Mt Hood

My days of vacation are closing out. Back very soon. Though cannot wait to see my dog. I miss him. Yesterday we did a fabulous ride. It was a stage I had done in the Mt Hood stage race 3 yrs ago. Up to Lost Lake. Amazing roads. Super narrow - less than one normal lane, pines everywhere, orchards and wineries in all the distant views. These roads out here are similar to what I did in Europe many yrs ago. So narrow and winding and they kinda beat up - I LOVE them! It is just so spectacular - where bikes were meant to be ridden. This is the dilemna I face in NVA daily. I love to ride a bike - but there is few roads to ride - unless you drive out. It doesn't fuel my soul. My work does - thank goodness for this. Just getting into my athletes trials and training. But I do struggle daily with that part of my soul that needs to be fed, by narrow roads and wildlife and no cell signal and seeing ALL the stars. Not just 2 or 3. One day, after my work is done in NVA I will be in a place where I can see all the stars and feel the quietness of living where cell phones don't work. I am not anti technology - I love it as much as anyomne - but it is being able to shut it off. This is hard to do in NVA. Naturally I should say.

So the revisit to riding the roads to Lost lake, at a MUCH slower pace - was so nice. I actually felt good, which is kinda rare anymore (esp on climbs). I woulda used a 27 in spots but just "muscled it" as I tell riders to do. There is always a time and place for muscling it - one of these times is when you need a 27 but only have a 25. What is insane is that in all my yrs of racing, when I was fast, I never had more than a 23. I have NO idea how I did this. But all those yrs at Killington and Manyunck - well I remember Dede Demet/Barry having only a 21 so I felt like a wuss. With my 23. Like I said I like technology.

The day before we climbed Beacon Rock. Pierre is pictured with his neice Erica. Pierre was able to get together with all his family - all his siblings and parents. Wonderful, coz it has been a while since he has seen all of them. Me - I am just loving every sec of being in the wild west. And getting in some terrific bike rides. It is the most I have ridden my bike in any one week. Yeah!!

Today I am feeling kinda lazy - may be from the big breakfast I just ate. Last nite in Mt Hood was great! Another great brewery - Double Mountain - really laid back and live music. Oh yeah - forgot to mention this part - there was like 5 bands playing - where you walk to downtown and sensational music. We had a beer and delicious pizza, then went to check out more music. Ended up at The Pines which had 20 musicians who were tight - I did some dancing and man do I suck. I used to play music and have to find my guitar again. My body too used to riding a bike and I need some work - in dancing. Big time. But I decided I do have to either play the violin and/or guitar again. I love music too much to not. In Reston I don't know where to go to listen to live music. It is incredible to just walk one mile, see all the stars, have a beer and super pizza in a place that basically has no rules (Pierre said it was a place like your own home, which it was, where you have your friends over for a beer and pizza), dogs allowed everywhere, get up and have 4-5 bands playing and you can pic. Then walk home - I have to take a pic of these stairs (it is like 10 flights of stairs into one). Small town. WITH so much culture and creativity and people say hi and are kind. I always ask is this coz I am on vacation so my stress load much less?? I don't know. I know the athletes I work with are super cool and this is what I thrive on. This is 100% what keeps me in NVA. But after Nate, S Black, S Kendall sign a contract with Garmin, I may call it a chapter and open the next one. I need turn out some National Champions first and cyclocross pros - this the chapter I on now and I love it. Just seeing all the stars is magic, this cannot be denied.

Ciao. I am off to find some local apple pie - this is the purpose of my ride today. Mt Hood is fruit-ville. I cannot believe I am hungry already. All this vacationing makes me starving.