Two Weeks and One Day

I realized today that it's been 2 weeks and one day since I was last on a mountain bike. Yikes! That's a lot of time off a mountain bike for someone who supposedly attempts to race mountain bikes. Between piss poor weather, a back injury, time restraints, parts issues, etc., it's just been easier to get out on the road to ride my bike. I'm not a huge fan of the road, but it's convenience is second to none when it comes to training and riding. It also helps that this year I've been enjoying road miles even more with my Salsa Campeon.

I loved my Trek 2200 and it served it purpose for 4 years. BUT the fit of the Campeon is SO spot on that it makes putting in miles even more comfortable. Plus it's super motivating to look down to see the blood red Salsa logo looking up at me. I've thanked Jason and Salsa for this frame like 500 times, but here's #501. Thanks!!!

I headed out to Scottdale today to visit with my Dad. As is the norm, B-Man tagged along with a bag full of super heroes, and Speed Racer cars so he and my Dad could play their asses off while I rode for a couple hours.

1 mile in I was feeling some of the effects of yesterday's 4+ hours in the saddle. Both in my legs and in my ass cheeks. The good thing about the road, and riding solo is that I was able to go my own pace until I got the blood flowing and soon enough the meat sticks came around and I had a good ride.

I ended up with 40 miles and 2:25 on the bike. 105 miles and 6:25+ in two days isn't too shabby for someone with a gimp back. Like sex on a Tuesday night, I'll take it and love every minute (or 5 seconds) of it.

Whenever I ride out in Scottdale (where I grew up) it's hard not to have a constant flow of memories, both good and bad. I pass the homes of old friends, dead relatives, and places where I used to play. I see the local public Jr. High School that I used to go to for Gym Class/Shop Class every Friday during 7th/8th grade. I remember the fights I would get into as a result of being the "fat kid" in class. Not great memories, BUT I take some comfort in the fact that many of the kids I fought have had "run ins" with the Police, or let their bodies turn to 35+ year old piles of beaten down friggin mush. I'm Sooooo sorry. HA!

Right out the road from my dad's house is the old public swimming pool that I used to go to as a kid.

Yep, that's the old pool. Where that big pile of dirt in the middle is was the "deep end". The area back by the wall as the area where my family and my child hood neighbors used to hang out. I can clearly remember the frozen Zero Bars at the snack bar, Steve Miller on the PA/radio, and of course the time that someone shit in the pool and they had to fish it out with a freaking net! Classic stuff. Now as you can see it's a dump for slag of some sort. Oh well.

The fact that I've been riding these roads for 15+ years can be so strange. All the memories both good and bad can make for an interesting ride. I love those roads, and I enjoy the memories for a variety of reasons. I enjoy seeing where I once was, what I now am, and thinking about what I might someday be.

Sometimes you need to look at you past to see where you want to be in future. Good thing the roads aren't going anywhere soon, 'cause I still l have a LOT of searching to see what the f*ck I want to be.

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I now take this time to officially
welcome summer to Western PA....

We have FINALLY had some sun in the dark, dank, depressing, anus like region of the U.S. that IS- Western PA. With my time on the road the past couple days, I was able get one hell of a bike geek tan. Can you believe those "guns"?? Holy crap! I'm as ripped as a 15 year old girl except not as hot. EASY!! That's paraphrasing a line from Blades of Glory. I'm not THAT big of a perv. (yet).

I missed ALL coverage of the Giro on Versus today. For some reason it was on in the middle of the afternoon, not the normal 4 or 5 p.m. time. Great. Bull f*cking riding is on ALL night, but one of the biggest grand tour events gets 1 or 2 hours, 1 time in during the middle of a Sunday afternoon. WTF?? Ahhh f*ck it.

Time to finish a brew, watch some TV and hang with Wifey and B-Man.

Later.