—2,745 miles from Banff, AB, Canada to Antelope Wells, NM, USA. By route's end each rider will have climbed just about 200,000 vertical feet—the same as summiting Mount Everest from sea level seven times.

In recent years, Justin obsessed over former Divide racers' blogs and flipped through race photos, marveling at the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Though he was in awe, he was determined to live his dream instead of chase it. He sent his letter of intent (reprinted below) to Tour Divide organizers and joined 41 other names on the 2009 start list—the largest field of Divide racers to date.

And now here we are. It’s midnight in Pennsylvania. Exactly 12 hours since Justin took his first Tour Divide pedal stroke in Banff this morning. (That is, if he started at 10 a.m. with everyone else. Over the weekend, my boy bruised his boys in a bike mishap involving a car. Four days of ice, Ibuprofen and time out of the saddle was hopefully enough to heal his damage down below…)

The leaderboard tells me Justin made it to Elkford, having covered 70.56 miles today (although I think it’s actually further). With fellow racers nearby, including Alan Goldsmith, Steve Wilkinson and Matthew Lee—two-time Tour Divide champion—I can rest (semi) easy on this first night knowing Justin is in good company.

Good night, and good luck!

{Justin's Letter of Intent}:

I would like to state my intentions to compete in this years Tour Divide. Through working at Princeton Tec I have had the opportunity to sponsor & work with endurance cycling greats like Matthew Lee, Jay Petervary, and Pete Basinger. Following their accomplishments along the Tour Divide/Great Divide race over the past few years has drawn me into the race, the route, and all things Great Divide. I can no longer resist my urge to participate so I will be on the starting line in Banff come June. I do not intend to challenge the masters of the divide, but rather follow in their dust. I will be out there to challenge myself, take in the majestic scenery, and experience all that the grand tour of mountain biking has to offer.

So I will see you all in Banff for a pre-race Kokanee, and hopefully in Antelope Wells for a celebratory Negra Modelo. Only time will tell what may happen in between…

Vivé le Tour!

Justin Kline

Ridin’ Russell’s Roost

2009-06-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

We’ve been stressed (to put it lightly) these past couple weeks. So, Justin and I were all too delighted to pack up the Taco and head into no man’s land Friday evening. Justin Steiner invited us (or had we invited ourselves?) to his cabin in Cross Fork, PA. Population: 129. We made a break for the weekend as soon as Justin walked in from work.

Four hours later, the warm glow of the campfire greeted us from Camp Russell’s Roost—the only place you’ll see Woman’s Day and Guns & Ammo sharing the same end table. As we sploshed through the property’s personal creek-crossing (Justin’s dream), Steiner came out to greet us under the stars—and a bit under the influence.

From then on, the beer flowed, the black flies bit and the bikes…oh yeah, the bikes! We saddled up on Saturday for a 70-mile dirt road loop Steiner mapped out. Semi-accurate map below:

View Larger Map
Our excursion was one of the most enjoyable, but demanding routes I’ve ridden. Steep ascents were unrelenting and recurrent, and, at times, loose gravel disrupted our descents. Though a bit more mountainous than we expected, the views from the top were worth every climb.

After the ride, Justin commented that he felt great. Good thing since that’ll be half of his riding each day during the Tour Divide!

Sunday we slept in, went for a stroll through the woods and took photos of our natural surroundings. A perfect way to wind down the weekend. Really, the only regret I have is not getting Steiner’s autograph…

Photos courtesy Justin Steiner

Two Wheels Takes the Win!

2009-05-29T16:55:00.000-04:00

May is National Bike Month. Who knew? (I didn’t until I went on the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s Web site.) Over the past few weeks, various events took place around here to celebrate the freedom of two wheels, including the Ride of Silence I blogged about.

In the BCGP’s annual staged race on Wednesday, three people commuted by bike, bus and car to see who would get to “work” the fastest. At 8:00 a.m., a man on a bike, a woman in a convertible Zipcar and a woman riding a Route 48 bus raced from 29th and Poplar Streets to City Hall.

True to form, two wheels took the win. Pat Cunnane, president of Fuji Bicycles, was the bike rider. Cunnane had this to say when interviewed for KYW:

"Cycling in the city, especially during rush hour, is the fastest way to travel…You just really have to pay attention. You have to be looking at the people in the cars to see what they might do. A lot of people don't use turn signals. A lot of people don't pay attention."

The bike rider completed the 4-mile commute in 12 minutes and 21 seconds, with the Zipcar finishing one minute later. The woman stuck riding SEPTA turned up after a 10-minute gap.

I didn't need proof that riding in the city is fun and fast. I just need to do it more often.

One day. One time. Worldwide.

2009-05-26T14:09:00.000-04:00

On May 20, at 7:00 p.m., thousands of cyclists took part in a Ride of Silence across the globe. A little closer to home, hundreds gathered at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown for the town's first annual police-escorted, 5-mile ride to honor cyclists who’ve been killed or injured in collisions with vehicles.

My brother and I rode from our house through town, taking the route of least elevation (he was on his SE Lager), and met Justin, Dan and Jason at the high school—where Jason was all too happy to show off his sparkling new kicks.

Before we took to the streets, the ride organizer read this poem from the top of the high school steps:

Tonight we number many but ride as one
In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons
With helmets on tight and heads down low,
We ride in silence, cautious and slow
The wheels start spinning in the lead pack
But tonight we ride and no one attacks
The dark sunglasses cover our tears
Remembering those we held so dear
Tonight's ride is to make others aware
The road is there for all to share
To those not with us or by our side,
May God be your partner on your final ride.

With heavy hearts we slowly pedaled in a silent procession through town, comforted by the safety of red and blue flashing lights. Some wore black or red armbands: Black to mourn cyclists killed or injured by motorists. Red to indicate you’d been in a bicycle/vehicle accident yourself.

I plan on making the Ride of Silence an annual event and you should too. In the meantime, be safe out there, kids!

Trailside Tales

2009-05-20T10:42:00.000-04:00

The fun started an hour and a half away from the festival. We were cruising down a Virginia Interstate when I took notice of the passengers in the car next to us eyeing the RV—and Justin and me. A moment later they revealed a sign through the window: “Damascus, Trail Days.”

We were hammering down I-81 at a steady 70 mph and these guys were hitching a ride. Were they nuts? We’d soon find out.

Turns out David, a Scotsman, and Ryan, a Californian, were two thru-hikers who’d met on the AT and decided to hike together for a bit. Currently in Erwin, TN, they needed a ride south to this crazy festival they’d heard about. Well, what do you know? We were on our way to the same place. I asked how they knew, to which Ryan responded, “You had the look.” (I should note that picking up hitchhikers is completely out of the ordinary for me, but I wasn’t about to blow my chance at becoming a trail angel!)

As always, Trails Days proved to be all we hoped for and more. Happy hikers, beat-up bicycles and a mother load of moonshine made for a memorable weekend.

We even snuck in time to ride! Saturday morning’s spin brought us through a natural bridge and past a one-time bike shop.

At one point, Justin Lichter, also known as Trauma, was kind enough to go over Justin’s Great Divide maps—pointing out possible water sources, cheap hotels and restaurants along his race route. Tips such as, “It can’t rain forever!” and “It’s only a month long!” will stick with Justin as he pedals his way to Mexico, I’m sure.

I Got It For My Momma

2009-05-12T10:30:00.000-04:00

The bike Justin and I bought my mom (for Christmas) is finally in one piece. Not only that, it’s been ridden and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of the plush seat it’s sporting.

Yes, I know it’s well past Christmas, but I also know my mom wouldn’t have ridden her bike until now. (Plus, it would have taken up valuable space in our garage, which currently houses 13 other bikes!) Nevertheless, inspiration came in the form of warm weather and sunny skies.

On Sunday—Mother’s Day—we took my mom to Tinicum Park for a little disc golf—her idea! Then we rode to Frenchtown for a late lunch. She led the pace line there and back, exclaiming, “This is so much lighter than my Huffy!”

On our way back we stopped every 500 feet or so to document our journey. Her idea.

Turnin’ Laps @ Lodi

2009-05-04T12:51:00.000-04:00

They say third time’s the charm. This weekend marked my third year riding at 12 hours of Lodi Farm, and the first time I finished well. It could’ve been because I joined a team, inspiring me to make a good first impression.

Or, it could’ve been because we raced from noon to midnight, instead of the typical midnight to noon setup. Truthfully, I think it was the first year I was conscious of the course—an incestuous 10-mile tight, rolling, rooty single track loop, with a seemingly bottomless stream crossing to boot!

I could even chalk it up to the forecast. With the looming possibility of rain, I tried to turn as many laps as I could before the monsoon hit. And it hit—ten minutes into my 5th lap. I rolled across the finish line around 8:00 sopping wet, head to toe in mud.

With four hours left in the race, trail conditions deteriorating and rain holding steady, I called it quits, dried off and ate some dinner. I guess all the other ladies had the same idea. I took 2nd place in the women’s solo category and completed the same amount of laps as the woman in 1st place. (Yes, I knew how close the race was—but being dry and full is highly underrated.) After an early morning awards ceremony, as in 1:30 a.m., it was finally time to sleep.

In between working the Princeton Tec booth, Justin and Ryan raced men’s duo and took turns riding with me each lap. Their conversation and steady pace was a welcome distraction to my throbbing wrists and sore seat bones! It turns out that fifty miles of mountain biking on a fun course with great company is a perfect way to spend the weekend.

Gatorade, oatmeal cream pies and a little Luda’ kept us alive on the drive back to PA in the rolling Red Roof Inn.

Philly Gets the Green Light

2009-04-30T18:09:00.000-04:00

Philadelphia cycling fans (I know you're out there somewhere): You can breathe a collective sigh of relief today. The race is on.

Citing the economic crisis, the TD Bank Philadelphia Cycling Championship was in jeopardy of being called off. Sponsors were lost and the city faced a monetary mess of its own. Ten days went by before a decision was made.

Yesterday, two new sponsors—which will be identified at a news conference next week—provided the necessary $250,000. (Half of the $500,000 budget gap.)

This year’s race, which will take place June 7, marks the event’s 25th running. Go for the chance to watch the largest single-day, professional cycling race in North America—or for the daylong block party alongside the Manayunk "Wall."

2 Days; 200 Miles

2009-04-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

This past weekend Justin and I rode from Plumstead to Jim Thorpe and back—200 miles in two days. I rode my cross bike, and Justin pedaled his full-suspension Fuji. Pavement, grass, gravel, dirt, woodchips, railroad ties and, in some parts, impassable rock beds—you name it, we rode over it!

We followed the Delaware river for a bit with plans to pick up The D&L Trail in Easton. From there, we'd ride alongside the Lehigh river. It was about this time a trail angel appeared wearing a wife beater and tube socks riding a Huffy. He showed us the way to the trail—and showed up again a few minutes later at a perplexing junction.

We found ourselves in Allentown at lunchtime, and stopped for pizza at Big Woody’s—where Monday night is clam night. A while later, we stopped for a snack in Slatington’s own Sunoco APlus. From across the store I yelled to Justin to pick out some Combos. An APlus employee (of the month) must have misheard since he yelled back, “You guys looking for rubbers?”

From Lehighton, it was a 10 or so mile climb to Mauch Chunk Lake Park, our lake-front camping spot for the night.

We anticipated covering a lot of ground—both days—by means of The D&L Trail. But it turns out, “Open, travel at your own risk” translates to, “Suckas!” We altered our route home to include more roads; however, we should’ve paid more attention to street names. Riverview and Rising Sun made for exhausting hill climbs.

Our trip proved both pleasurable and purposeful: Justin got some long days in the saddle in preparation for his big race, while I was just along for the ride. And what a ride it was.

'Love me, hate me…'

2009-04-21T12:35:00.000-04:00

Say what you want about me, but I rock out to Britney Spears when I ride the trainer. And I imagine I look like this when I sweat:

If Brit did ride (a bike), my guess is she'd cruise around on one of these solid gold creations—and not what's currently affixed to my trainer:

Don’t hate. I’m also partial to punk rock. So there.

2-Wheelin’ Out West

2009-04-18T19:38:00.000-04:00

I met a fella on the trail today who commented on my Poison Spider jersey. (He had the matching socks!) We reminisced about riding in Moab for a while and when I got home, I dug through some videos of my Moab/Fruita vacation a few months back.

Hold on to yer hats—we tore it up in Fruita…

…and hit up Slickrock, Porcupine Rim, Amasa Back and Sovereign in Moab:

Yep, I think I’m about due for another western experience.

A Glossy for the Girls

2009-04-16T16:49:00.000-04:00

It’s a heck of a time to be in the publishing industry. Ads are down, page count is low and layoffs are plentiful.

In the midst of magazines shrinking and folding, one rag is just stepping into the ring: Women’s Cycling Magazine.

Yes, women edit major bike magazines. But we rarely grace the inside pages—save for a few glamour shots or result rundowns.

Until now. Marian Hunting, editorial director of Women’s Cycling, promises women-specific race coverage, charity rides, commuting and bicycle lifestyle themes.

“When is the last time you heard the tactics of a women’s race spelled out in a mainline bicycle magazine? Usually it’s either the results list or a sentence or two about who won at the end of the story. This is not enough coverage for me,” she said in a recent press release.

Start-up pubs aren’t unheard of in today’s economy, but they face a “survival of the fittest” fight. Let’s hope Women’s Cycling is victorious.

Looking for a Good Time Ride?

2009-04-08T17:49:00.000-04:00

I rode the new cross bike from Plumstead to Philadelphia last weekend via this route.

View Larger Map

It was the first time I’d ever ridden (my bike) on much of these roads, and the rolling 30+ mile ride was phenomenal—even in the misting rain. We cycled through Peace Valley Park (Doylestown), past centuries-old stone farmhouses (Fort Washington), next to the Whitemarsh Valley Country Club and ended up on Forbidden Drive in Fairmount Park.

Put our thang down, flipped it and reversed it the next day.

Sign Me Up!

2009-04-06T22:47:00.000-04:00

As a kid, I never went away to summer camp. I hope it’s not too late! The May issue of Bicycling showed up in my mailbox this week (free with my IMBA membership) featuring a story on ladies-only cycling camps.

At the moment, my "coach" is my boyfriend—who rides too close, too fast and too effortlessly behind me. I'm instructed to “hold the line” through rock gardens, “keep pedaling” on steep climbs, and “let go of the brakes” during descents. He says he’s helping me become a better rider. (You don’t want to know what I say back!)

In truth, I would welcome coaching from other women on wheels. Something about “no boys allowed” sounds way too fun. (Sorry, guys!)

Maybe I'll try out one of the all-women camps Bicycling highlighted:

British Columbia--Dirt Series by Rocky Mountain Bicycles. Mountain bike camp that increases technical skills and teaches maintenance and proper bike fit.
Colorado Springs, CO, and Asheville, NC--Carmichael Training Systems Women's Cycling Camps. Three-day road riding camp for beginning to advanced riders.
Fruita and Vail, CO--Maverick Women's Weekends. Mia Stockdale, former World Cup pro racer, and her crew teach fit to advanced mountain bikers.
Castagneto Carducci, Italy--La Dolce Vita Tuscany Cycling Retreat. Elite athletes guide riders of all abilities.
Santa Barbara, CA--Revolution Coaching Women's Camp. Six-day instructional tours of California's Santa Ynez Valley for intermediate riders and up with Colavita/Sutter Home pro racer Dotsie Bausch and other coaches.
Rossland, British Columbia--Devine Mountain Bike Camps. Cindy Devine, former downhill world champion, teaches skill-building sessions.

Ruff Ridin'

2009-04-03T13:21:00.000-04:00

On the weekdays, I spin 15 or so miles after work from the rural ridge of Pipersville to the river banks of Lumberville and back. The perfect way to unwind after a demanding day at work. (OK, maybe a cold beer would do the trick—but it tastes even better after a ride, anyway!)

Yesterday, 10 miles into my ride and on a 20 mph downhill, I ran over a dog! A first for me—and probably the dog. In lieu of swerving and taking out my riding partner and myself, or colliding with Fido’s middle and flipping over the handlebars, I braked—a bit belated—and clipped the pooch’s paw. A distraught shriek escaped my throat, and the dog hightailed it home unharmed.

Turns out I'm not the only one who's hit a dog and lived to tell about it...check out Tour de France rider Marcus Burghardt's close call!

Back on a Bike

2009-04-01T20:10:00.000-04:00

As a writer for a national healthcare magazine, I interview a lot of people—prominent doctors, professional sports coaches and athletes, former Olympic competitors—and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve lost my cool.

Interviewing professional mountain bike racer Tara Llanes for a story on her rehabilitation following a bike crash that left her paralyzed from the waist down was one of those times. A champion and a charmer; a knockout who could knock 'em out. My cool didn't even put up a fight before it up and left--and I hadn't spoken a single word to the woman yet.

Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Quick-witted, fascinating and full of life, Tara answered my questions about her road to recovery with brutal honesty and a bit of humor. “I would forgo the whole walking thing as long as I could ride my bike again,” she told me, half-joking.

That’s why I was thrilled to see her on a bike again last week. It might not have been her bike—but it was a bike. And she looked like a champion riding it.