the road to Paradise

Purple Haze

It’s way to early in the riding season to have smoke filled skies. I’ve heard it’s because our friends to the north in Canada are lighting up some serious grass. This is of course just a rumor. I couldn’t bring myself to hit the trainer. Riding outside is too much of a serious (natural) high. The ride – Paradise The bike – Trek Madone 6.9

Blacksmith Fork Canyon

Drafting the Honey Bucket

Dropping back out of Blacksmith Fork Canyon I got a huge draft as a convoy of semi trucks passed. As they broke the wind the smell of breaking wind encouraged me to drop off that draft as fast as possible. I felt the experience and appropriate metaphor for a ride that started out rather crappy. Today was my second ride out in the real world

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The road between Hyrum and Paradise

I went outside

Spring has arrived. It’s not raining. My bike is wonky and won’t shift when I ask but does randomly shift at the most inopportune moments. The randomness adds a little spice to the ride. Utah received plenty of snow and the spring run off is flowing fast and furious. After spending the winter riding with my own stench in the basement, the smells of the

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Shadow of a road bike rider

Drafting my shadow

Sure riding in a group makes you go faster and there are definitely days I miss the hum of tires and chains particular to riding in a peloton. A solo ride gives you a moment (or a couple of hours) to meditate. I do haunt the same roads over and over. There’s a reason – no cars and beautiful country side or tree filled canyons.

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Ponies

Dam to dam and all the pretty ponies in between

According a calendar my wife has yesterday was ride the wind day. That must mean today was fight the wind day. I and my legs prefer ride the wind day. We were severely punished for missing it. Nothing is more disheartening than pushing 300 watts and going 10 MPH. Instead, we gave up and pushed 150 watts and went 9MPH. The ponies made The ride

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Farm road, Cache Valley

Running Errands. Getting Lost.

I needed to run something to Smithfield. Gas is expensive. The environment is important. Clearly the solution is to ride a bike as much as possible so I decided the best way to make my delivery would be via the Time. The errand would also take me close to Smithfield Canyon and I haven’t ridden that in forever. the skies were filled with rainless clouds.

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My bike without water bottles

The one where I left my water bottles on my truck tail gate

As is my theme as of late I woke up late which left me rushing to get out the door before sun bolstered the day’s temperature. My brain doesn’t handle being rushed and 7 miles into the ride I realized I had not actually moved my water bottles from my tail gate and onto my bike. Faced with the choice of turning back and most

Continue readingThe one where I left my water bottles on my truck tail gate