A Much Needed Head Cleansing Today

It's been a very busy week and there hasn't been much in the way of relief until today! Before my solo 35 mile ride from Butte to the north end of Elk Park this morning, the head was full of a cacophony of concerns for my mental well being! Thanks to some, "Let's Make It Hurt" riding, the committee in my head pronounced me cleansed of all those self-deprecating, dissonant thoughts. I've just not been a happy camper with my lack of riding since I came to Montana some 61 days ago. I had ridden almost every day back in Vegas from January through the end of May, but since I've been in Montana I've had little time away from family and work obligations to take care of me. I have had just four extended rides, but that's about to change. I needed today's ride to prove to myself that I haven't lost much conditioning as a result of my inactivity on the bike. I did okay! The heart did not explode! With two very bad knees (which give me constant unrelenting pain), I have to ride to stay fit. I couldn't run out of a burning building, but I sure could ride my bike down the stairs!

Good Day Across The Top Tube

Came home with some sunburn even though I used 100 SPF sunscreen. Spent some glorious time riding with friends in Butte, Montana. Did an out/back loop north of town to Elk Park. Beautiful weather, light traffic, and gorgeous mountain scenery. I really needed to have some saddle time. The universe is in more harmony now. It was a great day for that committee in my head.

Just a Wonderful Day in the Life of a Grandfather/Cyclist/Mechanic

Today was my day off from the Outdoorsman Bike Shop in Butte, Montana. I had planned to do some single track on the mtb along the CDT. The weather was beautiful! But, as life happens unscripted my dear sweet wife was feeling ill, and I had the two granddaughters all to myself for most of the day. I did manage to bake some bread and make some Italian meatballs for dinner while the girls took their afternoon nap. Such a great day with my granddaughters.

We had just finished eating dinner when my cell phone rang at 5:45pm with its familiar tone set for the bike shop's owner Rob Leipheimer. Rob said he had a Great Divide rider in the shop with a wheel needing serious attention and could I come in to take a look at it. I was thrilled to help Rob and a fellow cyclist out, so I got to the shop a few minutes after his call.

The rear wheel's rim had moderate impact damage in two spots about 180 degrees apart compromising the bead seat and was out of lateral and radial true. Now here's a guy from North Carolina riding the most demanding mountain bike route in North America with a serious wheel problem and another 1000 miles to ride to the next shop along his route. Do I take my job seriously...you bet I do! With the help of a bench vise and alot of wheel experience I managed to get the rim width and bead seat back to its almost original position. Then I finished lateral and radial truing, checked the tension, and measured less than a .5mm gap in true in both aspects. Job done, wheel safe, and rider ready to head down the trail without the worry or risk of the tire blowing off the rim in a remote location.

Now when he rides off on the Great Divide tomorrow morning after a good night's rest, some of my energy will travel with him. For that I am grateful and humbled.

It was a great day! Another Zen experience.

The Outdoorsman's Tribute to the 2010 Tour Divide

Put together by the staff of the Outdoorsman Professional Sports Shop in Butte, Montana as a tribute to the indomitable spirit of all Tour Divide racers tackling the challenges of the Great Continental Divide Route from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells.  Produced and edited by a very talented Jon Wick, shop staff member. The Outdoorsman is owned and operated by Rob Leipheimer. Video and photos provided by Rob Leipheimer, Robbie Leipheimer (Rob's son), Jon Wick, and Rick Smith.



2010 Tour Divide Mountain Bike Race from Jon Wick on Vimeo.

In Memorium of Dave Blumenthal, 2010 Tour Divide Racer

Photo taken by Kent Peterson, 2010 Tour Divide racer from Issaquah, Washington

From Cycling News, June 30,2010

Vermont racer passes away after collision with vehicle

While racing the Tour Divide, a trans-continental mountain bike race from Banff, Alberta, Canada, to the US - Mexican border, David Blumenthal was hit by a vehicle and died. It was the 2,745-mile race's first fatality in its seven years running.

The 37-year-old resident of Montpelier, Vermont, ran into a truck coming toward him on an unpaved road. After a brief visit to a local hospital following the accident, he was transported to St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver, Colorado, where he died last Thursday, according to TimesArgus.com. The racer was on the course near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, when the accident happened.

"What happened was they were on a narrow mountain dirt road, and he was riding in the opposite lane and collided with the side of a pick-up (truck) that was coming in the opposite direction on a curve," said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Matthew Velasquez to the Times Argus.

Based on where the bike, the rider and the pick-up ended up, the officer concluded that the driver of the vehicle was not at fault.

"Dave sustained terminal head injuries," said Tour Divide organizer and participant Matthew Lee to Cyclingnews. "He probably didn't suffer."

Although ambulance crews made it to Blumenthal within 20 or 30 minutes and then transported Blumenthal to a hospital, it was not enough to save his life.

"I didn't know Dave other than that we corresponded by email periodically," said Lee toCyclingnews. "He was a very bright, creative guy, and all who rode with him during the first half of the race talk about how he animated their days."

Blumenthal was a passionate outdoorsman, who undertook other endurance adventures. He through-hiked Vermont's Long Trail in 2000 and the Pacific Crest Trail with his wife in 2004.

Multi-time race winner Lee, who was leading the race at the time of incident, decided to continue his after some deliberation, but dedicated his performance to the fallen rider.

"Having just come off the route myself, I'm not sure I am able to fully put his death into a real world perspective yet," said Lee to Cyclingnews hours after winning the 2010 edition. "The effect it had on me during the race was to heighten my own already heightened emotions about everything.

"I cried out of the blue a lot. I grieved for his family even as I missed my own all the more," said Lee. "Dave's loss absolutely is tragic."

Blumenthal, a Harvard graduate, leaves behind a wife Lexi Shear and young daughter Linnaea. To read his final blog entry, visit type2fun.wordpress.com.

According to the Tour Divide's website, "Dave's family would like to thank the Tour Divide community for their thoughts and support through this tragedy. They ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his memory to the Green Mountain Club." Letters of condolences can be sent to lexi.shear [@t] post.harvard.edu.

Cyclingnews extends its condolences to the family and friends of David Blumenthal.

Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed

Danish Chemist and College Student Cycling the Great Divide To Canada

Went into the shop early this morning at 7:30 am to help Rob Leipheimer service these Great Divide rider's bikes. Rob had finished one of the bikes before I got to the shop. I serviced the Danish rider's (gentleman to the right) rear hub and cassette. Then they set out on their way to Jasper, Canada. These riders are typical of the folks of all ages who tour the Great Divide during the summer and come through Butte, Montana and stop for bike service and re-supply at the Outdoorsman where I wrench.

This photo just speaks volumes about why I love cycling so much. Riding a bicycle is the great equalizer. Here is a young American college student who met up with a retired Danish Chemist on the GDR in New Mexico and have been riding together ever since. And, they plan to finish the ride north to Jasper, Canada together. International relations at the finest level. Sharing a common dream and making friends along the way. Doesn't get any better than that.

View from the Red Rock Canyon Overlook- My Training Route in Las Vegas

Climbing 15 miles from my start all the way out to the Red Rock Canyon loop overlook at nearly 5000 feet. Then some really fast downhills most of the way back. Love riding this route. Much safer in comparison to road riding here around Butte, Montana. Folks around Butte really don't care much for road cyclists it seems.

My Red Rock Canyon Training Loop

This is my typical training route from my starting point in western Las Vegas, Nevada. With the weather in Butte, Montana so far this summer I have ridden a lot less. So much rain and colder temps. Don't like this very much. Even with temps in the 100s in Vegas, I can get out at sunrise and get my ride in and be back home before vapor lock occurs. By contrast, it was 35 degrees in Butte just after sunrise this morning. Seems cooler this summer in Butte than last year.

Tour Divide Leaderboard-Race Clock 20:21:30

You can click on each spot to identify the racer and zoom in on the map.

Looks like some of the field is wearing down from the long hot trip through the Gila and dealing with the re-route from the fire in the Sante Fe National Forest.

Crossing the finish line at Antelope Wells at 3:24am this morning was Marshal Bird followed by Matthew Arnold who finished at 5:14am.

Probable finishers today ( July 3) include Mike Prochaska, John Foster, and David Goldberg.

Grant Crosby, Tom Moriarty, Derek Rickert, and Jacob Johnsrud are northeast of Silver City, while Dave Preston is in the middle of the Gila near West Beaver Pt. Mtn. south of Pie Town. Jon Billman, Cricket Butler, Dave Tremblay, Stephen Huddle, and Nicolas Senie are in Abiquiu. Some distance back is Brad Perry near Kiowa Mountain in the Carson NF, and the last racer in the field, Patrick Tsai, is in DeNorte, Colorado.

Adventure Cycling Association Photos- 2010 Tour Divide

Click here:  Must See 2010 Tour Divide Photos

This is a collection of beautiful photographs taken by Aaron Teasdale during the Canadian portion of the 2010 Tour Divide Race. These photos show most, if not all, of this year's field of entrants. The last photo is a compelling photo of David Blumenthal who tragically lost his life during the race north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

In memory of David Blumenthal let's ride!

Some Thoughts About Bikes

I've often wondered why I like being around bikes so much, but I think I just love the simplicity and elegance of a machine that can transform its user. On a purely objective level, a bicycle is nothing more than a collection of metal tubing, braided cable, drive train components, tires, tubes, chain, seat, and handlebars. But, once assembled so that its parts work together as a harmonious whole, it becomes a time machine capable of moving us through the fabric of space surrounding us. It doesn't take long for the cyclist to become one with a finely tuned bike, to be fully synchronous with its motion, and to be able to sense the road through its metal frame. I love my bike because when we ride together I don't feel the bike under me so much as the texture and personality of the road beneath its wheels. We float along enjoying the moment of the open road, and we've shared thousands of hours together.

Today at the shop I took someones extremely dirty, greasy, and out-of-tune hard tail Marlin mountain bike, washed and polished its silky titanium frame, thoroughly cleaned the drive train, lubed and adjusted the derailleurs, replaced all the cables and housings, adjusted the brakes, cleaned and lubed the shifters, trued both wheels and set the proper spoken tension, torqued all the frame bolts and cable stops, and inflated the tubeless tires to the correct pressure. The bike was a thing of beauty compared to the way it looked before. If that bike could have spoken to me it might had said, " I feel really, really good. Thank you!" Kinda like the way you feel after a really wonderful massage. All I could think about as I stepped back from the bike was that the maintenance process was a satisfying type of therapy for me. Another zen experience...now I can only hope its owner appreciates the beauty of the machine that moves him through time and space.