flahute » Cycling

2012 Ride #1 (Gotta start somewhere)

flahute — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:27:33 +0000

Take a month off the bike, go out when it’s really freaking cold out, and forget to take medication; yep … that’s a recipe for a pretty major asthma attack. Luckily, I managed to avoid one, barely, but it’s unreal just how high my heart rate was.

Rode up to Beehive Bicycles to see how things were going, and ended up hanging out for a couple of hours … then home again. At least I got the first miles of the year in.

2011 Ride #41 (Longest Ride of 2011)

flahute — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:14:38 +0000

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It’s kind of pathetic when the longest ride of the year is about 37 miles long and completely wipes you out. On the other hand, I’m glad I’ve been pushing myself the past 10 days to make sure I get miles in …

Back to Utah tomorrow.

2011 Ride #40

flahute — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:42:27 +0000

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2011 Ride #39

flahute — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:18:47 +0000

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2011 Ride #38

flahute — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:19:43 +0000

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2011 Ride #37

flahute — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:45:24 +0000

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Thanksgiving

flahute — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:46:24 +0000

Once again, it’s that time of year … time to sit back and reflect on all that I am thankful for.

I continue to rediscover my love for the bicycle, even though my lungs continue to rebel … and I’m looking forward to my “training camp” in Arizona.
I still have a good job, which I still generally find satisfying, even with the ups and downs inherent in any work situation.
Another Utah Cyclocross Series is almost in the books; only 2 races left this year, and even though it can be tough to give up my weekend days to work, it’s always good to see people enjoying themselves and knowing that I help make it possible.
Another season on the slopes at Solitude begins shortly. Perhaps even this weekend if we get another decent storm on high as anticipated.
And yet again, last but certainly not least, I have many good friends, both old and new, who all seem to genuinely care in one way or another.

Thank you Mom & Ralph, Ben & Doris, Geraly & D.J., Art, Richard (atmo), Matt & Melissa, the crew at Revolution, Rachel, Scottie, Burke & Tiff & the town of Beaver for allowing me to be a part of the Crusher in the Tushar, Kirsty, Jennie & Joel, Darrell, Theresa, Marit, Gigi (whose constant smiles remind me that life is to be enjoyed), Steve & Amy, Ali, Brian, Tyler & Nick & the Jamis team for their hospitality during the Tour of Utah, Chris, Dave, Sarah K. (whose constant smiles on the bike have made me a fan), Sarah N. (who needs to write more often), Critter Bug (with whom more movies need to be seen) and pretty much everyone else with whom I’ve spent quality time over the past months and years.

HOME

I didn’t know I was grateful
for such late-autumn
bent-up cornfields

yellow in the after-harvest
sun before the
cold plow turns it all over

into never.
I didn’t know
I would enter this music

that translates the world
back into dirt fields
that have always called to me

as if I were a thing
come from the dirt,
like a tuber,

or like a needful boy. End
Lonely days, I believe. End the exiled
and unraveling strangeness.

Bruce Weigl (b. 1949)

UTCX: Make Flahute Ride!

flahute — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:14:51 +0000

Here’s the deal. People saw me on a CX bike this past weekend at the UTCX Cross Out Cancer event for the first time in at least 4 years.

The event was a success, but we want to raise more money.

For every $1000 raised before the start of the first race on Saturday 10/29/2011, I will squeeze my butt into my cycling gear and ride a lap at the UTCX Halloween race on Saturday.

Donate Now!

I don’t need to do a costume, because the sight of me in Lycra will be scary enough.

The plan would be to line up with the A/35+A riders … and I’d like to be forced to ride at least half as many laps as they do. On this past weekend’s course, they did 7 laps of a 2.3 mile course (about 9 minute lap times). The course this next weekend should be of similar length/time.

Since the winner this past weekend is 1/3 my age and 1/2 my weight, I figure half as many laps (3-4) is a decent goal.

So make Flahute ride … give, and give big. Donate Now!

2011 Ride #36

flahute — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:43 +0000

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Blew out my rear tire, and my spare wasn’t doing a great job of holding air either … so now my apartment smells of Mastik One, and my hands are blackened. I also only have two tires left in my stash, so it is time to start saving for a purchase, or to finally learn how to repair flattened tubulars.

2011 Ride #35

flahute — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:41:05 +0000

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The new SRAM Red group is going to take some time to get used to … not the shifting mechanism (I’ve never had any issues switching between different component groups that way), but the way the levers fit in my hand, the wider Q-factor underfoot. It’s weird, even the bars feel a bit wider, and I didn’t even swap them out. The stuff sure looks sexy, though … except for the barrel adjusters on the brakes, which are chunky plastic (but light, compared to the sexy aluminium ones on my old Record brakes).