June Bug

Rorschach test for mountain bikers...

From bikepacking.com: Bike packing loop in the national park, utilizing The River Road and 4-wheel drive roads. RIVER ROAD RAMBLE (BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK) Stats: 4 days, 168 miles, 90% unpaved, 100% rideable, 7,626' cumulative climbing; difficulty rating is 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

The Ranch at Cameron Park is a private mountain bike venue adjacent to the Cameron Park trails, and open to the public: Wild Wheels: Mountain bike course gains fans among daredevils, novices

Holter monitors* are getting easier and easier to use. When Mr. JB was dealing with arrhythmia and the doc was trying to sort it out, we had to stop at a pay phone in Burnet to replay the Holter monitor results over the phone after he had an episode. He did go to an electrophysiologist at St. David's, got the zotz on the misfiring cells in his heart, and has been fine since. When I had palpitations recently, they sent me home with three electrodes attached to a small receiving unit. Got it on a Friday and took the unit back to the doc on a Monday. They download all the data from the receiving unit. They send extra electrodes home with you so you can easily change to fresh ones. At some point this will probably all be done through an app on a smart phone and I suspect they are pretty close to that now. *A Holter monitor is a battery-operated portable device that measures and records your heart's activity (ECG) continuously for 24 to 48 hours or longer depending on the type of monitoring used. The device is the size of a small camera. It has wires with silver dollar-sized electrodes that attach to your skin.

mtbr.com has a review of various lumbar packs: Top 7 Best Hip Packs They included the Henty 3.0, which has some shoulder suspension, like a WingNut. The EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3L can carry a small bladder and two tall water bottles and looks promising. I like the voluminous side pockets. mtbr.com has more photos, and an extended review with video here. I may give it a try, if I can find one in a local store. Do any LBS' carry EVOC brand? I tried an Osprey lumbar pack and had to return it to REI; it just didn't sit right on my back.

Haywire Heart published by VeloPress:

A friend of ours (roadie) is a poster child for a life saved by CPR. He was on a group ride that started in south Austin and his roadside collapse was witnessed by an RN who pulled over and immediately began and maintained CPR until the ambulance arrived. The EMTs did not think he was going to make it, but he was revived by AED in the ambulance and again in the hospital and then had surgery/stents. He was in his early 70s when it happened, and was a super fit rider. He's doing fine and is back to riding quite a bit. His heart issues are genetic, but he did begin an anti-inflammatory diet and has done well on it. Many of us then took a Red Cross CPR course after that happened. I wouldn't mind a refresher. Me and the mister both had a full cardiac evaluations at 65 and 69 respectively. The cardiologist told me, "I'm not going to make any money on you!" Just had an evaluation for irregular heart beat but apparently "palpitations" are benign and in the normal range. Current cardiologist is Eric Tiblier at 38th and Lamar; highly recommended. I'm not afraid of heart attacks; strokes, on the other hand, scare the crap out of me.

The documentary The Bikes of Wrath is showing tonight (Sunday, April 21) at Violet Crown Cinema. The 7:30 showing is sold out, but there is a second screening at 8 pm. You'll have to buy tickets online. We saw The Bikes of Wrath last Monday evening, and I'd highly recommend it. It's a documentary made by five Australian mates who decide to follow the path of the family in the Grapes of Wrath, from Oklahoma to Bakersfield, CA.....on bicycles.

Thanks for this update. A big shout-out to the judge from note buying into the lawyer's request for "shock" probation. Here's a post on CBSAustin.com confirming his sentence:

"Bike trails should be closely monitored for signs of erosion" because who has ever heard of sustainable trail design? Maybe time for a social visit with a copy of the IMBA manual? Apparently Design Workshop didn't get the memo on Parks and Wildlife's interest in mountain bike trails at parks like Pedernales Falls.

Heart broken and feeling more than a little ill about this. Different circumstances, certainly, but I'm having flashbacks to the Tommy Ketterhagen murder -- I can't let myself call it a death -- and the minimal sentencing. And hitting someone from behind is NOT the same as not observing a 3-ft passing buffer.

No Hayduke back then! Times are a changin', though and Cortez seems a little more prosperous. Make no mistake, though, there are definitely some retrograde and Sovereign Citizen types still around, although many new people are moving in. My sense is that Dolores/Mancos/Cortez are in the process of being "discovered". When I left 20 years ago, the Californians were moving in here and there. Now it's retirees and younger people who can't afford Durango. All these communities are really pushing the mountain biking angle. For towns that depend on tourism, getting people to stay over for one more night, or any night, is a very big deal. Although just in the initial stages, there is a plan or a pedestrian/bike path from Cortez to the entrance to Mesa Verde NP on the south side of the highway, which would also provide access to Phil's World and the fair grounds. Recreational opportunities are amazing, there's a lake (McPhee Reservoir) and a golf course and housing prices, although high, are not yet stratospheric. It's nice for year around, because you can zip up into the mountains in the summer, and down into some amazing red rock country in McElmo Canyon just west of Cortez when it's on the cool side. I lived there for many years and was never clear on how the majority of people supported themselves. A surprising number of people commuted to Durango and Shiprock/Farmington for their jobs and I'm sure still do. There's no great internet, no diversified economy and it's prone to economic depression, but so beautiful.

Was this the Williamson County park that decided to favor development for equestrian trails and infrastructure and not allow mountain bikes?

Yes, that sounds right. Geer Trails are out in the sage brush. Awhile back a guy named Keith Evans bought 40 acres in that area and developed his own trail system on it. I *think* those trails connect to the Geer Trails. Will check it out when we are out that way this summer. Back in the day, Edward Abbey referred to Cortez as the "Shit head capital of Dipshit County, Colorado" as in extremely retrograde rather than progressive. There's still that element for sure, but Cortez has always been a tourist town (Mesa Verde National Park!) and they are now working hard to emphasize the recreational aspects of their location, especially mountain biking.

Small cell with heavy rain moving through the area right now. (8:46 am, Saturday). Last night, only misty/light rain.

Cortez is developing a nice little townie trail system on the north side of town called Geer Natural Area; I think it connects to other trails and the city has swapped some property on the west side to add another trailhead. You can get 9 miles of trail out of it. I have't ridden it but it sounds like the Cortez version of Walnut Creek. Geer Natural Area There's also an eccentric little bike shop in Dolores called Lizard Head Cyclery. It's a solo proprietor shop, where he tunes skis in winter and does bikes (builds them, repairs them, sells them and races them - road and mountain) in the summer, adores his two cats (who are always in the shop) and really, really likes guns and target shooting.

Probably 4" + in the Walnut Creek area.

I'll be happy to help out on Saturday and Sunday at race central with the merch tables, as in the past. Looks like people have already signed up for those spots. If so, I'll be glad to do other stuff, like *cough* course marshal. And YES, we'd like a trailer slot at the developed camp loop if any are still open! Please let me know.

Too funny! I'm assuming a Harry Reems subtext? The adventures of his (Payson's) mustache will have it's own webpage soon. Or maybe it's his bike (Trek 'Stache). https://www.paysonmcelveen.com/the-adventure-stache

Payson McElveen has set a new record time on White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park. It's actually the White Rim Road, a bladed dirt road near Moab, ridden by tons of normal human mountain bikers as a 3-day tour. Payson's new record is 5:45:16. From Pinkbike: Payson McElveen Crushes the 100 Mile White Rim Record (keep scrolling down for some great photos). Payson grew up in Austin, and then went off to Durango to Fort Lewis College and is now a pro racer.

Harbor Freight is having a sale. The flyer also has a 20% off coupon, good through the end of April. The US General tool chests are on sale from $159 and on up to a 44" x 22" double bank tool chest on sale for $449. Santa went to Harbor Freight and bought one for Crusty for Christmas 2017. The drawers pull out and close smoothly; it's sturdy and very handy and has casters, so you can roll it around. Some assembly is required. Santa looked at a lot of tool chests (Sears and a few others) and the US General were cheaper, better made and sturdier. Just go to harborfreight.com and put "US General tool chest" in the search bar and it will bring up all the tool chests on sale. You can get catalogs and the 20% off coupon on line.

Tinker is 58 and apparently focuses on marathon distance races now.

Ned will never be dead. He has never stopped riding and racing; CX, fat bike, mountain bike and now gravel have all been in the mix, and maybe did triathlons for awhile (can't remember). Also, there is the eponymous Overend Mountain Park trail in Durango. His birthday is August 20 and should be celebrated by the tribe. Add it to your calendar.

wingnutgear.com/shop The original pack de derriere with shoulder straps. I though they had faded away, but they have a current web site with numerous iterations of the Low Rider System.

Yes, exactly. A popular trail heavily used by mtn bikers and walkers -- a wonderful resource created by volunteer labor. To imply that the public "wasn't reimbursed" is pretty damned galling.