Tea and Weight Loss

For many of us, spring is equated with weight loss. It is time to get rid of that winter weight, but how?

In theory, it is an easy concept: burn more calories than you take in. Putting this into practice is a different story, however. Our metabolisms are as individual as we are. Our physical compositions – muscle versus fat, endocrine function, and sex are just a few of the many factors that can affect weight loss. Sometimes, we just need to examine our lives to see what works for us.

Throughout our lives, we have heard that we should drink eight glasses of water per day. This amount changes from study to study and when considered with other foods, such as juice and milk. Getting plenty of fluids is the one rule of weight loss that seems to be what everyone can agree on. I inadvertently put this rule into practice this last month. I’ve always drank a lot of water when working out. Hard exercise makes me crave water. However, I can’t stand water when I’m sick and my throat is sore. Water makes it feel raw. I had the displeasure of working around this problem earlier this month when I had tonsillitis, and again this week with a bad cold complete with sinus problems.

Tonsillitis: Blessing In Disguise?

I spent six days resting and drinking plenty of fluids during my first and only bout of tonsillitis. I had a sore throat from day one and went to the store to buy a variety of herbal teas to ease the pain. For a week, I rested and drank tea all day. I drank at least six to ten glasses per day and my appetite lessened due to the pain. For two days, my diet consisted of soup (no solid food) and a little ice cream. After those two days, I began eating solid food out of desperation, but my throat was still sore. I chewed my food more thoroughly than I ever have and I had to prepare myself to swallow, since swallowing saliva alone was even painful. I lost five pounds that week – and kept it off.


Drinking different herbal teas may help alleviate or shorten cold symptoms. It is a great way to get the fluids necessary for fighting illness.

One Doozy of a Cold Virus
I got a slight sore throat the day after Easter. It turned into a horrible cold by Wednesday. I’m still fighting this cold and I’m fighting it with tea, once again. Unlike with the tonsillitis, I am eating solid food, and loving it. My diet consists of yogurt with fruit; spaghetti topped with pesto, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese; salads with homemade dressing; eggs (it is the week of Easter); and dark chocolate. I’ve lost three pounds so far this week, and that is without exercise. The only thing I can think of, other than eating well, is the tea. I’m drinking a lot of tea throughout the day while getting plenty of rest.

Tea and Weight Loss

There are studies showing that various types of tea are linked with weight loss, and some studies discrediting the aforementioned studies. My theory is based on personal experience: instead of searching my kitchen for in-between-meal goodies, I am filling up my tea cup and mindlessly sipping it in front of the TV. We’ve all heard that mindless munching in front of the television causes increased caloric intake. However, mindless tea-sipping is calorie free. Rather than loading on the calories, it is a major source of water. If you drink herbal teas, like I do, it may also ease your sore throat, boost your immune system with echinacea, or ease you into bedtime with calming chamomile.

Incorporating It into Your Day

If you are like me, you have a tendency towards laziness. If something is not convenient, you won’t do it. Warming up a glass of water in the microwave each time you want tea can be that extra step you don’t really want to deal with, especially when you do it about eight times a day. I’ve simplified this so that I also have hot water waiting for me. I run hot water through my coffee pot and let the burner keep the water hot as I drink through a few tea bags.


If you don’t have a tea kettle, a coffee pot is a great way to quickly warm up enough water for several cups of tea.

Eco-friendly note: In an attempt to be more eco-friendly, I am going to start pouring the water into an insulated carafe and unplug the coffee pot to save energy.

Successful weight loss is easier by making one change at a time. Fluid intake is extremely important to weight loss and drinking tea is a great way to increase it.

2008 Goals

The sky is blue, the pines are green, the snow is still here. To those inexperienced with life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, one might think it is still winter. Look closer, and one will see that it is over 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the snow is sliding off the roof.


A good sign of the spring thaw, icicles forming as the snow melts off of the roof.

Many of us have already started riding. All we need is a cleared off road and sunny sky to motivate us. With spring in the air, many of us are thinking about the dreaded “T” word - training. Ok, this early in the year, most of us are enthusiastic about the “T” word, and we’re very much looking forward to it.

This is the time of the year when we map out our goals and decide how we are going to meet them. I had already verbalized my goals for 2008 by the end of last year’s cyclocross season. I started out with the bigger goals, then I moved onto the little goals that will help me get there.

My Cycling Goals For 2008

• Podium finishes for all my races in my age group; first place age group finishes for the Keweenaw Chain Drive, Great Deer Chase, and Fat Tire Festival
• Lose fifteen pounds
• Become a stronger climber
• Use the bicycle as my primary mode of transportation
• Include cross-training to balance it all out

Race Finishes

I had podium finishes for all of my races last year except for Ore to Shore, when I took seventh. It is difficult to improve when your goals are the same as your results from the previous year, so instead of stating “I want a podium finish for all of my races,” I raised the bar to achieve first place in all the races I previously placed in. Realistically, I may not achieve the second part of this goal this year, so it’s a great goal to carry over to next year. I am certainly off to a good start.

Lose Weight

Last year, my goal was to lose twenty pounds, and I did it! I gained five back after about a week, and I gained ten more while on antibiotics this winter. I’ve lost the antibiotic weight already, so I’m still down fifteen pounds. In a nutshell, I am at my 2007 cycling weight.

My goal for 2008 is to lose an additional fifteen pounds. My goal was originally twenty pounds, but I feel fifteen is a much more realistic weight loss goal. I currently weigh 170 pounds, and my body loves this weight. Fifteen pounds would bring me down to 155, a weight I haven’t been for over ten years.

Losing this excess weight will do a lot for my cycling. This has been my greatest motivator. I’ve found that putting in at least eight hours a week on the bike helps me to easily achieve weight loss.

Become a Stronger Climber

Most places are fairly flat with some hills thrown in. The Keweenaw is the opposite: many hills with a few flats here and there. It is difficult to find a flat section of road to train on. For this reason, most of the cyclists in my area are very good. Even the mediocre cyclists are good by other people’s standards. We get a hill workout every time we ride. How we use those hills is what separates us.

This year, I plan to tackle the most difficult hills with enthusiasm and gratitude.

Commute

With rising gas prices and my goals of become a better, stronger rider, it makes perfectly good sense to ride my bike to work (6 miles) and school (11 miles). School will automatically give me four twenty-two mile road rides per week. With careful planning, I may lengthen that commute a couple times a week.


Even though there is still snow on the ground, the weather is warmer and some have already begun riding to work and school.

Balance My Training Regimen

Cycling alone can help you achieve a muscle imbalance thus setting you up for injury. This winter, I began incorporating a regular yoga routine along with weight training into my week. The yoga promotes muscle balance by maintaining flexibility while minimizing the possibility of pain and injury. I began an upper body weight training program to strengthen the muscles that tighten the most while cycling. I figure that a stronger upper body would minimize the muscle-tightening that is throwing my body out of alignment, because the added strength would minimize the stress (this is my own theory). It also makes climbing easier.

That’s a lot!

It may seem like I have a lot of goals for 2008. However, I really only have one pinnacle goal, while the remaining goals serve as the plan for achieving that goal. It is much easier to achieve the bigger goal in little steps. The best part? I’m making positive lifestyle changes that will benefit me not only physically, but financially as well.

Beer for Mountain Bikers

Just like the priest, the minister, and the rabbi, the mountain biker could have a joke of his/her own. A mountain biker walks into a bar . . .

Mountain biking and beer are almost synonymous. Perhaps that’s why the sport suits me so well. Many microbreweries and not-so-microbreweries sponsor mountain biking teams. Mountain bikers usually congregate at the end of a race, heck, the end of almost any ride, to have a round or two of beers.

Alcohol has had a bad rap. Many have abused this substance and allowed it to destroy their lives. As a result, many look at beer as an evil substance that no one should be allowed to imbibe.


Beer has many positive health effects when taken in moderation.

Unfortunately, the people who abhor beer for the actions of those who abuse it don’t realize that many more people benefit from the positive effects of beer. Beer may contribute to:

• bone density
• reduce the risk of heart and other cardiovascular disease
• increase HDL cholesterol
• lower insulin resistance

On the flip side, excess beer consumption, like any other food source, can lead to excess calorie consumption, which leads to weight gain. This can lead to heart disease and diabetes.

Overall, beer does not contribute to negative effects when used in moderation.

Moderation is key.

Please refer to the following resources for more information:
The Benefits on Modern Beer Consumption
The Buzz On Beer’s Health Benefits

NOTE: Beer is good for roadies, too!

Dressing for Cold Weather Rides

Cyclists like me are anticipating the warmer weather and are already hopping on our bikes for what we like to call training and commuting, but the truth is, we want to play. The minor challenge presented to us is this little thing called the weather. It continues to snow throughout most of my state. One day, the top layer of snow melts in the sunlight on a breezy 40 degree (Fahrenheit) day. The next, there is a wind chill of 9 degrees and there is a fresh four-inch layer of snow covering the ground.

I read a guideline in a forum that I feel is a good rule of thumb: don’t ride if it feels like it is below ten degrees. Personally, I don’t feel like riding if it is that cold. Pay attention to wind chill as that will greatly affect how it will feel outside. It can be 15 degrees but can feel like five with a wind. For the days that are suitable for riding, it is important to find the right clothes. After you’ve done that, your ride will feel just fine. You may even break a sweat.

Luckily for me, I live in an area where Nordic skiing is the norm. I didn’t have to buy additional clothing for winter riding. All I had to do was look at my ski stash.

Everyone has a different idea of what works. I’m willing to bet it’s because we own different things. Therefore, I will share with you what works for me. Since I live in a little peninsula surrounded by Lake Superior, you may find that my opinion is worth noting.

Method Behind the Madness

The first rule of thumb for winter riding is layering. The layers should be slightly loose to allow heat from your body to settle between the layers creating warm air pockets. These pockets are what will keep you warm. Add another layer, create another pocket. If it’s too warm, get rid of a pocket by removing a layer.

The second rule of thumb is the type of material used. Cotton will soak up sweat causing your clothes to become wet creating the perfect environment for hypothermia. Breathable clothing has become quite popular over the last ten years. I’m sure you’ve heard of COOLMAX®, Nike Dri-FIT, Columbia Omni-Dry®, and Patagonia Capilene just to name a few. These fabrics are all designed to wick moisture away from the skin to the surface of the garment to promote evaporation of sweat. This keeps you dry. All of these companies produce quality clothing. It is up to you to find the brand that fits you best. Just make sure the label says breathable.

Check out the plethora of sports equipment web sites out there and you’ll find that these fabrics are used to produce garments that are intended for use as different layers, for example: base layer and shell.

Keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Unless you are buying clearance, which I highly recommend, you’ll find that breathable clothing is usually quite expensive. Now consider this: I’ve been using most of my winter cycling wardrobe for over four years, for different sports, and quite religiously in the winter. With the exception of the reflection material slowly peeling off of my ski tights, everything is holding up well. All the stitching is top notch and there are no holes. The best part is that most of these garments are stretchable for maximum comfort and they will fit you well through quite a weight range . . . just in case you’re planning to lose weight.

The last thing to note about breathable fabrics, and the most important, is care. Breathable fabrics should be washed in cool water without fabric softener and should be hung to dry. Keep in mind that these are polyester fabrics. Plastic can melt in the dryer. Melting clogs the pores of the fabric rendering it useless in the breathable category. Fabric softener also clogs the pores of these fabrics rendering them useless, however, this can remedied simply by rewashing the fabric.

The Layers

Unless you’re a man who needs little support, this first part pertains only to women. The layers are only as good as the base layer. For women, that base layer begins with the sport bra. There is an abundance of sport bras out there waiting for you to buy them. However, not all sports bras are created equal. Aside from finding the one that fits you best, make absolutely sure it is made of a breathable fabric. The other layers can’t wick if the sweat stops at your bra. Underwear could be an issue, but we’re all cyclists. We don’t wear underwear. If you don’t wear a cycling short with a chamois, then you may want to consider buying breathable undies as well.


Clockwise from top: 1 – Nike Dri-FIT cycling jersey; 2 – Columbia Titanium base layer; 3 – Pearl Izumi ski jacket; 4 – Columbia Titanium wind jacket; 5 – Pearl Izumi ski pants; 6 – Nike cycling shorts.

I like to start out with a base layer. I currently use the Columbia Titanium layer shown in the picture above (2), or a blue Patagonia Capilene base layer that I like equally as much. Throwing a cycling jersey (1) over it allows use of the rear pockets while helping to keep the torso warmer. I wear these two layers on most spring rides in temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to the upper 50s. In the 50s and low 60s, I may use a light wind jacket (not pictured) for really breezy days. If it is in the lower 40s and below, I will throw on my Pearl Izumi ski jacket (3) or my Columbia Titanium wind jacket (4) depending on the type of weather. If it’s cold enough, I’ll wear both. It’s better to have too many layers because you can always take them off and throw them in your tool bag or CamelBak.

The legs are much easier to work with. In colder weather, it is very important to keep the knees covered. I wear ski pants (5) over a traditional cycling short (6) through the 50s and in the 60s if there is a cold wind.


This outfit is perfect for mild spring and fall weather that is above 50 degrees. The cycling shorts and ski pants are worn in the wintertime as well.

Accessories are equally as important as all the layers you wear on your body. Without the accessories, your ride could become miserable because your toes are numb or sand from the road is blown up into your eyes.


1 - Trek Interval WSD Sport helmet; 2 – Mountain Hardwear Gore Windstopper Dome; 3 - Kona gloves; 4 – Dakine inserts (came with Dakine Women’s Camino gloves); 5 – Swix Women’s Cross Gloves; 6 – Columbia neck gator; 7 – Optic Nerve sunglasses; 8 – Nike mountain biking shoes; 9 – Planet Bike wool socks; 10 – Wigwam Ingenius ski socks.

In Trek’s helmet owner’s manual, it specifically states that hats should not be worn under the helmet to ensure proper fit. In reality, if you don’t wear a hat during part of the year, your ears will fall off. I use either a headband or a snug-fitting cap like my Mountain Hardwear hat (shown above, 2). You will need to readjust your helmet when fitting it over a hat or headband. Make sure it has a snug fit. I know people who have gone down on the ice and hit their heads. If you experience a fall like this, it will be one of the hardest falls you will encounter as a cyclist, and you will be grateful you were wearing a helmet after the pain the rest of your body experiences. Don’t be afraid to readjust your helmet midway through the ride.

Gloves are an area of debate on some mountain biking forums. I usually wear my ski gloves (5) and they do a great job keeping my hands warm while riding. Recently, I couldn’t find them and chose to wear my Dakine inserts under my mountain biking gloves (4 and 3 respectively). Due to layering, I can see how the second choice can be warmer than the first, but the difference is negligible. If you’re looking for a single pair of gloves for winter riding, Swix makes a perfectly adequate cross country ski glove. I’ve laughingly heard others say, “yeah, but bikers travel faster than skiers.” That may be so, but cross country skiers are also found on the trails in below zero weather wearing those very same gloves.

Riding is not fun when your face is freezing. For skiing and for biking, the odds are good that you will find me wearing my neck gator (6). Sometimes I keep it around my neck, sometimes covering my face, and many times I move it back and forth. It has made what could have been the most unbearable ride into a perfectly enjoyable ride.

One of my bike shop guys says, “Glasses are the second most important piece of safety equipment.” I agree. As a mountain biker, I wear glasses to keep bugs, dirt, and tree branches out of my eyes. Having mud or sand flung up into my eyes and sticking to my contacts isn’t exactly my idea of a good time. I always bring my glasses with me (7). I prefer the clear lenses, but the amber lenses are ideal for sunny days. They’ve offered protection from the wind and the sand on my road rides.

I don’t have the fortune of owning winter specific cycling shoes or neoprene booties to put over them. I wear my regular cycling shoes with packaging tape (8) over the vents to help keep the wind away from my toes. I always wear two pairs of socks for that layering effect – cycling socks or something similar (9) over ski socks (10).

When you step back and look at all the gear you need to keep comfortable during a winter ride, it seems like a lot of stuff. It is. However, all this stuff will make your ride much more comfortable and enjoyable so you, too, can join the rest of us nutcases out there on those cold, slushy roads.

The Acne Cure

“How many of you wear makeup while riding?”

I’ve seen this question asked twice on cycling forums. Some of the die-hard feminists scoff at those who do wear makeup while riding. Some have a somewhat valid excuse: they put it on for work.

While people respect my reason for wearing makeup while riding, it is not valid to the die-hards. I have acne. I’ve had horrible acne since I was about fifteen years old. I’ve tried a lot of different things. Just when I thought I had it under control, I found I didn’t really. It probably has something to do with the timing. I probably tried new products just after my favorite time of the month, and the flare-ups would happen just beforehand. I would have a window of about two weeks of peace. In reality, this peace probably had more to do with my hormone levels than the skincare products I was using. Last October, I counted eighteen new blemishes. It was horrifying! I had a mountain range running from the valley of my cheek to the plateau of my chin.


Evidence from my fight with acne lingers on my cheeks. Six months ago, these scars were large, painful blemishes.

I can only imagine how much I’ve spent on facial products. I’ve tried different cleansers, gels, creams, moisturizers, toners, wipes, pore strips, and masks. Averaging about $5 a product, it really adds up. Acne is like obesity, it is a major money-maker for those producing these miracle products.

The only thing I did not try is Proactiv. I have a very good reason for it. One cannot buy it in stores. I won’t do business with a company that won’t allow me the satisfaction of the best part of buying something: shopping therapy. The act of going into the store, grabbing something off of the shelf, purchasing it, and taking it home is a wonderful occurrence for people all over the world, and Proactiv will not allow us that satisfaction with its product. That’s not to say that I don’t occasionally shop online, but I prefer going to the store, especially for medicinal products. My other reason is that it uses the same main ingredient that every other product does. I know people who swear by it, but I’m tired of paying a lot of money for an extra step in my morning routine.

There have been many casualties in my fight against acne. I’ve lost many shirts. Many of the creams will bleach clothing. You won’t notice it right away. It is usually after washing that you’ll notice a white splotch on your shirt where your chin touched your shoulder when you turned your head.

I was fighting asthma and sinus congestion for over two years. I read about doing different detoxes in one of my mother’s books and how they could restore your health and get rid of conditions such as my chronic cough. While perusing through the selection of tea at the local co-op, I came across the Celestial Seasoning’s Detox A.M. Tea. I remembered what I read and decided to try it. What could it hurt?

I had an interesting reaction the first day I drank the tea. As the day progressed, I found myself becoming fatigued and acquiring a headache. The symptoms subsided by the next day when I drank another cup. I had no symptoms the second day. I decided to keep drinking it for a couple weeks to see if it would have any positive affects on me. The result was pleasantly surprising. My face was clearing up!


Celestial Seasoning’s Detox A.M. Tea cleared my skin of painful acne.

The theory behind the tea is how it affects the liver. While the FDA has not approved any health claims to herbal remedies such as this (if you’re like me, the FDA’s word is no good to you, anyway), the detox tea clears toxins out of the overtaxed liver. The theory is that the liver is so busy detoxifying the blood of the toxins we are constantly taking in that it doesn’t have time to properly detoxify itself – it gets overloaded with detoxification. As a result, the skin, another organ that excretes wastes, exhibits this process in the form of acne.

I started using the Detox A.M. in January and saw results within the first two weeks, unlike the over the counter products that require about three months for results. I may get a couple of very small blemishes each month, but it’s nothing like the large, painful and numerous blemishes I was getting beforehand. I enjoy a cup of this tea almost every morning before breakfast. Unlike the creams, the tea tastes good and is part of something I have to do anyway: drink. This is the best skincare regimen I’ve ever had.

I am waiting for the scarring to resolve, and this process takes a while, so I will continue to conceal the scars with makeup. Yes, I wear makeup when I ride, but I hope that this will no longer be necessary in the near future.

Cycling + Pain + Yoga = Happy Cyclist

Many cyclists like to spend at least a couple hours on their bikes several times a week. It’s fun, and improvements are quite evident as the days pass by. Some cyclists will ride five or six times a week and include a seven or eight-hour ride.

If you’re like me, you’ll find that you can put your time in on the bike, mostly because you can't get yourself to stop because it’s just too much fun. I like to ride, and nothing is going to stop me as along as I’m able, even a few aches and pains. I do realize, however, that I need to address these aches and pains if I want to keep riding for years to come.

I’ve had pain from my ankles to my neck. Knee pain and sciatica are no strangers to me. I know the relief that certain movements of my neck will bring as a pop sounds. I love my chiropractor. I also know that these pains should not be occurring and I’ve learned what my ailments are caused by. My lower back muscles and IT band on my right side are tight, much tighter than the left. This muscle imbalance is the source of my aches and pains mostly by causing my spine to be pulled out of alignment. This causes the need for the chiropractic care that has become so important to me. I always ask my chiropractor and massage therapists what I can do to alleviate my symptoms. Stretches are always the answer.

The following routine is a series of yoga poses I do on a daily basis, sometimes twice a day, to promote flexibility and muscle balance. I provided links from a trusted source with pictures and descriptions for the poses that could be found. I’ve found the order listed to be the most beneficial.

* Wide-legged forward bend - For this pose, I like to do a variation resting my hands on the floor in front of me. After my muscles have relaxed, I'll vary it further by placing my hands on a two-foot high table in front of me to stretch out my upper back.
* Standing half forward bend or the Standing forward bend. I usually slowly move into the latter as my muscles relax.
* Bent-legged lying twists – Lie on your back, bend your knees and bring your legs toward your chest like you are sitting in a chair. Lower them to the right side and rest, allowing for a long stretch. Repeat to the other side.
* Straight-legged lying twist – Lie on your back with your legs extended in front of you, feet up in the air. Lift your hips and move them to the left a little (scootch your butt to the left), lower your legs to the right and rest for a while. Flex your feet to feel a deeper stretch along the IT band and knee. Repeat to the other side.


Straight-legged lying twist.

* Triangle pose
* Half lord of the fishes pose

These poses have done wonders for my back, and they feel incredibly good while I'm doing them. They help bring balance and allow my spine to fall closer into place.

I find stretching to be necessary after riding. I’ll do the above routine along with the following poses:

* Hero pose
* Cow face pose

These yoga poses don’t need to be done in a quiet room with a mat for the total yoga experience in order to be beneficial. Sometimes I do it in quiet, sometimes I do it in front of the television. The important thing is that these poses are done regularly. Do not stretch to the point of pain. These poses should be comfortable. They should feel good as you maintain a mild stretch.

Exercise is not without its risks and this or any other exercise program may result in injury. To reduce the risk of injury in your case, consult your doctor before beginning this exercise program. The instructor and advice presented are in no way intended as a substitute for medical consultation, the instructor disclaims any liability from and in connection with this program. As with any exercise program, if at any point during your workout you begin to feel faint, dizzy, or have physical discomfort, you should stop immediately and consult a physician.

Cycling and Spirituality

Cycling is unique from other non-motorized sports in that it offers us varied challenges at different speeds. Many of us find ourselves rolling at speeds that sometimes make us a little nervous. It’s not every day that the majority of us ride 35 mph on the road.

Hopefully, all cyclists have the fortune of taking in an extraordinary view at some point in their ride. To feel the sun suddenly warm one’s body on a cool day is divine. Some cyclists have the fortune of feeling God as they view his creation from a perspective they would not ordinarily have had they not gotten on their bike in the first place.


View along the shoreline of Lake Superior at McLain State Park, Hancock, MI, Spring 2007. The Keweenaw is full of natural beauty that brings excitement to many cyclists.

Cycling can be conducive to prayer; not the kind of prayer where you sit down, fold your hands together, and utter some words, no, but to the kind of prayer that lifts your spirit up and causes you to randomly give thanks for the world around you, the kind of prayer that strikes you with awe. That is to feel God.

He is Risen!

Happy Easter! Today is the earliest Easter most of us will ever experience. The earliest Easter can ever be is March 22 and the latest is April 25. The next time Easter will be on March 22 will be 2285! I’m willing to bet that most of us will have passed on by then.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend and continue to enjoy the Easter season. Easter lasts 50 days. Many cyclists in the northern hemisphere, whether they believe in God and celebrate Easter or not, view the Easter season – the bulk of spring – as the time to break out the bike and start riding. The days are getting longer and everything is preparing for rebirth. Soon, the trees will begin sprouting their leaves, weeds will flourish, and cyclists will be hitting the roads and the trails in all their glory. Many of us realize that the squirrels never went away, so they are not a sign of spring. They are a sign that they have been there all this time making those scratching noises on your roof.


Altar at St. Albert the Great, Houghton, Michigan, USA. The Easter Vigil Mass is to begin sometime after dark and end before sunrise. It is to take place at night. The lights are out when the mass begins.

As a Catholic, I had the pleasure of celebrating Mass on Holy Thursday, service on Good Friday, the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, and the Easter Sunday Mass. It isn’t just a lot of church. The four days unfold the death and resurrection of Christ. It is four days of worship, reflection, enlightenment, and the gift of the spiritual family – those who are not of blood relation, but who are there to offer love and support when needed, and to share in joy when life is going well. I felt a strong sense of community at my church this weekend.


The Mass begins at the site of a fire. In our church, it was in the basement by the fireplace. It is traditional to start outside, weather permitting. Everyone is given a candle and the congregation processes into the church.

I told Father Larry last night, after the Easter Vigil, that things went so naturally. That is a special way of putting it. You see, there are so many events taking place during the Easter Vigil Mass that are not commonplace for any other Masses of the year. There is a lot of preparation and practice beforehand. Things didn’t just go well last night; they flowed. We sang, prayed, laughed, and even had an ice cream social at midnight. It was the very example of what God wants for communal prayer, for the Mass. It is about people coming together and sharing in God’s love.


The Liturgy of the Word is done by candlelight. Afterwards, the church lights are turned on and the candles are extinguished.

I haven’t been a kid for quite some while, now, but I still like to color eggs and put together an Easter basket. I love tradition, which is one of the reasons why Catholicism suits me so well, and I will never think that anyone is ever too old for the Easter bunny, even if he is your alter ego.

I came home from church last night and broke out the egg coloring kit. I sleepily went about the coloring process while dreaming of slumbering in my room. It was worth it, though, to wake up to the colorful, friendly little eggs peering at me out of their basket.


How do you feel about eggs staring at you? They’re laughing at you . . .

The Easter bunny stuffed my basket full of Dove dark chocolates and caramel-filled milk chocolates along with some eggs and jelly beans. It’s the perfect basket fit for an adult!


An Easter basket fit for an adult.

Spring Cyclocross?

What do you do if it's not road season or mountain biking season, but ski season? What do you do if you want to ride? Well, ride!

Today, my friend, Pat, and I took our cyclocross bikes out for a road ride. We stopped off at McLain State Park and road some snow and enjoyed the view.


Di riding with her Kona Jake the Snake and Pat's Redline cross bikes. Lake Superior is covered with snow in the background with deep blue waters in the greater depths.

After a brief stint at McLain, we headed up Calumet Water Works Road for a much needed spring climb. It is a two mile gradual climb with some varying grades and no descents. Pat and I made it to the top in good form. This is a great road to ride down on a hot day. There is usually a breeze coming off of Lake Superior, and the view is absolutely spectacular!


The road to the right is Calumet Water Works and M-203 is to the left. You can see Lake Superior on the horizon of both roads. Pat is riding up M-203.

We returned to McLain State Park via M-203, a nice, rolling ride. I drafted Pat and had a nice ride all the way down as Pat broke the wind for me. Once we got to McClain, he veered off the road onto the trail that is packed with ski tracks. "What are you doing? You're crazy!" I said as I pondered turning my bike around to follow him.

"What? It's rideable. Come on." I directed my bike off the pavement and onto the snow trail. Ever hear of crust skiing? It's when skate skiers enjoy the crusty, springtime snow and can skate in fields rather than rolled trails without sinking. Well, this was crust cycling.


Pat riding the McLain State Park trail. We were riding on a trail packed with about one to two feet of snow. Still, it's easier than riding through the sandy cyclocross courses in the UP.

We hit the pavement again and headed for Waasa Road. The special thing about Waasa is the super steep hill where it meets M-203. It's one hell of a climb. I tackled it in my uncle gear - that's what I call the easiest gear on my cross bike that isn't nearly as easy as the granny gear on my mountain bike. It was an incredible challenge for me. I've made it up once before. I huffed and puffed and pulled back on the handlebars with each pedal stroke using my whole body to muscle up the hill. As I was huffing and puffing and at my max and using all the brainpower I could to get to the top of that hill, I was watching Pat bunny hopping, trackstanding, and doing wheelies as he slowly climbed with me.

"That wasn't so bad," Pat said as we reached the top of the hill.

"Ya, sure," I said. "I'm huffing and puffing and giving it all I've got and you're bunny hopping up the hill!" Pat let out a jovial laugh. He loves laughing at my pain. I wish you could've seen it.

After that climb, we geared down and took an easy ride back to my house. Twenty-six and a half miles in just under three hours. The weather was wonderful in the heat-strokish 30s Fahrenheit and we were in our glory as the sun beat down on us. It was just another day in the Keweenaw.

Good Friday

It’s an absolutely beautiful day in the Keweenaw! The sun is shining brightly and the temperatures are toasty – in the upper 20s Fahrenheit.

Today is also a very special day: Good Friday. Today is a day of worship, and I am spending the majority of it as such. The world over, Christians mediate on the Passion of Christ (John 18:1–19:42).


There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

My First Week of Bicycle Commuting

This was my first week bicycle commuting. It’s still winter time in the Upper Peninsula. There is about twenty inches of snow lingering in my yard. This is after several days of melting and minimal snowfall in between. Our roads are full of stamp sand and some icy spots. The night after a snowfall, there is no sidewalk to ride on along M41. I can’t ride those days. It’s too dangerous with the high volume of traffic along this highway, and I must ride two small sections of 41.

Monday followed a long weekend of meltdown. I prepped the cyclocross bike and filled my backpack with a change of clothes, a notebook, and a calculator. I wasn’t toting my college textbooks along. I set out for my first commute. It took me a chilly 65 minutes to reach Michigan Tech. The first six miles of my ride is a long, gradual uphill with a couple of quick downhills. It’s hard work. The last five miles consist of a sharp, four-mile downhill followed by some generally flat riding. Now, imagine that in reverse. My return trip also took 65 minutes. Either way, I’m getting one heck of a hill workout!

I could not ride Tuesday or Wednesday. The roads were covered in snow, as were the sidewalks, and my road wasn’t even plowed! Today, I was able to ride again. This time, I rode a 6.4 mile trip to work. It’s the first six miles of my school commute. You get the idea. The return trip would have been a blast, but I was heading for a strong wind coming off of Lake Superior. Wind is ok – if it’s a hot summer day. Today, it was 30 degrees. The upside? I got to ride my bike.

I am very much looking forward to commuting regularly to school and work. I love rolling along, and using the bike for transportation gives it more of a purpose than just staring at asphalt and a yellow line. Even though I'm riding when I can, I am finding myself longing for the warmth of the summer sun.

Bike Culture vs. Bike Advocacy

As a member of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, the concept of bicycle advocacy is in my face every day. I’m an active member on the MMBA forums and I’ve learned a lot about bike culture from them. As a blogger, I picked up the term bike culture from one of my favorite blogs: Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

As an advocate of bike culture in a country where the automobile rules and some drivers purposely try to injure cyclists, some successfully do, I was quite unhappy to view some of the comments from Americans in the following thread: Take Back the Bike Culture! Some of the commentaries seem to truly be anti-spandex. They hate their fellow cyclists who don cycling clothes for a training ride or a ride through the woods and place blame on them for whatever and wherever.

I think what fascinates me about Bike Culture is that it is culture. It is not innate. It is learned. It differs from region to region and is influenced by what is readily available to the citizens of any given area. In the United States, our urban bike culture isn’t as rich as it is in cities such as Copenhagen. It’s not about style. Bikes are toys. Some of are desperately searching for ways to turn bikes into transportation while allowing us to look normal.

The fashionable urban cyclists and spandex-clad sport cyclists need to quit bickering and realize that they need each other. We are all cyclists and we all want to be treated as we should by drivers. Fighting amongst ourselves divides us and makes us a weaker advocacy group. Sure, there will be differences among us, but no group is in complete agreement. If we can’t learn to share the roads with each other, how can we expect automobiles to share them with us?

BikeStyle

You may have noticed the BIKESTYLE links to the right. I’ve decided to link to a few web sites that promote cycling as part of the everyday lifestyle.

In the winter of 2006, I had the great pleasure of moving to a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It most certainly is not a small town by UP standards, but it is tiny by everyone else’s, even though, between the two cities on either side of the canal, we do have two universities and a hospital. I’m speaking of Houghton and Hancock.

By May of 2006, I had the pleasure of meeting someone who introduced me to the joys of mountain biking. It quickly grew into a strong, healthy habit. Ok, let’s call it what it is: an obsession. I love to bike, plain and simple. I would rather bike than do anything else. That first summer, I bought a full-suspension mountain bike with an MSRP of $1,800 (I'll shed some light on the significance of this in tomorrow's post), some shorts, my very first cycling jerseys, and a cutesy little helmet. I had the whole deal. I look like the typical spandex-clad cyclist to anyone who sees me on the road.

I decided to start commuting by bicycle this year. After two years of competitive cycling integration, I now have two conflicting thoughts that I am currently working through. I’ve forgotten how to ride a bike in plain clothes. How do I pedal without tearing my clothes or getting lube all over them? How do I do it without getting mud splashed up on my butt creating that dreaded brown stripe?

Half the fun of starting something new, like bike commuting, is doing the research in preparation for it. I’ve found some wonderful web sites that are dedicated to urban commuting. One site is about bike culture in Copenhagen. It is spectacularly entertaining, inspiring, and thought-provoking. It has caused me to ponder the following question out of many: what kind of bike do I want? Do I want just a commuter bike – something that is transformed for riding to school and work? I don’t think so. I want bike culture. I love the bikes shown in that blog. Not only are they stylish and built with commuting in mind, but taking a closer look shows that these bikes address every concern a non-spandex wearing cyclist has. They have lights, fenders, chain guards, wicker baskets, rear carriers . . .



How exciting!

Suddenly, I wasn’t looking for a cheap commuter bike. I was exploring the possibilities of how a good commuter bike could change my life!

18 Ways to Know You Have Bicycle Culture is a fun little article are bike commuters. Everyone is disqualified by this list, so take it in stride.

I Was Only Gonna Do One Race

My goal for 2007 was to do the Copper Harbor Fat Tire race and look like I belonged there. My goal was quite a contrast to my performance in 2006.

The people I ride with all race. They race and they’re good at it. The Keweenaw Chain Drive was the first race of the season, and I was often asked if I was going to do it. “No, I’m not.”

“Why not? You should do it!”

“No, I don’t want to do a lot of racing. I’m just doing Copper Harbor because I couldn’t ride it last year. I did a hike-a-bike, more hike than bike.”

“The Chain Drive is right here, though. You should do it. Come on, you’ll have fun!”

I succumbed to peer pressure once again.

The same scenario occurred for Ore to Shore and The Great Deer Chase. In a nutshell, I did all the races and did very well in them. I raced in the 30-39 age group, Female division and had the following finishes (all age-group finishes):
• Keweenaw Chain Drive: 2nd
• Ore to Shore: 7th
• The Great Deer Chase: 1st
• Copper Harbor Fat Tire Festival: 3rd


Di on the podium for second place (right) at the Keweenaw Chain Drive.

In late September, I was invited to join a team that was thrown together for cyclocross: the Red Jackets. We traveled to Marquette to compete in the UP Cyclocross Series. My cyclocross skills certainly aren’t like my mountain bike skills. I found cyclocross to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. Due to my dedication - my willingness to show up to multiple races - I earned enough points to take second place overall in the season.


The Red Jacket cyclocross team. Di is #23.

Paul's Plunge

I went to Copper Harbor with some friends one day in the early summer of 2007. We were going to ride Copper Harbor. I was nervous after my first racing experience there the previous summer. I knew I was a better rider because I began seeking out technical trails in the fall. In the spring, while road riding with my friend, Pat, I was reading mountain bike books and perusing through magazine articles in search of advice that would make me a better rider. I had a couple months of hard work under my belt and I was ready to test my skills.

Arlyn and Sandy led our ride. I enthusiastically followed, barely making it up the long climbs, enjoying the long descents and finding great excitement in the technical aspects of those trails. I was riding at a new level, a level well beyond that of the previous season. Before I knew it, I was clearing most of the Red Trail! We ventured onto Paul’s Plunge. Arlyn had me lead the way.

“Let me know when we get to the Plunge,” I told Arlyn.

“Ok, just lead. We’ll follow you,” he replied.


The actual plunge part of Paul’s Plunge. It’s impossible to capture the whole plunge and the degree of difficulty with a photo.

I was carefully crossing long, narrow bridges, riding over slabs of bedrock, and smiling the whole way. I yelled to Arlyn, “Are we almost to the Plunge?”

“You’re on it!” he replied.

Oh, shit.

I was nervous, to say the least. I rode it. I hugged the right side of the trail, slowly descending down the loose rocks with my butt hanging off the back of the saddle. I came to the second section of the Plunge and stayed to the right as I descended down some natural steps and . . . which way do I go? Where is my line? I couldn’t decide where to go, lost most of my momentum, and by the time I decided to move forward, I fell over to the left. I almost made it down Paul’s Plunge. I got off the bike to assess the hill. Arlyn and Sandy came up behind me on their tandem and I studied their line as they approached. Next time I would conquer this hill.


Paul’s Plunge – the point where I came to a stop and fell over.


Arlyn and Sandy riding their tandem, Simba, down Paul’s Plunge.

My heart grew three sizes that day.

Copper Harbor became a big part of my life that year. I traveled up there many Sundays for trail work. I rode up there almost every week. I delved into the life of Copper Harbor.

Wild Times

I love going Negaunee. I visit a friend who is more like a sister to me. People are usually quite curious about what we’re up to. A girl’s weekend? They must be partying!

For several years, people would ask us in that “you’ve been doing something crazy, I know it” tone, “What did YOU two do today?

“Oh, it’s funny. We went to Munising to get Dairy Queen, buy lottery tickets, and then we went to Chatham and loaded hay on the truck. It’s hay day!” That’s usually when we get a weird look. That’s usually not the response someone expects from two women hanging out.

I met Sandee when I began the clinical work for my degree in Marquette. One day, I went out to see her horses and the rest is history. I’ve always had horses and it was a common interest. We started getting together somewhat frequently to snowshoe, open a bottle of wine, and have girl chat. For a reason unknown, Thursday ended up being the most convenient day to do this. It was never planned, but that’s the day girl chat fell on. When I moved away, girl chat changed to the occasional weekend. It was one of those girl’s weekends when I first brought the cross bike down from Houghton. So much snow had already melted, and I brought the cross bike to test it on the roads in Negaunee Township.

It was an interesting ride. It was the first time I’ve ridden my Jake. After almost a year of mountain biking, the Jake felt like there was barely any bike there. I was worried that it just couldn’t hold up. I was worried about crashing.

The beginning of the ride was incredibly interesting. Sandee’s driveway exits onto a hill, and you have to go uphill to get out of her road. I turned uphill, decided to shift gears, pressed the only lever I could find for my cogs, and it shifted into a harder gear. That wasn’t good. “How the heck do you shift this thing into an easier gear?” I was getting quite frustrated. I only saw one lever.

I called my bike shop and talked with Caleb. “Caleb, I can shift it into a harder gear, but I can’t figure out how to shift it into an easier gear. I’m going uphill, so this isn’t really a good thing.”

“Um, ok, let me think about how your bike shifts for a minute.”

“Ok.”

“Ok, with your bike, press the brake lever in. I think that’s how it shifts.” I pressed the brake lever in. It shifted! Wahoo, I could go for a ride! With that, I hung up my phone and proceeded to take my first road ride.

Shortly after that, I fell in with Arlyn and Sandy, two masterful tandem riders. They will ride anything! You should see them on a mountain bike. They take things with ease that scares the be-you-know-what out of other people. My spring and early summer consisted of several road rides with them and my friend, Pat. The three of them taught me road skills, skills that still need work to this day, nevertheless, skills that have benefited me as you’ll see in future posts.

The frustration I had with riding with them was that I was out of shape and much slower, especially on hills. Some hills would just kill me. By the time I would get to the top of a hill, they would already have more than adequate rest and be ready to proceed as I broke out a goo or took a swig of my beverage. The rides didn’t always consist of chasing them, though. We often rode together while chatting about whatever. Road riding was a social event, and it was one I was developing quite an appreciation for.

Helping the Homeless

I rode well through November, and was jealous to find that others did a December ride up in Copper Harbor. Not only did they have dry, frozen ground to ride on, but they were riding the very trails that squashed my confidence and brought my inexperience to the forefront. However, winter truly did come. It came in January after they made snow at Mt. Ripley and trucked it to the Tech Trails in time for the National Ski Championship races that were being held in Houghton. The citizens of Houghton County had to strongly encourage it, but winter did come. Winter lasted through January and February and waned in March. With the exception of the traditional spring snow storm bringing several feet of snow, March was pretty much the end.

Yes, spring had arrived quite early in the Upper Peninsula in 2007. I did my first road ride on the back roads of Negaunee Township on March 27th. The mountain biking season had resumed by April 21st!

Fortunately for me, I fell in love with a beautiful cyclocross bike on the MMBA web site. I think it’s safe to say that cyclists get turned on by bikes. Unless you’re that guy in the UK on an excursion with his bike who got caught in his hotel room literally with his pants down, most of us don’t think of our bikes sexually. However, there is a switch that gets flipped on as we ponder the possibilities of our latest discovery. This bike flipped that switch. I was turned on.

It was a cold February day when I was bike sick. I sauntered into the bike shop and explained that I needed a bike that offered a bit of versatility. I wanted something I could ride on the road, but would also serve as a backup to my mountain bike so I could ride the more gentle trails if my mountain bike was in need of repair.

It just so happened that there was a homeless Kona Jake the Snake sitting in the shop desperately seeking a home. It didn’t take much prodding. I agreed to take it. I took Jake home a few weeks later, just in time for my first road ride in March.

Liberation

That first mountain biking fall was a long one.

I spent a month riding in the rain. We were blessed with warmer weather that month. Sometimes I wore shorts, sometimes ski tights. I always returned home muddy and felt absolutely wonderful clothed in that brown gook that plastered the trails and my bike.

Riding in the rain is unheard of for some. Most people are chased inside to workout with their trainers, stair climbers, stationary bikes, elliptical machines, treadmills, spinning bikes, and whatever the new indoor invention of the year is. Not I. I couldn’t do that. I didn’t have the strength to drive to a building in an effort to consume the energy I had locked up inside me. The truth is that energy is never really there without inspiration. There is something about getting on a mountain bike and rolling through the woods as fast as you can that makes you reach way down inside and pull out everything you’ve got – without even realizing it!

I discovered something about riding in the rain that I began to discover as an aspiring runner. Riding in the rain forced me to surrender to the idea that I was going to get wet no matter what. I couldn’t do anything about it. Once I accepted that, it suddenly felt good. It felt incredibly good to be out there in the mist, hearing the pitter patter of rain drops hitting the few leaves on the trees and the bed of leaves on the ground. Under the protection of the trees, it was more of a drizzle. I got lost in that sound. Surrendering to the rain and the mud, accepting that I was going to be wet and muddy for the next two hours and it was okay - it was liberating!

At Least it Shifts!

I returned to Houghton on a late October day and headed straight to Cross Country Sports to drop off my bike. I bought a new derailleur and the guys straightened the existing hanger. I picked it up the next day and went for a ride.

Remember, this was my first year mountain biking. I was practicing and mastering new skills all the time.

Enter the wheelie. Oh, yes. I wanted to learn how to do a wheelie. I started off at the trailhead, the Core loop at Tech, and tried to apply what I read in books. My last attempt ended with my front wheel coming down hard and the bike flipping forward. I landed on my left chest as my head was forced to the right. The bike flew up behind me and twisted in the air. I was still clipped in! My spine twisted in the lumbar region and my feet finally broke free of the bike as it flew down to the ground. I quickly sat up and took in a breath and panicked as a horrible wheezing sound came from my left lung. I quit breathing. I was afraid and didn’t want to take in another breath for fear of what was happening. I had an interesting thought process:

• Di you have to breathe. You can’t hold your breath forever.
• Ok. Just take in a breath slowly. (I slowly take in a breath. No sound. Resume normal breathing.) You’re breathing, so you don’t have a collapsed lung and your ribs aren’t broken. Check.
• My head feels funny. Sound is muffled. I’m having an adrenaline rush. Crap. My back is sore. I have to relax! Lay down, Di. Lay back. (I lay back and stretch my arms overhead. It feels good.)
• Ok. Sit back up. Everything feels ok. I really want to ride. I feel fine enough to ride.

I got up, picked up my bike, got back on, started pedaling and . . . why does my bike feel funny? I tried pedaling again. What the heck? I looked down at my wheel and realized it was slightly tacoed. Wonderful. I can’t afford a new wheel.

I threw my bike over my shoulder and walked back to my truck. I called my family doctor and explained the situation. I told the nurse I wanted to get checked out after what happened, but I figured the ER wasn’t appropriate since I just threw my bike over my shoulder and carried it back. She did a phone assessment and told me that if I felt dizzy or sick, go to the ER. Otherwise, just take ibuprofen. Great. I hate ibuprofen. Aspirin it is!

I got into my truck and drove right back to the bike shop. Mind you, about thirty minutes have gone by since I picked up the newly repaired bike. I walked in with the bike and Steve looked at me with utter confusion. He knew I was going riding. “Uh, why are you here?”

I just started laughing. I couldn’t get the words out and I just looked at him and the bike. He looked down at the wheel and exclaimed, “Holy crap! How did you do THAT!?”

I laughed more. Caleb smiled, “What? What happened?”

“Look at her wheel,” Steve said.

Caleb assessed the situation then offered the brighter side, “Well, at least it shifts!”

Steve bent the wheel back and had the bike ready for me the next day. I was in a bit of pain, but I concluded my weekend with the usual ride around the Tech Trails.

I haven’t tried a wheelie since.

Like a Pack of Wild Dogs

. . . or two dachshunds and two beagles.

I just got back from an interesting trip to Marquette. It was supposed to be a trip filled with sledding, snowshoeing, and biking, but sickness set in again. It turned into a weekend of severe sore throats and earaches.

It was severely painful!

I did get some sledding in, however. I went to Crook's Hill Saturday night for some socializing. On Sunday, I sled for an hour. The rest of my weekend was spent at my friend Sandee's house trying to ease the pain. We played a mean game of Monopoly with her daughter, Kortney, and took it pretty easy.

The following pictures are the highlights of the weekend.


Giant snowman at Crook's Hill next to the warming shack.


Owner Steve playing the trumpet for the sledders as Cleo sings along.


The upper gate of the sled hill/luge run. The hill is usually so fast that traditional sleds are not allowed from the upper gate. Snowpants, couch cushions, cardboard, and plastic bags are.


Marjoram, Blossom, Shiloh, and Coriander.


Coriander and Kortney sleeping on the couch.

Creative Shifts

It wasn’t long before I broke my shiny, new bike. In the fall of 1996, it was very rainy. It seemed like all it did in October was rain. Well, I wasn’t going to stop riding. I had the rainy Tech Trails to myself every day.

I remember it was a warmer fall. The muddy rides felt wonderful under the canopy of trees that lessened the amount of rain falling on me as I rode. I had to stop and take it all in. There was something about the forest during those gray days. It was serene. The forest was lush and peaceful, yet there was a patter of rain that created a haze making it seem almost surreal. I was happy.

I rode through all the Tech Trails that fall. Even in the rain, the trails seemed to hold up quite well. It was during those rainy days that I decided to learn how to ride Hairy Toad and Barking Frog – the technical, rocky trails with narrow bridges. I learned how to ride rocks and roots on slick trails.

I was feeding my crack habit. I could ride any day that fall. My addiction was getting worse. I had to ride.

I took a vacation down state in the middle of October that year. It was a little depressing leaving the Keweenaw, but I packed my bike in my Pathfinder and did some research online. I was going to ride, even if I wasn’t home. My parents agreed to camp at the Holly Recreation Area. For a week, their trailer was my home. After breakfast, I would head out in the rain to ride a new trail.

The first day of camping, I rode the trails at the Holly Recreation Area: Holdridge. I did the beginner and intermediate loops and wanted more. I moved onto Gruber’s Grinder. After one mile, I picked up a stick and my bike came to a halt. I pulled the stick out and continued riding only to find my chain jumping into the spokes of my wheel. My derailleur was damaged. This was my first day of riding. What was I going to do? Should I backtrack to my truck? Should I try to cut through the bushes to get out? I really wanted to ride this trail. How was I going to do this? Was my mountain biking vacation going to be destroyed by a stick!?

I shifted into a harder gear hoping it would keep the chain away from the wheel. I managed to get the chain to lie on the fourth cog. I proceeded down Gruber’s. I wanted to ride. I quickly realized that I wanted to shift gears and decided to use my chainring. I came to the realization that I had a triple-speed! Wahoo! My vacation wasn’t ruined!

The next day, I drove down to the Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. I read review of this trail and was almost scared to try it. I thought it could possibly be the end of me. The beginning of the trail was a nice gently rolling path that allowed for some good speed, even on my triple-speed. I came to a couple hills that made me get off and walk. I got hung up in some baby heads and had to walk over those. There was a technical section of trail that was beyond my skill level and I had to get off and walk that. Then I came to the switchbacks.

There are some switchbacks that are not long and gradual. It almost reminds of a corkscrew. It’s straight down the hillside. I stood there and looked at those switchbacks trying to figure out how I could ride them. I had the desire, but I didn’t have the courage. I walked down. I also walked the long, flowing uphill trail that followed. Pontiac Lake offered varying terrain, challenges of different levels and types, and plenty of speed. It was the fastest eleven miles I had done on a mountain bike. I left the trailhead smiling and full of excitement.

I went back the next day. The second time I came to the switchbacks, I assessed the situation as I had the day before. This time, however, I remounted my bike and rode down. I kept my weight back and navigated with wide, calculated turns. I got the bottom and laughed with joy as I conquered my fear and gained a new confidence in my riding.

My First Mountain Bike Hike

“Di, are you going to do the race in Copper Harbor?”

I had fear. “Copper Harbor? Uh, no. I don’t want to race mountain bikes. I just want to ride and enjoy.”

“Do it with us. It’s going to me and another girl. We’re just doing it to do it. Ride it with us. We won’t be going fast.”

“I don’t know. Isn’t it really hard? Do you think I can do it?”

“Yeah! Just sign up online and we’ll drive up together.”

“Ok.” My first moment of succumbing to mountain bike related peer pressure had come and gone as easily as one breath. I hopped online and signed up. I thought I was crazy. I still think I’m crazy. What I didn’t know was that this race was going to be a transforming event.

Michelle introduced me to Kristi. Kristi was a new rider as well, and the three of us were going to ride merrily along bringing up the rear of the race. We made it up the first road, and I do mean up – it’s all uphill. We rode along some interesting singletrack and made our way down some more roads. Then came Dancing Bear.

Dancing Bear is a long, uphill trail with some uphill bridges and uphill rocks. Everything seemed uphill, but I guess I’m not really exaggerating when I say it is. That’s how Copper Harbor is. It can be likened to riding out west because you spend a lot of time climbing a hill just so you can ride a thigh-burning, long descent. It’s great fun . . . unless you’re a beginner.

Just before we got to Dancing Bear, Michelle took off. She knew she had to keep going if she wanted to finish the race. She had to stay in the zone. I knew I had to stop and breathe so I could survive. Period. THEN came Dancing Bear. I’m almost afraid to admit that I walked almost the whole trail. My hike began on the two uphills on the road just preceding Dancing Bear.

Kristi spent the rest of the race with me because she also needed to breathe. When we got to the top of the hill, we got back on our bikes and rode just a little of the end of the Bear. Some of it was too technical for a beginner. We were relieved to get off the singletrack until we realized that we weren’t really to the top of the hill. We had to take some doubletrack to the Red Trail.

I absolutely love the Red Trail. It is one of my favorite trails and it offers a great challenge and an adrenaline rush every time I ride it. I didn’t appreciate these qualities at the time of this race, however. Kristi and I walked most of the Red Trail, and had to move off the trail to allow other riders by. Yes, we were being lapped. Paul’s Plunge followed. We walked that, too. I was scared while I walked it.


Paul's Plunge - the great finale of the Copper Harbor Fat Tire Festival.

I guess one could say that we hiked that race. I was so exhausted afterwards that I lay down in the grass and stayed there. I didn’t care that there was free beer and food. I think the fact that I couldn’t drink beer was a good indicator of how hard this race was on me.

Copper Harbor had proven just how inexperienced I was as a rider, and I didn’t like it. I had a new focus in life. I had a vengeance. Copper Harbor had conquered me. I had to conquer Copper Harbor.

Give It a Week

The first day I took my shiny, new Trek on the trail was a completely new experience for me. It felt so . . . squishy! It was weird! I really didn’t know what to think of it, but I did realize that my riding was more efficient.

After one or two days of riding, someone asked me what I thought of full suspension now that I had it. “I like the bike, but I honestly don’t know what to think of the full suspension. It feels so weird compared to my Giant.”

“Give it a week,” he replied.

Give it a week. That’s one of the greatest pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten, at least where cycling is concerned. I’ve found myself often passing this advice on to other riders.

The interesting thing about cycling is how one becomes so intimately involved with his or her bike. It’s almost sad how cyclists are more in tune with their bikes than with their loved ones. The cyclist can take the bike onto varying types of terrain in varying degrees of weather and know exactly how to react in these different situations to keep that bike not only under control, but successfully performing to the outer limits of sanity and beyond.

Enter new piece of equipment. I knew how my Giant was going to respond in different situations. I also knew that I just couldn’t ride that Giant on certain types of terrain, like the Hairy Toad and Barking Frog trails at Michigan Tech. When I got the full suspension bike, I had to almost relearn how to ride. I wasn’t quite sure how the bike was going to respond and how it was supposed to feel. After a week of gleefully flying through the woods on my new bicycle, I had it down pat! That full suspension bike was my new best friend, and I wasn’t looking back.

A New Era

Some people think I’ve been riding for quite a while. They are impressed by my dedication and strong desire to hit the trails almost daily throughout the summer. I love outrunning the bugs and dodging the squirrels and ducking the overhanging tree branches. There is nothing sweeter than successfully passing over that narrow bridge, or clearing the rock garden in all its sharp, jagged glory.

I think some of my passion and dedication for mountain biking is so prevalent because I am still a new rider – kind of.

I had a conversation with a stranger in May 2006 about outdoor activities in the Keweenaw. She asked me if I had a mountain bike. “Yes. I have a 1997 Giant Yukon. I never use it. I bought it for camping, but it’s practically brand new. I’m thinking about getting back into running though, and training for my third marathon this fall.”

“I’m thinking about starting a women’s ride on Saturday mornings,” said she. “I broke my collar bone last year, so I’d like to start riding again, but only slowly. It will be a beginner’s pace. Why don’t you meet with us when I get a ride organized?”

“Sure!” I was very excited about discovering more of what my community had to offer.

I’m afraid of the unknown. I had no idea what the Michigan Tech Trails had to offer, and I didn’t feel like I belonged there because I thought elitists would be using the trails. I was afraid of getting in the way. My new friend took me on the “beginner trails” that first Saturday morning. The trails were over flat terrain, insignificant hills, but they were bumpy with lots of roots. I took a bit of a beating on my hardtail.

After that ride, I decided to alternate my running with riding. I spent two weeks switching between trail running and mountain biking. The third week, I rode the first day. Then I rode the next day. The cycle broke and my habit took over. After the third week, I realized that I was giving up running for mountain biking. I started venturing onto new trails and realizing new fears. I developed a love for speed and a vengeance for hills.

Two months of dedicated riding had gone by. I realized that I could no longer improve my skill. Something was holding me back. What was it? After pondering this during a few rides, I realized I needed a new bike. It wasn't that my Yukon was an inadequate bike. It was a hardtail that was in great shape and ready to be ridden in. It was a very nice bike! The problem is that it didn’t fit. I realized that I couldn’t get my weight back far enough when going downhill to feel stable. Likewise, I couldn’t get my weight forward enough on climbs to maintain momentum and keep the front wheel on the ground. The top tube was too long for my reach.

Enter . . . the bike shop. Little did I know that this would become the place around which all my grocery shopping would center. Every pay day, I would head to the bike shop for chain lube, tire levers, socks, shorts, gloves, and sometimes just for that so highly revered bike shop chat! That very first day, however, what I did know was how I feared going into the very bike shop I knew absolutely nothing about. I was afraid of being sold a bike that wasn’t right for me simply for the sake of the shop getting a sale. My new friend, Michelle, who introduced me to this “crack habit,” as a fellow biker once referred to it, met me at the bike shop and brought her boyfriend along. I test rode a couple of bikes and they helped me with fit. I just didn’t know. Then, I rode her bike. It was an 18” frame and it had the familiar word across the down tube that many non-cyclists have heard of and equate with quality: TREK. It was a 2005 Trek Fuel EX7 WSD (Women’s Specific Design) that she had just bought on closeout. I fell in love with it and decided on the spot to order THAT bike. It came in a week or two later. I felt like my life had come to a new era. I was right.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Most of my friends and family understand that I am quite resistant to doing as others do. Blogging is one of those things.

I began my Internet life back in 1997. I was a regular at one of the Geocities chat rooms, back when they were easy to use and had fun pictures and a great setup. Those Java chat rooms were incredible. JAVA! Ah, Java!

More than ten years later, Java is no longer the latest and greatest programming language on the web, although it is still quite useful and is one of those old building blocks. I replaced the chat room with forums. I've checked out a few, but I usually frequent the forum at the Michigan Mountain Biking Association web site.

I've recently become the administrator of the new forum for the shiny, brand new racing team: Red Jacket Racing Team.

Why did I decide to start blogging? That's an interesting story. I'm a returning college student who is strapped for cash, like most other college students. It's amazing the things you read on the Internet about making money. Blogging is one of those things. Am I making money by setting up this blog? No. In a long, roundabout way, the thought of making money transformed into the idea of creating a blog. I have a lot to say. Many know that. Many don't agree with me. Many do. Many from both groups find what I have to say, in the very least, entertaining. I hope you're one of those people.

I have a tendency to make great, plain sense one minute, and bizarro world nonsense the next. I've gotten more positive feedback on the bizarro comments than the sensible ones, so I thought I would lend my typing fingers to the entertainment of those people. I also hope to produce some writings that evoke passion, compassion, thought, and the spiritual side to everyone who frequents here.