Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Boo...
Did my first (well technically second) road race today. The weekly Shippensburg Tuesday night race. Only about a dozen people showed up. I was supposed to be doing some off-the-front-type intervals. I got popped off the group after my second go. Sucked. Hurt lots. It will be good later though...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Whirlwind
The last month or so that I haven't posted anything has been a whirlwind. So many things have happened, I probably don't even remember them all. Snow happened, in mass quantities, and like most other places in the mid-Atlantic region, shut down all mountain biking. It shut down road riding for a spell too, so my training ended before it began. Then, all the sudden, it as March. I attended two major professional conferences to present my research. One in Baltimore (Hello C^3 folks!)
and one in Harrisburg (the capitol building is beautiful, you should go if your haven't).
The conference in Baltimore was a hardcore geology meeting, something I had never been to before. It was nice not having to filter my usually jargon-filled vocabulary for a change. I got to meet some of the people whose papers have influenced my geology career, as well as the man whose paper is guiding my research. It was an amazing experience. The Harrisburg conference was the biannual Undergraduate Research at the Capitol presentation. I was by far the only geologist there. It was nice to have to really filter my usually jargon-filled vocabulary as well as to have to explain my fairly complicated research to the masses. We got introduced, as a group (see above) in the House of Representatives; I now know why government takes so long to do anything. I also spent a week in Philly with Ms. Geology at a teacher conference of hers and visiting old friends. Basically conferences are fun.
Biking life began soon after that. With no trails, road riding became the daily norm. There were a few team training camps and things like that. All the sudden it was now, and the first race of the season was upon us. You were all there. You know it was fun. I was riding Juni (the orange SS thing). My gearing was too low for racing but with a lot of spinning I made it through with lap times a few seconds faster than last year. It would have been nice to have gears, but it was not to be. Last weekend was my last Dickinson College Jazz/Symphonic Band concert, a kind of bittersweet experience. We sure went out with a bang. It was the most fun show I have played (musically) and the audience (or at the very least my best friend, girlfriend, parents, professional-musician-uncle, and professional-musician-uncle's girlfriend) enjoyed it immensely. Now I look to important things in the future:
-Job Search (need a job to pay for this dirty bike racing addiction)
-Thesis Defense (want to graduate with honors)
-Graduation (yes)
-Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic (so excited)
-Moving out and up (I can't wait)
Until then, some other racing, a bike with gears (although not the one I wanted), and trying to pass Calculus II. I'm looking forward to it.
and one in Harrisburg (the capitol building is beautiful, you should go if your haven't).
The conference in Baltimore was a hardcore geology meeting, something I had never been to before. It was nice not having to filter my usually jargon-filled vocabulary for a change. I got to meet some of the people whose papers have influenced my geology career, as well as the man whose paper is guiding my research. It was an amazing experience. The Harrisburg conference was the biannual Undergraduate Research at the Capitol presentation. I was by far the only geologist there. It was nice to have to really filter my usually jargon-filled vocabulary as well as to have to explain my fairly complicated research to the masses. We got introduced, as a group (see above) in the House of Representatives; I now know why government takes so long to do anything. I also spent a week in Philly with Ms. Geology at a teacher conference of hers and visiting old friends. Basically conferences are fun.
Biking life began soon after that. With no trails, road riding became the daily norm. There were a few team training camps and things like that. All the sudden it was now, and the first race of the season was upon us. You were all there. You know it was fun. I was riding Juni (the orange SS thing). My gearing was too low for racing but with a lot of spinning I made it through with lap times a few seconds faster than last year. It would have been nice to have gears, but it was not to be. Last weekend was my last Dickinson College Jazz/Symphonic Band concert, a kind of bittersweet experience. We sure went out with a bang. It was the most fun show I have played (musically) and the audience (or at the very least my best friend, girlfriend, parents, professional-musician-uncle, and professional-musician-uncle's girlfriend) enjoyed it immensely. Now I look to important things in the future:
-Job Search (need a job to pay for this dirty bike racing addiction)
-Thesis Defense (want to graduate with honors)
-Graduation (yes)
-Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic (so excited)
-Moving out and up (I can't wait)
Until then, some other racing, a bike with gears (although not the one I wanted), and trying to pass Calculus II. I'm looking forward to it.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Let me explain
Soon = geologically soon.
Thesis prevents life
Reap rewards once completed.
Always revising.
Thesis prevents life
Reap rewards once completed.
Always revising.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Real Winter
So this is real winter. This is the winter I remember from my (not so long ago) childhood. Snow. Enough to make you cry because its so damn cold and the solar reflection off the snow is so bright (increase your albedo much?) For me, I have enjoyed it very much. Last Saturday making fresh tracks in fresh powder with Ms. Geologist. Our "going out for a little walk in the snow" turned into "pushing through knee deep fluff until it feels like I've been riding my bike for 6 hours." It was super fun. I just wish I had a pair of snowshoes or XC skis to enjoy what is surely some amazing scenery in the Michaux. Man I wish I could get there now.
The unfortunate thing about all this amazing snow is that Michaux will be closed for mountain biking for another week or two and that's assuming we don't get any more snow. I half hope that we don't, but man do I love the white stuff. I really don't know why though. I don't really ski, and snow stops me from doing my favorite activity in the world. I guess its just the aspiration to go XC skiing or snowshoeing.
So with mountain biking out of the question for a while, the road bike came back out. Well actually my cross bike with road gearing and slick tires. Much more fun with my newly warrantied SRAM Rival right shifter, which is now a SRAM Red right shifter (super slick...). I need to get a match for next year's cross season. I've done a few rides on it so far, on Tuesday afternoon in the beginning of the second snowstorm. Then Thursday I went out with borrowed Power Tap and did a 20 min max power test, so I have power. Woot.
Now I just start riding more, and training too. And doing my school work... not much time for my research anymore. Just a few weeks until I present my poster at the NE/SE Joint Section Meeting of the Geological Society of America. Enjoy your snow while it's still here...
Letort Trail, Carlisle, PA
Letort Spring Run under snow
So with mountain biking out of the question for a while, the road bike came back out. Well actually my cross bike with road gearing and slick tires. Much more fun with my newly warrantied SRAM Rival right shifter, which is now a SRAM Red right shifter (super slick...). I need to get a match for next year's cross season. I've done a few rides on it so far, on Tuesday afternoon in the beginning of the second snowstorm. Then Thursday I went out with borrowed Power Tap and did a 20 min max power test, so I have power. Woot.
Now I just start riding more, and training too. And doing my school work... not much time for my research anymore. Just a few weeks until I present my poster at the NE/SE Joint Section Meeting of the Geological Society of America. Enjoy your snow while it's still here...
Friday, January 22, 2010
Deep Freeze Pleeze
My last few rides have been muddy. Something close to Granogue muddy, but not as wet. It's not that I terribly mind, I was just hoping for some winter to drop by again. I had a brilliant half-week of riding last week in the frozen goodness around my house, then, just as I started driving further and riding with people again the temperature kicked up and things melted. Marsh Creek last friday with my new teammate Dan Stein was a slick mess. Slick but good. Marsh Creek today was just a mess. I was hoping for more frozen goodness last Saturday for the first annual (maybe) "Fast Forward Racing and Friends tackle French Creek while Dodging Trail Runners and Hunters" Ride. It was fun, but a bit wet and muddy (see Kmil and Z for vids). French Creek yesterday was mushy. I'm not unhappy, but I want that oh-so-good deep freeze that makes trails awesome again. Maybe Michaux will deliver it...
Back to School tomorrow for my last semester!
Back to School tomorrow for my last semester!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
2010... The Year of the Tiger
On December 25, 2010, my grandfather will have been officially alive for a century. That's a long time. I hope that I can live as long, and be as active and on-top-of-it as him.
2009 was a great year. We all know that. I think that 2009 was one of the best years so far for a lot of people. I know it was for me. Second in the MASS Endurance Series, Second at 7 Springs, a bunch of good 'cross races, racing and riding in Colorado, not sucking while racing and riding in Colorado, getting to ride and race with a great bunch of kids and adults. Thanks to all the people who I have bumped into, who have influenced me, who have shaped and molded my riding style and my life. All are you are amazing, and worthy of boat loads of praise. There's not much more I can say about it. And there's no pictures to show because I accidentally deleted all the pictures from my computer (n00b mistake).
So on to 2010...
My first big deal will be the Transylvania Mountain Bike Epic, if I can raise the funds to go. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. I will be setting up some sort of official fund raising soon. Then, since I'm graduating college this spring and getting a job and moving somewhere near that job and probably won't have any vacation time to spend 3 weeks in Colorado, I'm going to be chillin around here and hitting up the MASS series. It should be a fun year, probably better than 2010.
So far this year, I've frozen my ears off in Vestal, NY riding through 15 deg temps with light snow, and enjoyed some amazing ride in the West Chester, PA area, most of which have ventured into darkness thanks to the Lupine Tesla 4 my parents got me for Christmas. Thank you parents. Did one amazing ride today. Saw an opossum frozen on a tree. The older dude standing there when I rolled up said that they pass out when they get nervous. Who knew. Saw a sunset over a river. That's all she wrote...
Anyone in the West Chester area may feel free to hit me up for rides in the next two weeks while I'm still here...
2009 was a great year. We all know that. I think that 2009 was one of the best years so far for a lot of people. I know it was for me. Second in the MASS Endurance Series, Second at 7 Springs, a bunch of good 'cross races, racing and riding in Colorado, not sucking while racing and riding in Colorado, getting to ride and race with a great bunch of kids and adults. Thanks to all the people who I have bumped into, who have influenced me, who have shaped and molded my riding style and my life. All are you are amazing, and worthy of boat loads of praise. There's not much more I can say about it. And there's no pictures to show because I accidentally deleted all the pictures from my computer (n00b mistake).
So on to 2010...
My first big deal will be the Transylvania Mountain Bike Epic, if I can raise the funds to go. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. I will be setting up some sort of official fund raising soon. Then, since I'm graduating college this spring and getting a job and moving somewhere near that job and probably won't have any vacation time to spend 3 weeks in Colorado, I'm going to be chillin around here and hitting up the MASS series. It should be a fun year, probably better than 2010.
So far this year, I've frozen my ears off in Vestal, NY riding through 15 deg temps with light snow, and enjoyed some amazing ride in the West Chester, PA area, most of which have ventured into darkness thanks to the Lupine Tesla 4 my parents got me for Christmas. Thank you parents. Did one amazing ride today. Saw an opossum frozen on a tree. The older dude standing there when I rolled up said that they pass out when they get nervous. Who knew. Saw a sunset over a river. That's all she wrote...
Anyone in the West Chester area may feel free to hit me up for rides in the next two weeks while I'm still here...
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