LAZY DOG DAYS OF AUGUST

Been mostly taking it easy since the Shasta ride. Took me almost a week before I felt sorta human again and was able to get in a three-hour mountain bike ride on Galby with the Titanium Cowboys. Always a good time. Then it was off for a few days holiday with the family, sans bike. First to Chelan for the glistening waters of that amazing lake, the ultra-fun waterslide park and skatepark (see above), which the boy Baker carved up but good on his scooter.

Then down to Bend, Ore., which we’d never been to before. A very cool high desert town with lots of sun, lots of heat and lots to do. Funny story about Bend--five minutes after checking into our hotel, I note a Nissan Pathfinder parked outside the lobby with "Official Vehicle" painted on the side. I look inside and who's behind the wheel but Chris Horner!

I tap on the window and with a big as-if-he-knows-me grin, he rolls it down, thrusts out his hand and gives me a big "How's it going, man?" He was super affable, said he's recovered from his crash, concussion and subsequent blood clot suffered in the Tour de France and feeling great. No more racing this year though. He was genuinely nice to my son too, who was with me. A truly satisfying brush with greatness. 

A few other tidbits: For a change of pace, I'm hoping to pick up my running again. I've been ultra casual about it since I broke my collarbone in spring 2010. I was so eager to get back to cycling afterward that I paid almost no attention to getting my running legs back. So now it seems newish and funnish and out of the ordinaryish. Anyway, one of my favorite places to run is Lake Padden where, just a couple weeks ago, a friend of Titanium Cancellara's spotted a cougar on the trail. And not even on one of the back trails (or horse trails), but rather right on the main 2.6-mile loop that hugs the lake. Thankfully, it slunk (izzat a word?) away fairly soon after being spotted.

And in related something-else-to-keep-in-mind news, B'ham chiropractor and stud triathlete Erik DeRoche wrote on facebook that up on Galbraith, he came across a fishing line strung across a trail and hung with hooks. That's just seriously f'ed up. 

In unrelated news, the Mount Baker Hill Climb (I'll never call it Ride 542) is still going on despite the road not opening to Artist Point this year. I understand that registration is down for the September 11 race which is a shame because this is one of Washington's true gems. You can't beat the scenery, you get the road to yourself and if you're not particularly hill-inclined (ha, a pun), this is the year to do it. That last 10.5-mile climb is 2 miles shorter in this year's version and climbs about 650 fewer feet. (2,350 feet as opposed to 3,000.)

Last two: I gots a story about some of my favorite outdoor schtuff in the latest Adventures NW, available now.

 

Lastly, early this week I turned frickin' 50!