Bike Race Story Hits Newstands!

Check out today's Northwest Weekend section for my story about bike racing. (Or click here:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2003763942_nwwbikerace281.html; whatevuh. Iss all gut.)

Above is Cat 4 criterium in Enumclaw in mid-May. Olivier, who owns the Mount Bakery and rides for Fanatik, is the one in the RunningShoes.com gear (?) taking the inside line past the curb. Maybe an hour after this shot, I was whistled off the course and told to go home in what was my second ignominius attempt at a criterium. And I thought, that's it. Bike racing ain't for me.

But a couple weeks ago, I did a road race in the Methow, and had great fun. Brutally tough winds, a wipeout right in front of me, I fell off the front pack and had a solo ride from Winthrop to Twisp (with 30 mph tailwind), but I quite enjoyed myself. Laid in bed in my room at Winthrop's beautiful Chewuch Inn (http://www.chewuchinn.com/) exhausted, vegging out while watching the Yanks beat the Mets. (I think they've won maybe once since then). It was a good day.

Next up: STP in one day. (I'm pretty sure.) Two hundred miles from Seattle to Portland.

PS: CONGRATS TO GLENN GERVAIS WHO FINISHED IRONMAN COEUR D'ALENE LAST SUNDAY IN 13:16!

BELLINGHAM TO BAKER AND BACK

At 7 a.m. this morning, John Clark, Mark Harrison and I left Bellingham for a 115-mile ride to the ski area and back. Six thousand feet of climbing and probably $35 spent at in Maple Falls (at 88-mile mark) on cheese danish, extra-salty potato chips, chocolate milk, Reece's Pieces and dry turkey and ham sandwiches. On the way up, we'd planned on stocking up on gatorade and the like at Graham's in Glacier, just before the mega climbs, but were foiled, as you can see, by Puget Power.

A forest ranger warned us of a mangy bear just below the ski area but the bear never materialized. Apparently, people have been feeding him/her and its become quite brazen. Good idea that, feeding Doritos to a wild bear, don't ya' think? Seems to me I've heard that a fed bear is a dead bear. Oh well, as long as the feeder enjoyed themselves.

Mark was king of the mountains today, I took tops in the non-carbon bike category and nobody could beat John in the lives-on-Walnut Street division. A great ride. An awesome ride. And a tad cold one. It still felt like winter up top.

Oh yeah, 6 hours and 30 minutes; 17.7 mph.

MORE LAMINATION BUILDING!

Above please enjoy photos of my office transformation. From frickin' pigsty locker room packrat closet garage mudroom garbage heap--all placed atop one of the stinkiest and grossest carpets ever known to man (or woman) to what it is today: an otherworldly temple of wood laminate loveliness. Oh, and check out the rack by my wife. Racking system, I mean. Courtesy of Costco.

Next up for me: laminate pajamas. Photos to follow.

Oh yes, re: biking etc. Tomorrow's plans are for John Clark (he of the four flats by Fairhaven the other morning) and I to ride from Bellingham to Baker (Mount Baker Ski area) and back--about 115 miles and 6,200 feet of elevation gain. Hopefully, we'll see those two bears I saw last month.

Oh yes, check out Seattle Times' Pacific Northwest Sunday Magazine for a piece I wrote about trail running with me mates: (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw06102007/2003734347_pacificptrail10.html)

ORCAS ISLAND PHOTOS

Right. So this past weekend we went camping with Bellingham's esteemed Robbins family. They of Emma, Deb and Jim fame. We has a simply smashing time in weather that couldn't have been more boffo. Seriously.

We took the ferry from Anacortes ($77 for us, $50-something for them--piracy or what?) and headed to Mountain Lake in Moran State Park. Then we mountain biked, ran, hiked, kayaked, fished, frisbeed, ate, stared at the campfire, smored, and loads more. It was like we were all at summer camp.

On Friday, June 1, Jen and I celebrated 20 years together (married for 13) and spent the next day and night at the posh (and rather spicy) Rosario Resort. Jetted tub thingee. A deck overlooking the water. Bed the size of our living room floor. It's all good.