Adrenalin Junkie

I haven’t used this blog in a long time. In fact I ashamed to say that I forgot I even belonged to the this community page.  My life in the last year has been turn upside down, then turned on it’s side, then brought back to the up right position.  This year I went for a new career to bring me to new places. While trying to fulfill that hope, I found a career that would not only relocate me to another wonderful city, but allow me to travel all over the place and ride some amazing asphalt and dirt.

Since March I have been employed by a cycling tour company called Trek Travel.  This new job has brought to amazing places such as Spain, France and just about every state of the USA in that short time.  Most of my time has been spent in the South of France. I gotta tell you the road riding is amazing. Every one owns a bike and uses it. It is a refreshing situation.

I will soon call Madison, WI my new home.  But for now I call my suitcase and the warehouses I work in  my home. I work with amazing people that create amazing experiences for people that pay to ride their bikes in amazing places. Needless to say I am happy person.

Some day I will return to Boston. She will always be my home and I will always miss riding the crazy streets and amazing dirt that Massacheusetts offers.

Cheers from France and where ever I might be next.

This is a pic of an oldschool VTT bike that still rides great. The paint job helps.

For no particular reason I haven’t written. We actually there is a reason…work, bikes, beers, and babes. I have been riding a bunch and having fun while doing it. The last two days have been very easy/slow rides for me because I have pulled some sort of leg muscle…not sure what it is called but it sucks.

I have come to terms that I need to do more stretching and I need to force myself to do so. I stretch very little and work my muscles a lot. They get angry and bit me in the ass when I am just starting to feel really good on two wheels. I wish I could  blame it on something else but it really comes down to stretching.

Either way I have been enjoying the bike despite the rain. I just looked at the weather and the electronic weather man told me that it would be another week plus before we see a true break from the wetness. Arrrrrgggghh! although the temp’ will be rising. Yay!

I took my friend Kenny out on a very very low key ride on the road bike and he was immediately hooked. He has never ridden a road bike before…only fat tire style.  He and I have been tediously searching for an old steel road frame with horizontal drop-outs to make a single speed for him. Sooooo if you know of one (for as little money possible… maybe free????) let me know. He needs a 54cm. He is an amazing rider and deserves to get some road miles…needs to get some road miles. He is going stir crazy not being able to ride all the time.

Recently I have been riding mostly road with some MTB action thrown in there for good measure. I am once again an insured/registered driver in the state of MA so I will have more chances to ride the MTB in cool and different places.

Stay tuned for some pics and some new strories. I have some words in my head that need to come out.

Cheers!

It has been a while since my last post. I have been a bit busy and a bit uninspired to write because of the lack of miles in my log. But in the in the last weeks I have had a few experiences to blabber about.

First off, I want to mention that even though I haven’t been commuting by bike as much I have been riding a lot. As much as my friggin crazy work schedule allows me to. I am a workaholic which cuts into my time on two wheels. This decreases my motivation for being on the road during absolutley silly hours (am/pm).  Secondly, this winter I was able to be on the bike a shit ton because I had very little social life. Now that it is brewing I am much less willing to  show up to my destination(s) sweaty and covered in lycra.

 Hang on…gotta get another beer……

My riding constists of fixed gear, short miles, and of course beer. One or two road rides on Red in the 30mile range. A whole lot of mounatin biking on Bessie and Opie which usually involes trail maintanence and beer as well. Some rides are very notable which I will get to shortly.

Before my notables, I would like to cover one thing. Something that has been weighing on my spirits as a rider.  RIDE ON THE CORRECT SIDE OF THE FUCKING ROAD WITH A FCUKING HELMET!!!!!! I wasn’t even in a busy city today and this douche with a Trek 820 had no friggin helmet and was riding on the left side of the road with no helmet into traffic. I yelled at him. He said “Fuck you!” So I continued to pursue him…which wasn’t difficult. Although I didn’t cross the road to tail him because..well that’s stupid…I went on with my preaching to him from across North Ave. in Wakefield. He continued to curse while cars were swerving around him because he wasn’t even riding with the breakdown lane. He was pretty much in the middle of the lane. I finished with a “You give Cyclist a bad name asshole” and turned off and mashed away.  Freakin’ morons learn the rules of the road and ride a bit safer. I don’t feel like witnessing unneeded carnage because you feel you are all knowing and imortal.

Deep breath….okay onto good things.

Lately, I have been progressing in my off road prowess, especially on the freeride shit. I have been mountain biking seriously for 14+ years. Even though I am 10yrs older then most of the little buggers in Junior X that I ride with, I seem to be feeling comfortable enough to have that “no fear” riding style. Even though there is…a lot of fear. BUT I have never felt as comfortable and smooth on a bike then I do now. And I am continueing to feel better and better each time I ride.  Maybe it has to do with the winter miles. Or with the bikes I am riding. I am not competely sure. Maybe I have just become sooo comfortable on two wheels at this point in my life that I am more at home on rubber than I am on my feet. I will always have a lot to learn. I will always see different things. But doing “Old Spruce” (seen above from Highland…yes thats me) Puts me in a hole different caliber of Zen. Also Doing “Serene 13”, which has been a personal right of passage for me, raises the bar. After doing drops like that my adrenaline pumps soooo much and I feel like if gravity weren’t there I would float away.

Flying feels so good. Even when it is only for a second.

I meet a lot of people that are associated with cycles in some way. They are all different… some good, some bad, and some in between. You never can judge a book by its cover but you can guess what kind of tale you will be reading by the condition of the binding. Some of the best most amazing people I have met have been the most unsuspecting and worn characters. They look one way and they totally spin your cabasa around and show you what the human race is made of. Interesting folk and wacky ideas that just might work for the story.

Most of these flesh bags have so much substance that it is clouded by other substances. When you dig deeper and learn more they seem to rise like bread.  Even when you both feel that you read each other and are on the same level.  Another level appears, like Tetris, they never seem to end. This is what makes people like them so friggin’ amazing and interesting. I judge a good friend, not only by there caring and loyalty, but by their ability to continue to show you knew things. Not just about the world but about the things you love best. Even if they do not love the same thing.

Luckily I have enough friends , that are like this, that I can’t count them on my fingers and toes. I continue to learn from them. In terms of life, yes. Bikes are my life and these people always teach me more about bikes. Wether they influnence me to build a berm, cut a housing a certain length or ride stunt that I never would have before,  ride my bike faster, be a better fixed rider, or simply feed my hunger to ride more and more.  They are there to make my life better on a bike. These people make my life, my cycling, better.

 Cheers to my friends! Riders or not. You all have a place in my bike world. All are welcome! Admission is free!

It must always start with something that brings your balls into your stomach and then into your throat. Start fast and sketchy and the rest with be like buttah! A taste of small town WC is here then it’s fluid-ride the rest of the way down.

I honeslty believe that things happen for a reason. I think that we are all here for something. This is the begining of something that has already begun. This jump represents the true initiation that I have been waiting for into the trail building (even thoug I have done a ton). This jump is just the intro. It is the following 1000 or so feet and many yards of dirt that will put me and my friend into this areas underground trail building hall of fame.

It ends with a kicker. A kicker that pops you into a landing berm. Crosses an existing trail to a pump-line ending with a double over a fallen tree.

This berm came about because of this old ski jump that was on the far side of our project. We added a jump at the top of the line along with a knarly DH section at the top. It will be a strange Bump & Jump line, but very unique to what we have up here in… well you know were right?

A while back, maybe 10 months ago, this place was discovered. This place has continued to astonish us. There are so many possibilities. And so far we have had nothing but good counteractions with the surrounding inhabitants. Even the bugs seem to like us.

IT may seem as though I am being cocky. But I am only cocky because of how hard we worked on this shit. AAAANNNND it has already gotten good feed back. Fuck Ya!

Braaaap!

Friday night I drove (yes drove) to see my friends Chris and Traci. We drank. A lot. I sucked down a Allagash Black (yummy) which did me good. I promptly washed that down with some Hop Back. In between killing aliens, during Halo 3, we sparked ’til 3am. All of this a… good receipy for waking up at 7:30am to drive 55minutes home for riding at good ol’ H.P.

Woke up and totally forgot were I was. It was a bit concerning. Then realized I was in their apartment and it was time to get up to drive home. I’ll be honest…I may have been still a bit buzzed from the nights activities. Nothing a good ol’ Sauge, Egg, and Cheese from DD couldn’t help. Plus an extra strong iced coffee. The drive was fine no issues but seemed like I couldn’t get on the bike soon enough.

So after some fog and some more coffee I headed to H.P. I thought I was gonna be late but I was first there. The hangovah was catching up to me. I shot a GU and swigged some water. Mary might have helped a bit more too.

The miskerters wer fuckin’ huge. Damn vultures.  Besides those jerks, we had an amazing ride. A bit slick to keep it interesting. But mostly the conditions were just right. I could have gone on for hours. Damn responsibilities got in the way. To much to do.

Hopefully next saturday will be as fulfilling.

That pic isn’t H.P. That is “Da Summit”

I have had many dreams. Most of them really fucked up and disorienting. I usually wake up with a look of relief on my face. They aren’t scary (to me) but I am sure some brain monkeys would love to crawl up in this one. 

Most of my greatest thoughts come to me late at night. The moment I feel that weight approach my eyelids and the rope tied to my chin gets pulled on. I get these amazing flashes of flight, speed and flow. I am riding (in my head) to a destination unkown. What ever my mind can muster pops into my head.  Most of these trails are made up in my head.

This type of thing may not happen to many people. Starting my slumber with the amazing feeling of weightlessness and the smell of dirt flicking my nose hairs.  The fight is over and I find myself in the incredibly warm place. A place I can feel no harm and gravity only takes over when I want it to. That even a 68/11 is the easiest gear and speed has no limits. The sound barrier is only the begining. Roots are slippery and rocks are shaped just right. Potholes have kickers just before them. And my legs never get tired. This is when slumber sets in.

I am totally relaxed and my brain shuts off for a few moments. Then the lobes start firing. the light slowly glows brighter to a world that seems fimilar but in so many ways. My mind puts a smattering of locations in the picture. People I know and don’t know (or do I?). Things happen, sometimes repeats, in and very well corrigraphed way. This dream has a purpose and most likely will not reveal this purpose. I awake with no gratification of what happened and why. Of who was there and why they were part of this unfinished journey through my brain.

Then I remember it is time to ride.

My alarm goes off this morning at the same time is does every work day. I shutter my eyes due to the beaming light coming through my blinds that I forgot to close last night. I roll to the left side of my bed and almost fall out. Tripping over the heap of still sweat soaked clothes left on my floor from last nights drunken fixie ride around Stoneham.  Almost smashing my head on the door jam. That was close.

The need to piss hits me. Couldn’t make it to the lid fast enough. I almost fell back asleep while standing there. It was definitely too early for me to be awake on a Sunday. Wait! No wooosh from the throne…I forgot to flush.

Stumbling to the kitchen to brew some java I step on something. Friggin’ vavle stem cap. Those fuckers hurt when you get ’em just right.  Still cursing as I get to the coffee pot and realize my good shit is gone…guess I gotta brew the standby grounds. Ehhh caffine is what I crave not yumminess.  As it brews I zone out on the glowing digi-lite on the perk.

Within a second or 30 my stomach moans for substance. I open the drawer to my left and see some tasty cliff bars. Then realize that they alone may not be enough to satisfy this hunger.  It is time to break out the griddle and the ingredients for one hell of a pancake. We have “Aunt Jemima(sp) Just Add Water” pancake mix, a jar of some PB, some cinnamon, and of course fuck ton of butter. Well on my way to having a great ride in to work today.

I haven’t had cable for a while and I have watched the shit out of all my movies. Sooo I listened to some Slayer. Nothing like coffee and Slayer to wake you the fuck up in the morn’.  The pancakes sizzled and the coffee bubbled the boys from Slayer got me amped and ready to toss the gear on and hit the trails. I slid the grub down my throat. Par took in some extra activities and suited up.

The begining was a bit windy. Good warm up though. Got to the Fells in 5 and started my usual journey through my usual route. Exited and slammed over to Horn Pond. This is were disaster was a pedal stroke away. One of the hills I usually climb had something else planned for me. A stick, maybe it was a full tree, decided it wanted to get comfortable in my rear wheel and play with my derailleur.  Luckily I am bit wary about these issues and stopped pedaling almost immediately.The derailleur was already pulled into the spokes and the hanger was already twisted. The particular bike I was riding is extremely beefy so it takes a bit to fuck it up. I got off and pulled aside the trail. Did a pro job of bending, cursing, twisting, and hammering and got it back into somewhat pedalable condition. It got me to my destination and I was sooo happy for that. It could have been a long walk back, that is for sure.

At the end of the work day I threw Bess into the stand and checked her out. As sexy as she is she needed a bit of surgery. She is all fixed up now and ready to shred again. Hopefully my night ride home will be a bit more pleasurable. I know you can do it Bess! I am trying some new lights and a new saddle on her. My existing saddle is fucking killing me.

Here we goooo!

I hate Stella Azzurra!

I have always said that I am a “mountain biker” at heart. But, the more and more I saturate my life with bikes I realize that I am really, truly a “cyclist” at heart. A year ago if you could have hung out with me. Smoked a bit of subherban and drank a beer or 10 with me…you would have said to your self “Shit this guy hates everything that doesn’t have a knobby tire on it”. This was very true.  If it didn’t have 26″ wheels and wasn’t called a “mountain bike” I would have laughed at the thought of riding it. “Skinny wheels just lead to shaving legs and lycra” is something I would have said.

Luckily, shaving of the extremities hasn’t even entered my mind after this road filled winter. Even with copious amounts of road rash to speak of…I just don’t see the need.  With Canadian lineage I think it is proper to stay hairy. I certainly see the reasoning behind shaving my sticks. But I hate shaving my face so much I can imagine how much I would dred shaving my legs.  Just not worth it.

Sooo back to my first thought. Mountain biking! Yup it is that time of year when I have to choose wisely were I ride because of mud season. It is that time of year were snow and ice are no longer the problem. Those pesky wooden limbs that grow underground and find their way to the surface. Just enough showing to make it interesting when wet. Just annoying enough to make you curse them.

Roots, rocks and the type of dirt we have here in New England may make this the only place worthy of the term…technical. I know, I know there are other polaces in the world that is this techinically difficult. I am not that close minded people. But damn NE has it’s own flow and feeling. The terrain makes me feel at home.

If you are not a Dirt rider then I suggest you get some sort of a bike with knobbies and give it a whirl. This weekend there will be a ride for “Opening Day” at the Fells Reservation. If you are a Dirt rider then I hope to see you there on Saturday. You may have fun, you may meet some cool people, you might even discover a type of cycling that you have always said “Ehhh I will never like that… it is silly!”.

Really! It is an amazing discipling that everyone should get a taste of. It will change your life! Just like road riding and all the other disciplins involving non-motorized movement. We must believe bikes can do great things for us…because they can!