TOUR DE WHATCOM PHOTOS, ETC.

Scott "Titanium Cowboy" and I rode the 107-mile Tour de Whatcom yesterday, finishing just before the skies opened and sprinkled a bit for the first time since ... when, 4th of July? Great ride, great fun, and the collarbone felt really good.

Photos here are from the Birch Bay rest stop at mile 85 which, incidently, was the first we'd seen of other riders for about 30 miles. We'd been in no man's land since Lynden where we'd split from the group we'd been riding with b/c we were both dying for a cup of coffee. So we pulled into Woods, downed our cups of joe, and thereafter found ourselves on our own fighting a headwind seeminly all the way. No matter, Scott is super strong and I could always fake that my collarbone was hurting if I didn't feel like taking my turn pulling into the wind.

It's a good route--you hit just about every town in Whatcom County--with lots of flat fast sections, particularly early. On highway 9 north--Acme to Deming to Everson--we flew, clicking of the miles at 22-, 24-mph for a couple hours.

 

Birch Bay is also where the 50-mile riders turnaround, and though we weren't able to find a group to ride home with to Bellingham, it was fun to see all the other riders--lots of big, heavy mountain bikes and otherwise old school rigs. People just out having fun and really, that's what it's all about.

In all, I tallied 107 miles with 2,900 feet of elevation gain.

Next up, Hurricane Ridge on Tuesday.

TITANIUM COWBOY RIDES AGAIN!

Cool pic on Bellingham Herald website of Scotte "Titanium Cowboy/Cancellara" flying the Belgian champion's colors in today's Ski to Sea. Way to go, Scott! 

THREE WEEKS (now YEARS) SINCE COLLARBONE SURGERY

For those of you interested in the progression of broken collarbone recovery, here're some photos 'n' such. (For the most current update, three years later, go here.) Below is me the day after surgery with a giant maxi-pad type bandage on my shoulder, feeling high on life and Percoset.

Now please take a moment to enjoy my scar photos!

Above is two days after surgery--or, as I keep wanting to write, sugary--mit large maxi-pad-ish bandage removed. Finally able to shower. Fetching scar, don't you think? I had Steri-strips rather than stiches and they had to stay on for about 10 days. Below is at about the 10-day mark, Steri-strips removed, and is closer to what it looks like today at the three-week point. (For those of you scoring at home, I had sugary a week after I broke me clavicle so the referred to three-week point is actually four weeks since I broke it.)

The scar is pretty Frankensteinish, about five inches long, but becoming smoother looking every day. With the swelling down, I can feel bumps (sorta) on my collarbone ridgeline which I can only guess are the screwheads. Feels like I'm part robot.

Mellow Johnny Boy Clark is about two-and-a-half weeks behind me on this whole thing (feels good to finally be ahead of him in something) and so we've been able to help each other in our recoveries, pumping our respective surgeons for info on what we can and can't do.

At three weeks, I'm pretty much 99 perecent out of my sling. I can finally drive a little (both our vehicles have manual transmissions and because I broke my right side, driving was verboten), I've done a bit of stationary bike, steep treadmill walking, some eliptical trainer and yesterday did my first 45-minute spin class which was super fun and super hard. (I'd forgotten what a great spin class Mary Latta leads.) No running until at least the six-week mark when I'll see my surgeon again. As for real bike riding, I took the single-speed out for a very mellow six-block ride a couple times last weekend. Felt great but also a little scary; I so don't want to fall on my shoulder. I don't really feel any pain per se, just some stiffness in my shoulder, and it's more the idea (or fear?) that I'll move my arm in such a way that pops all nine screws out of my clavicle bone-slash-titanium plate that at times gives me pause.

Been thinking how Team Unattacked has quite a few months here. Titanium Cancellara (Scott Young) broke his scaphoid last August, John and I got hit by a tree in November and then broke our respective collarbones the following April/May. Perhaps we should change our name--Team Always Attacked? Team WTF? Team Titanium (since John and I now have titanium collarbone plates)? Team Try-to-Stay-on-Your-Friggin'-Bike-for-a-Change? Team Try-to-Stay-Out-of-the-Friggin'-Emergency Room? ...

FIRST HUNDRED MILER OF 2010!

The Titanium "Scott Young" Cowboy and I got out for our first hundred miler in a while on what was our first road ride since maybe last June or so. (We've been riding mountain bikes almost exclusively for a while now so it felt great to get out on our sleek elegant machines.) Super fun, super great. Weather couldn't have been any better and in fact, I think this is the first time I've ridden 100 this early in the year.

From B'ham, we headed south on Chuckanut Drive to the Skagit and over to Samish Island. Throughout the day we probably saw 50 eagles, 100 or so swans, countless great blue herons and even more countlesser daffodils and tulips. It's OK that I took photos of the purty flowers and even one of Scott in front of the flowers, innit? (See at the bottom of this post.)

From Samish Island, we continued south to La Conner--see pic of Scott drinking coffee whilst eyeing Rainbow Bridge (which is also the title of a Jimi Hendrix album I once had)--and then points inland and upland and though we tried like heck to avoid it, we eventually found ourselves climbing Bow Hill Road.

From there, up to Lake Samish, which we lapped twice because we realized we were a little short on mileage, and then back to B'ham. A hundred miles in 5:47. And now I eat. And eat.

MORE OF THE SAME, JUST DIFFERENT

'Nother killer weekend of MTB behavior. The Galby on Saturday, the Lost Lake Around on Sunday. Each ride about two hours 45 minutes. Sunday's was especially killer--first time I've ridden the single-speed to the top of Fragrance Lake Road--Lost Lake Trail: 1,400 climb in 3 miles, a couple stretches of which were darn slippery and thus don't exactly make the climb any easier. Had the jimmy legs hamstring shake on one section but was able to make it through. (Comparing mountain bike climbs to road bike climbs is like comparing apple pie to orange juice, but for those of you scoring at home, the steepest part of the Mount Baker Hill Climb race is the Powerline Hill which climbs roughly 600 feet in about two miles. In other words, this is a helluva lot steeper!)  

Above, Mellow Johnny maneuvers up through Arroyo Park, just moments after breaking a spoke on his front wheel for the second ride in a row. (I think he's trying to challenge me for the spoke-breaking jersey.) And just moments after starting the descent into the Lost Lake basin, I got a flat tire. And just moments before our Woods Coffee-Boulevard Park stop, the Titanium Cowboy almost lost his back wheel hopping off a curb. Eventful ride, that's sure. 

Lastly, I wanna thank DK Reinemer for a really fun eight-week Improv 200 session at the The Upfront Theatre. He's a hilarious performer and a great teacher too!

AREA MAN POSTS ANOTHER DARN MOUNTAIN BIKE VIDEO

I've been dying to use the song "Knights of Cydonia" by Muse for a video so I cobbled together footage from last summer and last week from Galbraith, Chuckanut and Devils Gulch-Mission Ridge near Wenatchee. Riders are Mellow Johnny (seen above), the Titanium Cowboy, and Matt Rose. Find the vid on YouTube here. Please enjoy.

GALBRAITH SATURDAY

'Nother great weekend of riding. Whilst the East Coast got pounded with some 25-30 inches of snow we enjoyed a beautiful Saturday in B'ham. Above, Dr. Steve Professor dude (Steve Vanderstaay) and the Titanium Cowboy (Scott Young) discuss something heavy near the Towers at the top of Galbraith Mountain. Mount Baker, just behind, appears to be listening in.

Below, Glenn Gervais and nice guy Richard (sorry, I don't know his last name)--each with their spiffy new 29ers--catch their collective breaths after the climb to the top. Don't care how many times I've done it, that climb's never easy. Below, Scott and I, who called each other earlier to find out what the other was wearing, about to begin the fun, rollicking descent. (Mellow Johnny was with us too but, pulling his typical diva behavior, refused to be in any of the photos.)

Funny thing, the way it worked out. Scott is coming back from a broken hand so we're trying to baby him by looking for non-technical trails. But somehow we found ourselves over on the north side of the mountain and the desire for fun takes over and we end up riding SST and that new one at the end of that (Bonanza Connector?) which has some seriously silly drops and berms. But we all lived and I think even thrived.

Sunday, Mellow Johnny and I got out for another two-and-a-half hours. Great, great fun!

AIN'T NUTHIN' BUT A MUD THING

I'm certainly not complaing about this winter's riding weather--last year we rode in snow from November through March, it seemed--but this weekend was by far the muddiest. Had a huge Team Unattacked turnout for Saturday--five of us, Mellow Johnny, Titanium Cowboy, the Professor, GG Tri Guy and myself--for the 25 mile (or so) Lost Lake loop; Interurban Trail first.

One of those days in which, from the first pedal stroke, I know I'm not 100 percent but I did what I could. We'd planned on doing the Samish Loop into the heart of Chuckanut-Blanchard No Man's Land and return via Pine and Cedar lakes, but I whimped out. That big climb out of the Mud Lake hole a-frighted me, I was soaking wet (it had been spitting rain the whole time), and not to be one of those big phonys about it like everybody else is nowadays, but I think I was a little despressed about J.D. Salinger having just died and all. ("Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.")

Mud was crazy thick especially on the descent into Lost Lake, but you get to that point where you can't get any muddier or wetter and you're not freezing cold (yet) and you're having the time of your life with a great group of guys. And this is what keeps me coming back again and again and again. Three of us stopped for a cuppa at Woods Coffee at Boulevard Park on the way back where we scored the coveted outdoor fireplace seat. (That's me, the Professor, and Mellow Johnny.)

Sunday, I was feeling even worse at the start and came close to cancelling on Johnny Boy, but I fired up the single-speed and we headed up for a two-and-a-half hours on Galbraith. Tried some new downhill trail parallel to the Three Pigs; I wouldn't say that it was made for a rigid fork 29er but it was fun nonetheless. Muddy as heck though.

It's no mystery why I felt so crummy both days: these past two weeks I've been doing two-a-day run-bike intervals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Essentially, four interval workouts in three days.) Then riding long-ish back-to-back on weekends. Anyway, I think it caught up to me so my grand plan to take it easy this week. ("Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's a phony. I could puke every time I hear it.")

WORDS TO FOLLOW

Friday, took me sister down to the Skagit Flats area to see snow geese by the thousands. A couple bald eagles flew by and sent the geese skyward in a tizzy. (Whereupon various hunters, unfortunately, took aim and brought down a few. Seemed a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, if you know what I mean.)

Saw a couple dozen bald eagles too, including this regal eagle high above the banks of the Skagit River.

That was Friday; Saturday Mellow Johnny, the Titanium Cowboy and I rode together for the first time since TC broke his scaphoid in the late '50s--I mean, August. Took the Interurban up to Fragrance Lake Road to Burnout Road, which boasts the best Samish Bay-San Juan Islands viewpoint on Chuckanut Mountain. (Saw our trail angels Laura Todd and Val Thompson on the way up.)

Scott turned around here, John and I continued up where things get nasty--four really, really steep pitches, the last of which is unridable now because of some huge drainage ditch-culvert thingees that've been dug into the road. Walked our bikes that last bit then had the fun, screaming descent partway down So Easy before detouring over to the Dictionary, the Lost Lake Trail and back through Arroyo Park.

Sunday, Steve "Professor" Vanderstaay joined Mellow Johnny and I for a couple hours on Galbraith, me pretending I'm hard-core by riding the single-speed. Mega-fun. (In the afternoon, Clark and I saw the Cody Rivers Show which, again, was brilliant.)

Shot of Mount Baker from the Skagit Flats.

McQ's FAVORITE PHOTOS OF '09

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite photos 'n' memories from 2009.

Here's a primo campsite at the foot of Sahale Glacier in the middle of the North Cascades. Jim Robbins (now of Maine, dammit) and I went on an awesome hike there last August. To get there, head to Cascade Pass and just keep going. Up and up and up ...

The lovely Jen McQuaide snapped this photo just after I finished the Padden Mountain Bike duathlon. Perfect composition: she managed to get Team Unattacked's Titanium Cowboy and Mellow Johnny in there as well. (Not to mention my fringed cowboy shirt.)

John Clark (Mellow Johnny) rides the Little Summit Trail near the top of Mount Constitution on Orcas Island.

 

Cool shot taken by Baker McQuaide at the Bellingham Skatepark.

Some really cool guy racing the Padden Mountain Pedal just moments before his dang chain busted. Photo by http://www.adamleahyphotography.com/.

Scott "Titanium Cowboy" Young joined the 29er ranks this past year and, to noone's surprise, proved to be a fat-tire stud right off the bat.

Swans near sunset in the Skagit Valley.

 

Chiropractor nice guy Steve Noble ripping up a descent on Lower Bob's up at Galby, as the kids call it.

And lastly, the McQ family wishin' y'all a Happy 'n' Healty 2010!

TEAM UNATTACKED NEWS

This past Wednesday, Team Unattacked strongman Scott "Titanium Cowboy" Young underwent surgery on his broken scaphoid on his left hand. As you can see from the photo above, in which his hand bones resemble Chicken McNuggets, they put a screw in that big McNugget on the left. Always thinkin', Scott texted me that he made sure it has an Allen head so that he can use his bike tool to tighten it on rides if he has to. Get well soon, Scott!

Meanwhile, Mellow Johnny Boy Clark and I scouted out a locale for a future training camp. Yesterday, we went mountain biking on Orcas Island which, come Sept. 15, opens up about 20 more miles to the fat tire crowd. The trails are really nice--mostly wide and smooth with long, long descents (and climbs) and, on sunny days, probaby the most spectacular views around.

Above, John rides the Little Summit Trail, just below the top of Mount Constitution. That's Lummi Island, Bellingham (and Bellingham Bay) and Mount Baker in the distance. The weather and views were terrific and it felt like we had not only Moran State Park, but the whole island to ourselves. (Perhaps one of the few advantages of a tanking economy.) While John was shirking his responsibilities I was actually working, as this ride will be part of an upcoming story I'm writing for The Seattle Times. 

Riding Orcas Island reminded me of what a great place it is to run too. I'm considering running the Orcas Island 25K in February. (There's a 50K too for the John Clarks and Scott Youngs of the world.) Below, John and I strike a pose behind his Niner Air9. (I had my own bike, really I did.)

Sunday is the RunningShoes.com Duathlon in which I'm planning to ride (and push where necessary) my 29er single-speed. May wear my helmet too.

BLANCHARD MOUNTAIN BIKING

Please enjoy this video in which John Clark and Mike McQuaide mountain bike the myriad trails on Blanchard Mountain, just south of Bellingham. Vid starts out with spectacular vista from atop Oyster Dome which itself is atop the Bat Caves. (Song is "Is There a Ghost?" by Band of Horses.)

Lots of fun, especially on Max's Shortcut, and much challeng in the way of roots and rocks. Probably smart we rode it when it was relatively dry. Spent a fair amount of time off our bikes hiking when we couldn't ride the crazy-steep pitches to the two spectacular overlooks. (The one above the Bat Caves is perhaps the more impressive with views far into the San Juan Islands and across to the Olympics.)

Video ends with a message to the Titanium Cowboy (Scott Young) who, we learned yesterday, has a broken hand from that fall he took about a month ago. Ugh.

Good luck Sunday to all Ride/Run 542 (Mount Baker Hill Climb) participants!

RIDE TO ARTIST POINT

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, it seemed I pedaled the long and winding road to Artist Point just about every weekend. Here it is August and I just now made to the top for the first time in 2009. (Above, the Titanium Cowboy climbs the last stretch on what was his first Baker ascent ever.) I blame the 29er. And the Indie Series (www.indieseries.com), the last race of which is this Saturday in Greenwater, on the east side of Mount Rainier. I'll be there.

But back to the above. Last Sunday, Mellow Johnny Clark, Scott (T.C.) Young did the Glacier to Baker and back ride on another one of these spectacular summer days that we've been basking in since what seems like May. Those last 10 miles are a long, hard slog that never gets any easier no matter how many times I've ridden it. Still undecided about whether or not I'll do Ride 542 next month.