I really have no excuses for my lack of blogging this past 5 weeks. The easiest explanation is I'm having too much fun living life and taking advantage of every opportunity that crosses my path.
Now that September has arrived, the guilt has set in and I need to share a few stories and pictures from August. Last week, I traveled for a few days and came home to shorter days, fall colors, and colder nights. Although I'm not ready for summer to end, the recent rains and changing colors have transformed the single track into awesome.
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| Friend David on CMG - Sept 1, 2013 |
There will be plenty of fall mountain bike adventures told in the coming weeks, but now it's time to catch up on August.
Business Trip to Arkansas
A team of three of us flew out for a weeklong workshop and made the most of the region. This was one of my more challenges trips as a vegan both due to the client relationship and the area, but I survived.
Our hotel was next to a fantastic bike trail system, so each morning I got out for a run or bike, thanks to an old mountain bike in the lobby. The humidity was high, but the temperatures were decent.
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| Arkansas Bike Trail |
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| Arkansas Vegan Dish - finally! |
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| Arkansas Artwork |
Pre Tour of Utah
We had lots of cycling celebrities in town in preparation of the
Tour of Utah. On Saturday, we did a ride up Big Cottonwood Canyon and saw the
BMC Team. Then we went to the
Contender Bicycles Grand Opening in SLC and I won a signed
Hincapie Development Cycling Team jersey! Big George was also in attendance, so he kindly signed it for me.
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| Signed Jersey - now what to do with it? |
The next day, we took out the mountain bikes for a long climb up Armstrong/Pinecone. As I neared the top, a couple riders behind asked to go around and wouldn't you know it, Mr. Hincapie flew by. He was at the top waiting for the rest of his group, so we were able to chat some more and it was a unique experience.
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| I already had an autograph, so I asked for a leg photo. |
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| The Hincapie Crew - they were having a good time |
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| Pinecone was putting on a show |
Montana Tech Alumni Event
I was able to commute to work Monday and Wednesday, but not on Tuesday. We had our annual Montana Tech Alumni event at the SLC Bees game and over 60 attendees. In the several years we've held the event, I've been too busy to watch more than a couple plays let alone an inning, but it is worth it and so much fun to catch up with everyone.
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| Montana Tech Alumni - Utah Chapter |
Tour of Utah Course Marshal Volunteer
I wasn't able to volunteer for all six
Tour of Utah Stages due to my new job and limited vacation, but worked the last three and had a blast. Friday evening was the Salt Lake City Circuit and I stood on a median on a downhill section. It was intense and a bit frightening as both cyclists and vehicles approached and then split around me, but so much fun! After, I received a standing ovation and beer from the crowd as my present for surviving.
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| Gloomy skies above the Capitol before the Start of Stage 4 |
On Saturday, we had 3 course marshal drops. We started in Morgan on a quiet frontage road, then on to Park City near the high school where it was a bit busier, and finally to the finish at Snowbird where crowds were huge. Terry did his own queen stage from home to the finish and after we said a quick hello, we met again down in SLC after the stage so I could drive him home. Then I headed back down a few hours later to finally catch up with
Tulsa Tough Shawn who was working ToU Media.
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| I was assigned to Van 7 |
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| 3rd Drop at Snowbird Finish |
Sunday was another long day with drops in Park City and Heber. Traffic was crazy, so the course marshal van dropped me off outside of Park City and I jumped on my bike to ride to the finish area. After helping Shawn tear down, we had a High West whiskey to celebrate a successful Tour. Later that evening, Terry and I went down to SLC for the Tour of Utah after party and stayed up way too late.
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| Heber Drop - Pipe Protection |
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| Shawn goofing around after a week of hard work |
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| Tour of Utah Winner Tom Danielson goofing around after a week of hard work |
Post Tour of Utah
Terry flew to Chicago early Monday for work, so I attended the
Play Well Play Safe Foundation Fundraiser alone. We attended last year and had a fun evening talking to pro cyclists and other athletes in a beautiful setting. This year, the BMC Team attended but also several Olympians, including
Amber Neben. She and I talked about her
Dare to Be Project. It was great to see she is healing after her Tour of California crash and planning to race before the season ends.
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| Amber in the Tour of California Start House right before her crash |
I only commuted to work once but did have another work related Friday morning mountain bike, which I never turn down. The other big news in the neighborhood that week were the visits from part-time residents affectionately known as the "Texans" and the "
Mexicans". Although we didn't spend much time with them due to travel and schedules, it was great to see/hear everyone and catch up.
Looking back at my Strava files, we actually spent Saturday on landscaping and house projects rather than biking, but went out Sunday for a mountain bike and ran into Tara and EA!
In-Laws
Next up, was a weekend visit from Terry's parents. The week was stormy with the colder temps and dark mornings, and I had a hard time motivating to commute. Instead I brought my stuff in each day and knocked out a trail run, mountain bike, and road ride by the time Friday rolled around.
Terry's Dad is fresh off his 2nd knee replacement surgery, so we took him out for a short mountain bike ride Saturday. Then on Sunday, all of us did a road ride on the Park City bike trails.
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| Father and Son MTB |
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| Time for Photos on Sunday's Ride - this is Terry's dream truck |
Business Trip to Calgary
After 3 weeks of working in Park City, it was time to hit the road again. This time to Canada for another workshop. This team was larger and the six of us got along great! We had time to take the hotel cruiser bikes out for a ride along the river before dinner. We also went on a long morning run with our client and climbed for views of the mountains and the city. It was humbling to see the damage and rebuild efforts from the
June flood.
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| Cruiser Bike Ride |
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| Morning Run |
And that brings us to Labor Day Weekend which isn't quite over, so you'll have to wait until next week for the adventure that we are currently navigating. It's definitely a doozy.
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