The trail

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’m wrapping up a few things at the house in preparation for the long drive north to one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It’s a place whose name defies the beauty it provides in March: Death Valley. Right now is the perfect time to ride 200 miles in Death Valley, California. Cyclists on Saturday will roll out in the dark, and the majority will finish in the dark. A double will do that to you before the official start of spring. For this particular ride, things feel just right in pairs. This is my second Double Century. I’ll be bring two bikes with two sets of wheels. It’s been two decades since I’ve been in this giant natural stadium of incredible scenery and wonder. I scanned dozens of photos last night, seeking a glimpse of what awaits riders’ eyes as they make their way around the course. A few digitally enhanced images stole my heart. They reinforced why riding a bike is fascinating: The views. From the roadside. From the mountaintop. Along the ocean shore. Up from the valley below. And deep inside the soul. Yours. Mine. Ours. It’s personal, shared, and exhilarating. Where does the path lead? We don’t always know. So, it requires us to improvise at times. To not simply go where the path may lead, but as Emerson said, to “go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Bike Path KOM WARNING: This post is about one of the stranger characters in the cycling world. I’ll call him Bike Path KOM. You know. The guy riding alone who lights it up on a 2% rise that goes…, oh about 100 meters. King of the Mountain! If you’re fortunate, you’ve never met...
No bad days When you think the world is going to you-know-what-in-a-handcart. When things seem dark. When negative thoughts fill your head, try to think of the positive. On a rides over 100 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing, it’s hilarious moments at which you realize how insignificant all the “noise” we perceive to be...
10 stages of double fun The Death Valley Double Century. A definite keeper. Do it, if you like doubles or enjoy the desert. Ride it, because it’s one-of-a-kind. The ride, for me, provided 10 stages of fun. Death Valley National Monument gives you everything, and more. If the moon had oxygen, a 200-mile ride up...
Less is more Ran the numbers tonight. Not bad. YTD mileage is nearly identical to 2009 — a tad under 3,000 miles, or closing in on 5,000 kilometers (counting missed mileage from Mt. Laguna Cycling Classic, Death Valley Double, Borrego Double Ordeal and a few in-town shorties). But one major change in the...
Mind games Ever struggle with training motivation? Me, too. I’ve been told the hardest part of any ride is the mere act of kitting up, clipping in and pedaling the first few revolutions. After that, it’s all gravy (organic, if available, thank you). But first, come the mind games (in a good...