Not the Presidential Primary. But rather, the primary reason behind the passion of mountain biking. Who are we as mountain bikers? Efficient, hard working, colorful, intense, and as friendly as anyone. We are a great movement of people, chasing each other across the desert, over mountains, and after the dream. Chasing the dream....

What is the dream? Podium spots? Money? Maybe. But most likely not. For me, it's less tangible, not as easily defined, and not as easily captured. The dream I chase becomes reality in short moments of clarity, a burst of knowledge, inspiration, and epiphany. Riding under the moonlight on La Sal Loop Road in May 2006 was a manifesto of that. And conversely, riding through tears in August 2005 at Brianhead was another example. Both offered glimpses into a different world, a world that is out there for the discovering, available only if you know where to look.

And where is that? Inward, most likely.

The addictive quality of racing and riding is euphoric and torturous, both feared and craved. It sparks a vision quest that in turn leads to the above, those moments.... On the bike I have clarity, confidence. Life is simplified. Worldly problems melt into the sand and singletrack.

Solitude is not highly sought after in the normal world. But in our little universe it is premium real estate. Except the solitude comes with a paradoxical socialism, in which we thrive on the solo experiences of others. That is, we live out the dream vicariously through one another, as we each chase after our own version.

Collectively we construct a world of adventure and peril. Equal to the narrative classics, and any childhood imagination. We are as a whole, modern explorers, breaking ground both literally and figuratively. Individually we reveal new ground in our world with every ride. Even treading well known ground can still bring to light new insight, new knowledge. Camp Lynda proved that.

And so, we press on, ever chasing this proverbial snipe. And just when we think we have it caught, just when we think we have a grip on it, it squirms away, and disappears up the trail. Leaving us gasping for air and smiling from ear to ear.

And then, once again the chase is on.





Today's weight: 177.5

Winter storm warnings.

Freeway closures.

Howling winds.

Currently 27 degrees.

I miss July.


Today's weight: 178.5

This week, for the first time in a while, I have felt fluid and strong in my training. I think the Camp Lynda benefits are starting to trickle down. My legs feel light and snappy, my intervals are strong and consistent, and the mind is motivated. It's a good place to be. And I never thought I'd equate indoor training with a good place.

I haven't felt exactly right on the bike since my crash and subsequent burn at the E50. August was a long, hot, tiring month, followed up by a brief respite in September. But even then I was still struggling to get back into the groove. This week I felt that groove again, and I realized how much I have missed it.

In the words of Mike's Song:

Trapped in time and I don't know what to do
These friends of mine, I can see right through
You don't gotta tell me how I don't gotta move
'Cuz I'm sittin' back here sharin' in the groove




Today's weight: 178.5

It is cold today.
No sun means more of the same.
I need singletrack.


Food tempting daily.
Not quite as bad as I thought.
I need a smoothie.


In my sleep I see
red stone and far horizons
I need better sleep.



Today's weight: 180.0

I have been asked lately about my photos. Specifically, how do I get such "good shots". The answer is easy. I doctor them up after I shoot them. The two easiest things to do to make your photos look richer and more detailed is to adjust the Brightness and Contrast. You can do this in any photo editor. I use iPhoto, and when I want to get even more detailed, Photoshop.

For example, here is a shot of Chris Plesko on the South Rim of Gooseberry Mesa. The image below is how the camera saw it. I have done nothing to it.



It's not a bad shot as is. But a little fine tuning will add subtle differences that will help it out some.

In this next version I simply brought down the brightness, and upped the contrast. This will bring out the colors more, and also darken the darks, and brighten the lights. I usually just drag the slider until I feel it looks "right". It can be fun to play with the settings to get different effects. I also upped the saturation just a bit to help the colors pop.



You can see now how the shadows on the rocks are darker, making them stand out more against the rock. The rock also is richer in color adding more contrast against the sky. Chris is more silhouetted, which I think adds to the "cool factor" of the shot. Of course that can be a preference thing.

In this final image, I added a gradient to the sky with Photoshop. I find that gradients add depth to the image, and can help emphasize the subject of the photo a little more as well.




All of these adjustments take about 5 minutes to make, and can help enhance the look of photos shot with any camera.

So there you have my secret to making photos look just a little bit better.



Today's weight: 180.5

I got up to Sundance for some more fun in the powder today. Pictures are better than words.




Today's weight: 179.5

One of the major ways I can cut down on calories is eliminating needless drinks. I am a drink guy. I love soda and Gatorade and Vitamin Water and juices. But just a couple of those each day is a recipe for calorie spikes. And in most cases it is a spike filled with sugary empty calories.

Some numbers:

12 oz. Can of Coke: 160 Calories, 42g Sugar.
32 oz. Lemonade Gatorade: 200 calories, 14g Sugar
32 oz. Vitamin Water XXX Flavor: 200 Calories, 13g Sugar

Coke and Gatorade both have the nasty High Fructose Corn Syrup in them. That alone is reason to avoid at all costs. The point is, the calories from drinking these can add up quickly. Especially over the course of a long summer and many grocery store sales on the mentioned items.

Obviously soda is the most harmful of the drinks I mentioned. I would go as far as to say that Soda alone is causing the American obesity epidemic. But I don't want to make this post a rant, or an anti-soda crusade. I think we all know it is horrible for our health.

But that does not mean I don't enjoy it. Sometimes a Coke, or a Dr. Pepper just hits the spot.

So what I am doing now, and actually have been for a while now is tricking myself into thinking I am having a soda. I simply substitute it with sparkling water. 0 calories, 0 sugar, and a hint of lemon or lime. Viola! I feel like I am getting my soda kick, without all the chemicals and sugar and calories. There are a lot of brands out there, and currently my favorite, becuase it is on sale, is Arrowhead.

I think that eliminating empty liquid calories will be a huge aid in my little quest that I have become obsessed with. And in the process I will kick that nasty soda habit. Of course, during a long ride or race, coke is free game! Although my Kona Kola flavored Nuun is mighty close in taste and texture. And instead of sugar I get electrolytes.

Today's weight: 179.5

I am going to refer to baseball again. Sorry to all you haters. But I am sure you can endure. Anyway, of all the "major" sports, none are driven by numbers like baseball is. There are very few intangibles in baseball. either you can hit, or you can't. And the numbers prove that, down to the finest detail. Now, when it comes to fielding, there is a little bit more room for error, but the methods for obtaining and evaluating those stats are improving.

My point is that when it comes to talent evaluation, you can learn a lot from data. Read Moneyball if all that sounds interesting to you.

I am enlisting the help of some useful tools to help me take a look at the numbers behind my caloric intake and expenditure. DietPower looks great, but it is a PC only software. So, being a Mac user, I am going to use the browser based TheDailyPlate.com. Here I can enter in the food I eat, get a breakdown on the % of fat, protien and carbs in my diet, log calories burned, and track all the data over time, among many things. It looks like a very good tool in helping me analyze all of this newly important (to me) food data.

Like baseball, the numbers are gospel. The catch here is that I have to be honest in my reporting. It would be easy to simply not log that Snickers or Coke. So I think the accuracy of my tracking should reflect on how serious I am about dropping the pounds.

Another tool I am enlisting is BMR. Base Metabolic Rate, or how many calories I would burn while lying on the couch watching TV--all day. Below is pasted what the Hussman BMR calculator had to say to me:

"Your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) is in the area of 1918 (Harris-Benedict formula) and 2044 (Schofield formula) calories per day. Your lean weight is about 165 pounds. WORKOUT PROGRAM RULE OF THUMB: TARGET A BALLPARK OF 1530-2110 HONEST CALORIES PER DAY if your main goal is fat-loss, and about 2480-3070 calories per day for muscle gain without fat loss. THEORETICAL: estimate your daily burn, then subtract 500 calories daily for every pound of fat you want to lose per week. With energetic daily workouts, you'll burn about 2880 calories daily (we're assuming you're at least moderately active and not totally sedentary the rest of the day). If you have a sedentary job or think your metabolism is slow, simply reduce that estimated burn by about 10 percent. From that figure, subtract 500 calories for every pound you want to lose each week. Anyway, that's the theory. Personally, I prefer using the rule of thumb ballpark instead. I've heard mixed results from the more theoretical calculation. An achievable fat-loss target for you is roughly 1.9 pounds per week. A less aggressive goal is fine, and of course, more acheivable. Also, be sure to keep your carbs low-glycemic except in the post-workout meal. It makes a big difference. A final note: If you're having trouble losing fat, research shows that you're almost certainly underestimating your true caloric intake. Don't use the above values as advice to increase them further. Instead, eat more fruits, vegetables, and structured meals like low fat soups and protein shakes. The main thing that creates fat loss is an honest, carefully tracked caloric deficit between what you consume and what you burn."

That is a lot of stuff to digest in one reading. But the numbers seem to add up. Let's look at today:

Calories burned from exercise: 769 (60 minute workout of 3x3, 3x2, 3x1 3 minute intervals, as recorded by my Garmin 305)
Calories burned from BMR: 2000 (estimate)
Total: 2769. Fairly close to the calculators 2880 estimate

So, if I am shooting for a 500 calorie deficit each day, and on an average day with a normal training workout I am burning 2500-2800 calories, counting BMR, then my daily goal for calories ingested should be around 2000-2300. Right?

Up to this point today I have consumed 1709 calories, and I feel full. I will most likely consume about 300 more before I go to sleep. So that should put me right at 2000 calories ingested, for a net loss of around 700. Hmm. I Might need to add a bannana (an easy 100 calories) or a handful of cashews to the mix to get that deficit to around 500.

In my previous post several of you offered up excellent points. I think this is going to be a fun quest. And crunching numbers, which is a new hobby of mine, ought to make it even more enjoyable. This is going to be a learning process for me, so if you see any erroneous assumptions or math feel free to call me on it.

The next step is optimizing exactly which foods are best at which times.


Today's weight: 183

This blog has always been a bit of a motivational tool for me. If I set a goal, and write about it here, I am accountable to you. At least somewhat anyway. Usually the first thought that goes through my head when I DNF a race, or when I finish a race well, is something like "this should make a good blog post" or, "how am I going to explain THIS?"

So, with that in mind I have decided to go public with something I have never been very good at, nor ever very concerned with.

Weight loss.

I am a stocky guy. I blame my baseball playing past. When you spend all your time squatting, you tend to develop what is affectionally knows as "baseball butt". Tall people can hide their baseball butt. Shorter people however, are not so lucky. But being a short stocky mountain bike racer is not always a bad thing. I can go a long time and eat less than you smaller types. Which means I don't have to carry as much food. I can carry heavier loads and not feel like the pack is pulling me to the ground on a steep climb. I don't get as cold as you skinny people, so I don't have to wear as many layers. And I can coast downhill faster, due to the extra 30-40 lbs. However, some of those advantages I would be willing to sacrifice for the pluses that come with being leaner. Like being able to climb long hills without those extra 30-40 lbs. Am I going to try and lose 30 lbs? No. Way.

Trying to losing weight usually go like this for me:

Start new diet.

2 days later I feel ornery and famished.

Give up and eat tasty stuff until I am dizzy.

Rinse. Repeat.

Here's the catch though. I have not ever really put forth serious efforts. Usually in the normal course of riding and training I am able to get down to a respectable racing weight. However, with a little extra effort I am hoping I can shed a few more pounds, get a little leaner, and maximize my power to weight ratio. Whatever that is. I hear smarter people than me using that term, so it must be important.

The question is then, how am I going to do it?

Well, simple math is how. Since simple math was the only kind I could ever do, I think it will be the most effective way to shed the accumulated winter ice cream and cookies. That is, I am going to eat less than I burn. I am going to attempt to appear smarter than I am again, by demonstrating this with a (nonsensical?) formula:

C=calories consumed
B=calories burned
W=current weight
G=goal weight

W+C-B=G

See how simple and smart that looks? Me neither.

Each day, ala the Fat Cyclist, regardless of the content of my post, I will include my current weight. You then can heckle or encourage me as is appropriate.

The goal is to be 170 lbs ( I know, I know, you feathery types are gasping that my goal weight is still 20 lbs heavier than you are!) for the Moab Rim Ride on March 29th 2008. So how much weight do I need to lose then? This morning I stood and on the scale, and it groaned 186. So 16 lbs between now and March 29th. By the way, I was 182 going into Camp Lynda. Somehow all those miles turned into poundage. It must have been the mass quantities of food I ate before, during and after the rides.

As a reference, last year I was around 175 for the race season. So 170 will put me 5 lbs lighter than I ever was in 2007.

Let the deprivation begin!

The Barrel Roll Trail, courtesy of Brad K.

As I write this the crackheads are somewhere out there, beneath, or on top of Gooseberry Mesa. I am at my desk dealing with database issues that I know nothing about. I'd rather be bonked out on the Mesa I think.

But what a great 3 days of riding I had down in Saint George. They were big days with a lot of story telling, eating, and catching up (on and off the bike). I got to ride new trails, as well as some old favorites. I have been craving a binge in the desert, and Camp Lynda fit the bill perfectly.

Thanks Lynda for putting together a fantastic weekend!

We got hammered by the biggest snowstorm of the year so far. I think it is time to flee to the desert.

After a lot of thought, pseudo planning, and thinkering, I have what is amounting to my 2008 "wish list". Also knows as a schedule. Not all of these events are events. Sometimes they will simply be a long ride, with friends invited.

January: Camp Lynda
February: N/A
March: Rim Ride Moab
April: Moab or St. George?
May: Something on the KT
June: The Wasatch Classic V.2 (details pending)
July: Markugunt Endurance Ride
August: The Wasatch Multiday (details pending)
September: 12 Hours of Sundance?
October: Trans-Utah

Hmm... let's see that is a total of... ~$50 in registration fees, if I do the 12 Hours of Sundance.

I really wanted to do the CTR this year. But I don't think the timing of it is going to work for me this summer. 2009 perhaps.

This is all subject to change of course. But right now, those are the endurance rides/races that I see myself doing in 2008. Mixed in between those will be several Intermountain Cup XC races as well.

And it all starts this weekend in St. George.

Derrick, Keith and I got up above Sundance Resort this morning and enjoyed some fresh powder. The conditions were ideal. The air was still, the snow light, and everywhere we looked was a postcard waiting to happen. Good times.

December 29, 1993 - January 2, 2008

Rest in Peace, Bella


Bella was a good dog. And despite what the above picture may indicate, she loved adventures, the outdoors, running, hunting, and most of all her family. She was the definition of loyalty, never straying far from our sides, never judging, never questioning. She was indeed, man's best friend. She was especially the best friend of my younger sister. Bella's passing is going to be significantly hard for her.

But we will all miss Bella.

How is it that a dog can become such an integrated part of a family? I know many of you reading this know what I mean. We never really considered Bella a dog. Except maybe when she pooped on the floor. But then, my kids have done that. No, Bella was no dog. She was a part of the family, complete with a personality, moods, a Christmas stocking, Halloween costume, family photo, feather bed, and a definite say in any family conversation.

She was there on family vacations, camping trips, hikes, and Sunday dinner. She ate my baseball glove the night before the State Championship game. She ruined shoes, clothing, couches, and birthday gifts. But after the moment, who really cared?

Over the years she became a family icon. Greeting us when we returned home, and always eager to wrestle and play. In her later years her energy levels fell, but only slightly. Even just last week I wrestled with her, and still struggled to snatch the tennis ball from her mouth. Even in her dying days she was quicker than I am.

No doubt right now Bella is running. Was there anything she loved more than running? Her long legs could carry her faster than any of us could ever hope to run. She could chase down birds, and often did, leaving them dead on our porch. But today when she runs, there is no wind to slow her down, no ache in her muscles, no shortness of breath. Today she runs as far, and as fast as she wants.

Rest in Peace, Bella.

And save a spot up there for me.

I have tried to write a "year in review" type of post. And it was just not happening. 2007 was unique in many ways. There was a little bit of everything, and a lot of other things. Some good, some bad. 2007 left me exhausted, but happy. And hopefully more prepared for whatever 2008 has in store.

What will 2008 bring?

Hopefully more desert sands, more flowing streams and more rides above the timberline. Fewer crashes, hike-a-bikes, bonks, BLM encounters and mechanical issues would also be nice. In 2008 I want to see new trails, leave tread on more "to-do" list rides, and spend more time smiling, than not.

I hope for each of you that 2008 is filled with tailwinds, flowing singletrack, incredible views, and more experiences that leave you better--in all aspects of life.

Here's to a happy, healthy, and crash free 2008!