Ga-Day Mates,
Was doing some sulking upon the onset of this nasty weather that we are having here today. I was actually up late last night when the rain commenced. I was downloading some of the tunes by some of the new great artists that my good buddy Jason exposed me too. I all of a sudden heard these little raindrops hitting the roof, and they then began to get even louder. I then realized that my sunroof was open in my car, cuz me and the lil soon to be "nephew" were outside building dirt jumps in the yard, and I would be really close to a nice and damp car seat in the am.
Well to say the least I got a tone of that new music, thanks "turbo". I dont know what I would do without all this great music. In any case I was just reminiscing about the last year when we took our trips to Cleveland to enjoy "Ray's" indoor mtb park. So I wanted to send a mailer that would re-kindle a flame for those who have been, and try to initiate those who have not. I am including the link in this mail for y'all to check it out, and will try to boast about it here a lil.
http://www.raysmtb.com/
I really cannot say enough about this place. It is really spectacular. For those of us who need the some intense technical skill work this is the place to get it in the off-season. They have many different levels of riding capabilities and you can try them all out. The hours are a little tough to handle and they will be opening up here at the end of next month. For this year they have expanded to 82,000 sq. ft. I can tell you that this place was fun prior to them opening it up. They have added a Gary Fisher single track loop, and if it is anything like what was already there, wow. You can look at a track map on the web and various photos and one video I think.
Try not to discourage yourself from participating if you see many jumpers, in mid air on ramps and jumps. There is really a ton of riding terrain for all. All the while you will be able to experience some of the X-game style riding as a bystander. If you find that you have an interest in visiting mail me @ j_harmer@hotmail.com, I am pretty sure that we will be making a trip for one of the days on the opening week, especially if the weather continues to do what is today.
Here are a couple of bands to try out for your mp3, or I-Pizzle, for your next two wheel'd adventure:
Flunk- - -Six Seven Times, Play, Blue Monday
Tori Amos- - -Cornflake Girl
Cranberries- - -Zombie, Linger
Beck- - -Que Onda Guero, Scarecrow, Beercan, Jackass, E-Pro, Black Tambourine
Red Hot Chilli Peppers- - -Dani California
Snow Patrol- - -Run, How To Be Dead, Teenage Kicks
Angie Stone- - -Wish I didn't Miss You
Everlast- - -What its like
Depeche Mode- - -Policy of Truth, Waiting for the Night
Jack Johnson- - -Rodeo Clowns, Mediocre Bad Guys
Stevie Wonder- - -Superstitious
James- - -Laid
DJ Tiesto- - -Lethal Industry
Zero7- - -in the waiting line
Simple Minds- - -Don't You
Sweatshop Union- - - the thing about it
Slackstring- - -Sunday Jen
Citizen Cope- - -Brother Named Lee
Verve- - -bittersweet symphony
Soul Coughing- - -Super Bon Bon
Regina Spektor- - -anything that you can find
that should be a little to get you started in the right direction. If you are oriented in the "Rap" side of the house....i really cannot help you there. If you like it faster, than fast then check these ones out......Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, DJ Tiesto, Fatboy Slim, Trance All-Stars, Benny Benassi, DJ Isaac, Sasha and Digweed, Paul Oakenfold or just search for Techno and/or Trance.
In any case, mail me if you want to get up to cleveland and burn some rubber and avoid splinters instead of rain/snow/mud and idiot drivers. Until then best of luck to all in whatever activity you delve into in the poo-ey times of the fall.
take care,
harms
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
Down but not out!!!
Fellow Freaks!
Sorry for the blog neglect -- was talked in to coaching 1st Grade soccer and unfortunately, practices are on Tue and Thur. with games on the weekends. SO, i'm out of the weekly rides for a little. However, my wifey just got me a bunch of great cool/cold weather cycling gear so I'll be good to go this fall. Looking forward to the cooler months ahead.
Harmer, if you're out there, I've got a box of rags and a wheel that's pretty screwed up if you'd be willing to take a look at it. Had another one of those crazy 5-10 mph collisions! How come those seem to do more damage than the 15-20 mph-ers.
Anyhow, soccer season over end of October, and by then the coffee on those coffee rides will really taste good! I encourage all of you still riding to use the blog as a Ride Board to hook up with other riders. Make your own times, days, etc.
See you all soon!
jm
Sorry for the blog neglect -- was talked in to coaching 1st Grade soccer and unfortunately, practices are on Tue and Thur. with games on the weekends. SO, i'm out of the weekly rides for a little. However, my wifey just got me a bunch of great cool/cold weather cycling gear so I'll be good to go this fall. Looking forward to the cooler months ahead.
Harmer, if you're out there, I've got a box of rags and a wheel that's pretty screwed up if you'd be willing to take a look at it. Had another one of those crazy 5-10 mph collisions! How come those seem to do more damage than the 15-20 mph-ers.
Anyhow, soccer season over end of October, and by then the coffee on those coffee rides will really taste good! I encourage all of you still riding to use the blog as a Ride Board to hook up with other riders. Make your own times, days, etc.
See you all soon!
jm
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Month of Mud, Random Thoughts and a Specialized Epic Mountain Bike for Sale
The Month of Mud mountain bike race series starts this weekend. You can get info. on this and other race listing at www.dirtragmag.com. Also, the Month of Mud specifically is found at www.gorocket.com. (you click on the bike apparel photo). If anyone's interested in trying one of these, some are less 'technical' than others. Feel free to post questions or comments.
It seems the weekday riding has dropped off. Our trusty leader John is busy writing a novel or other worthy literature. For me, keeping up with the 'A' group was like doing a race. Since I want to be a little fresh for the weekend mountain biking, I cut back on the group rides.
However, if anyone's interested in a more moderate paced road or mountain bike ride during the week or even a run (5-10 miles) let me know. Also, I'm interested in finding the local Shenango Lake mountain bike loop. This might be the way to break in some mtn. bike newbies?
Finally, I hope this is appropriate for this forum. That said, I'm selling a Specialized Epic mountain bike. I'm told it rides beautifully, but I've found it a little on the heavy side for this girl. Also, I'm used to a hardtail (no rear suspension) and the Epic is a full-suspension ride. It's an attractive dark smokey grey with red lettering. Meanwhile, I may go back to my old bike if I can get it working (no small task since I'm technically challenged). If anyone's interested in the Specialized, contact me at paula_bittler@hermitage.k12.pa.us. I plan to post it on e-bay soon but thought I'd mention it here first.
Happy Fall to All!
It seems the weekday riding has dropped off. Our trusty leader John is busy writing a novel or other worthy literature. For me, keeping up with the 'A' group was like doing a race. Since I want to be a little fresh for the weekend mountain biking, I cut back on the group rides.
However, if anyone's interested in a more moderate paced road or mountain bike ride during the week or even a run (5-10 miles) let me know. Also, I'm interested in finding the local Shenango Lake mountain bike loop. This might be the way to break in some mtn. bike newbies?
Finally, I hope this is appropriate for this forum. That said, I'm selling a Specialized Epic mountain bike. I'm told it rides beautifully, but I've found it a little on the heavy side for this girl. Also, I'm used to a hardtail (no rear suspension) and the Epic is a full-suspension ride. It's an attractive dark smokey grey with red lettering. Meanwhile, I may go back to my old bike if I can get it working (no small task since I'm technically challenged). If anyone's interested in the Specialized, contact me at paula_bittler@hermitage.k12.pa.us. I plan to post it on e-bay soon but thought I'd mention it here first.
Happy Fall to All!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Another Spin on latest Doping Saga...........
The truth is out there
E.M. Swift, SI.com
Is the truth finally catching up with Lance Armstrong, and is this one race the seven-time Tour de France champion may not be able to win?
In Tuesday's New York Times, two of Armstrong's former U.S. Postal Service teammates admitted to having used EPO, an illegal performance-enhancing drug, at some point in 1999, the first year Armstrong won the Tour de France. While neither said they saw Armstrong do the same, the implication was that the drug use was common knowledge within the team. "The environment was certainly one of, to be accepted, you had to use doping products," said one of Armstrong's teammates, who requested anonymity, fearing reprisals from the notoriously vindictive Armstrong, who still wields considerable power in cycling.
The other teammate was 39-year-old Frankie Andreu, a domestique who competed professionally for 12 years and was once Armstrong's close friend and roommate. He's now a motivational speaker and real-estate dealer in Dearborn, Mich. He said he only used EPO "for a couple of races" and was speaking out in hopes of cleaning up his tainted sport.
More interesting -- to me, anyway -- was the testimony the Times uncovered that Andreu and his wife, Betsy, gave last fall during a lawsuit between Armstrong and SCA Promotions. The company had withheld a $5 million bonus it owed Armstrong after he won the '04 Tour because of doping allegations.
The suit was eventually settled out of court in Armstrong's favor, but in their sworn testimony the Andreus said that when they visited Armstrong in the hospital after he'd been diagnosed with testicular cancer, they'd heard him tell his oncologists that he'd used "steroids, testosterone, cortisone, growth hormone and EPO." Their testimony was disputed by the doctor who administered Armstrong's chemotherapy at Indiana University Medical Center. In the same trial, Armstrong testified that his doctors never asked him if he'd used performance-enhancing drugs, and that he'd never used those substances.
Which testimony is more credible? The Andreus' or Armstrong's? Ask yourself which party had the most to gain by lying. And why is that particular testimony significant? Because one of the possible side effects of prolonged steroid use is testicular cancer. It's impossible to prove, but if what the Andreus testified to under oath is true, than Lance Armstrong, role model and hero to so many cancer survivors, may very well have helped bring about his own cancer through his use of performance-enhancing drugs. Young athletes tempted to go down that road need to know if that's the case.
None of what was reported in the Times is a shock to me. In 1999 I went to see Willy Voet, the Belgian trainer of the French-based Festina cycling team who was at the center of the '98 Tour de France scandal when he was arrested while crossing the border with literally hundreds of vials of EPO, growth hormones and testosterone.
Voet ended up spending time in prison, and by the time he talked to me he was a man filled with remorse. He, too, was interested in helping to clean up his sport, and had written a book in French, the title of which translates as Chain Massacre: Revelations of 30 Years of Cheating. It made him an outcast in cycling but painstakingly chronicled the drug culture that only now is recognized as having infected the sport.
In the 1970s, Voet said, the drug of choice was amphetamines. In the '80s it was anabolic steroids and cortisone. In the '90s it was growth hormones and EPO. He described leaning out a car window to give a shot to a cyclist in the middle of a race. He recalled hiding condoms of clean urine in the anus of cyclists to fool drug-testers. He spoke of dripping IV bags of saline solution into their bodies after a race to lower the ratio of red-blood-cell volume to total blood volume to avoid EPO detection in the event of a surprise drug test.
Of the 500 cyclists he'd worked with over the years, only two had ever failed a drug test. "A racer who gets caught by doping control is dumb as a mule," Voet told me.
And how many of those 500 cyclists he worked with did not take drugs to enhance their performance? "I can count them on two hands. Maybe two hands and two feet if I'm generous," Voet said.
And where did the clean ones finish? I wondered.
"The back of the pack," Voet said.
Armstrong never finished at the back of the pack. Neither did his onetime teammate, Tyler Hamilton, the '04 Olympic champion who was suspended for two years for blood doping. Neither did another former teammate, Floyd Landis, who failed a doping test after winning this year's Tour de France. Neither did Italy's Ivan Basso, or Germany's Jan Ullrich, or Spain's Francisco Mancebo, who finished second, third and fourth to Armstrong in the '05 Tour, all of whom have been implicated in the Spanish doping investigation that rocked the start of this year's Tour. Each disputes the allegations.
There's nothing new in any of this. Voet was telling the truth, but not enough people were listening. The sport of cycling is dirty, was dirty and will continue to be dirty until more athletes like Andreu and trainers like Voet come forward and break the code of silence. Remember those names. They're the heroes.
Here's the thing about truth: It may take a while. It may take years. But truth's a tenacious battler. Eventually it will come out.
E.M. Swift, SI.com
Is the truth finally catching up with Lance Armstrong, and is this one race the seven-time Tour de France champion may not be able to win?
In Tuesday's New York Times, two of Armstrong's former U.S. Postal Service teammates admitted to having used EPO, an illegal performance-enhancing drug, at some point in 1999, the first year Armstrong won the Tour de France. While neither said they saw Armstrong do the same, the implication was that the drug use was common knowledge within the team. "The environment was certainly one of, to be accepted, you had to use doping products," said one of Armstrong's teammates, who requested anonymity, fearing reprisals from the notoriously vindictive Armstrong, who still wields considerable power in cycling.
The other teammate was 39-year-old Frankie Andreu, a domestique who competed professionally for 12 years and was once Armstrong's close friend and roommate. He's now a motivational speaker and real-estate dealer in Dearborn, Mich. He said he only used EPO "for a couple of races" and was speaking out in hopes of cleaning up his tainted sport.
More interesting -- to me, anyway -- was the testimony the Times uncovered that Andreu and his wife, Betsy, gave last fall during a lawsuit between Armstrong and SCA Promotions. The company had withheld a $5 million bonus it owed Armstrong after he won the '04 Tour because of doping allegations.
The suit was eventually settled out of court in Armstrong's favor, but in their sworn testimony the Andreus said that when they visited Armstrong in the hospital after he'd been diagnosed with testicular cancer, they'd heard him tell his oncologists that he'd used "steroids, testosterone, cortisone, growth hormone and EPO." Their testimony was disputed by the doctor who administered Armstrong's chemotherapy at Indiana University Medical Center. In the same trial, Armstrong testified that his doctors never asked him if he'd used performance-enhancing drugs, and that he'd never used those substances.
Which testimony is more credible? The Andreus' or Armstrong's? Ask yourself which party had the most to gain by lying. And why is that particular testimony significant? Because one of the possible side effects of prolonged steroid use is testicular cancer. It's impossible to prove, but if what the Andreus testified to under oath is true, than Lance Armstrong, role model and hero to so many cancer survivors, may very well have helped bring about his own cancer through his use of performance-enhancing drugs. Young athletes tempted to go down that road need to know if that's the case.
None of what was reported in the Times is a shock to me. In 1999 I went to see Willy Voet, the Belgian trainer of the French-based Festina cycling team who was at the center of the '98 Tour de France scandal when he was arrested while crossing the border with literally hundreds of vials of EPO, growth hormones and testosterone.
Voet ended up spending time in prison, and by the time he talked to me he was a man filled with remorse. He, too, was interested in helping to clean up his sport, and had written a book in French, the title of which translates as Chain Massacre: Revelations of 30 Years of Cheating. It made him an outcast in cycling but painstakingly chronicled the drug culture that only now is recognized as having infected the sport.
In the 1970s, Voet said, the drug of choice was amphetamines. In the '80s it was anabolic steroids and cortisone. In the '90s it was growth hormones and EPO. He described leaning out a car window to give a shot to a cyclist in the middle of a race. He recalled hiding condoms of clean urine in the anus of cyclists to fool drug-testers. He spoke of dripping IV bags of saline solution into their bodies after a race to lower the ratio of red-blood-cell volume to total blood volume to avoid EPO detection in the event of a surprise drug test.
Of the 500 cyclists he'd worked with over the years, only two had ever failed a drug test. "A racer who gets caught by doping control is dumb as a mule," Voet told me.
And how many of those 500 cyclists he worked with did not take drugs to enhance their performance? "I can count them on two hands. Maybe two hands and two feet if I'm generous," Voet said.
And where did the clean ones finish? I wondered.
"The back of the pack," Voet said.
Armstrong never finished at the back of the pack. Neither did his onetime teammate, Tyler Hamilton, the '04 Olympic champion who was suspended for two years for blood doping. Neither did another former teammate, Floyd Landis, who failed a doping test after winning this year's Tour de France. Neither did Italy's Ivan Basso, or Germany's Jan Ullrich, or Spain's Francisco Mancebo, who finished second, third and fourth to Armstrong in the '05 Tour, all of whom have been implicated in the Spanish doping investigation that rocked the start of this year's Tour. Each disputes the allegations.
There's nothing new in any of this. Voet was telling the truth, but not enough people were listening. The sport of cycling is dirty, was dirty and will continue to be dirty until more athletes like Andreu and trainers like Voet come forward and break the code of silence. Remember those names. They're the heroes.
Here's the thing about truth: It may take a while. It may take years. But truth's a tenacious battler. Eventually it will come out.
Friday, September 08, 2006
"The Dead Season"
Howdy All...! Just thought it would be nice to see a new addition here on the home of the wheel'd soldiers. It is that time of year when the desire to get out and ride begins to fade. The temp drops and the darkness falls. The hardcore become the norm and the norm fall victim to society. Leaves will die soon and become a nuissance to many and a cushion to others. Soon the snow will fall and push all to the good "Dr. Suess". Why I dont know, it just sounded good in my head. All these things bring about for some of us the desire to add some spice to our cycling efforts. Some of us may resort to indoor activities and others will tough it out.
The reason that I wanted to get this out to everyone is that there are rides that are still going on throughout the tuff times of the season. If you do not know, this is the time of the year (opposite spring) when Mountain Bikers flourish. It is almost as if they are reborn in the fall and spring. You see in the middle of the summer the woods tend to be hot. As you may guess the lack of moving air through the woods results in some pretty ugly riding conditions. So with a lack of heat the temps in the woods at this time of the year, it becomes almsot absolutely perfect for that type of riding.
We (our lil group of singletrack-minds) have been hitting the trails pretty consistently on the weekends here for a good couple of weeks now. The trails have been pretty decent and will most likely get kinda ugly in the next few weeks. Most of the rides on the weekends start early as everyone still has those "other" resposibilities. If anyone is interested in joining any mtn. bike rides show your typing/internet skills and send some messages or emails and let some of us know (or just me). We are usually on the trails by nine am and put in three hours or so. The furthest that we typically go is about one hour away. Join us soon for "Mud Sweat and Gears".
With this fall season in mind, keep also in mind that when the weather changes so does your maintenance sched. It is a must during these times that you clean your cycle. If you do not take care of your equipment it will not take care of you. Bottom Line........................................................
So...I also want to let you all know that I will most likely be transforming my weekly rides and training into a different schedule and may not see most of you unless it is on the weekends. After 20 yrs or so as a cyclist this time of year presents an obstacle of motivation for me. To continue to hit the streets and pound meaningless pavement just isn't as attractive as bumps, cuts, logs and bruises. Yet another reason to "spice it up".
While the inevitable death of a season passes us yet again, try to avoid the depression of your local city and stay alert with some trail pounding. Who knows you just might find you are a mtn. biker at heart.
Oh yeah....if no one realizes this.....you are able to ride a mtn bike completely around the shenango lake resevoir (sp). It is a great loop for this area and can challenge your riding skills a few times. It's no state game lands with groomed trails but it is a place to get your wheels spinning in a different mindset and backdrop. You may have to ride a little pavement if you are seeking to encounter trails in the local area, but that could be a little needed break. Again if you are seeking a little mtn. biking in the local arena and dont know of anything.........just ask!
Enough said..........catch you all next time. Good luck keepin them wheels turnin....
harms
The reason that I wanted to get this out to everyone is that there are rides that are still going on throughout the tuff times of the season. If you do not know, this is the time of the year (opposite spring) when Mountain Bikers flourish. It is almost as if they are reborn in the fall and spring. You see in the middle of the summer the woods tend to be hot. As you may guess the lack of moving air through the woods results in some pretty ugly riding conditions. So with a lack of heat the temps in the woods at this time of the year, it becomes almsot absolutely perfect for that type of riding.
We (our lil group of singletrack-minds) have been hitting the trails pretty consistently on the weekends here for a good couple of weeks now. The trails have been pretty decent and will most likely get kinda ugly in the next few weeks. Most of the rides on the weekends start early as everyone still has those "other" resposibilities. If anyone is interested in joining any mtn. bike rides show your typing/internet skills and send some messages or emails and let some of us know (or just me). We are usually on the trails by nine am and put in three hours or so. The furthest that we typically go is about one hour away. Join us soon for "Mud Sweat and Gears".
With this fall season in mind, keep also in mind that when the weather changes so does your maintenance sched. It is a must during these times that you clean your cycle. If you do not take care of your equipment it will not take care of you. Bottom Line........................................................
So...I also want to let you all know that I will most likely be transforming my weekly rides and training into a different schedule and may not see most of you unless it is on the weekends. After 20 yrs or so as a cyclist this time of year presents an obstacle of motivation for me. To continue to hit the streets and pound meaningless pavement just isn't as attractive as bumps, cuts, logs and bruises. Yet another reason to "spice it up".
While the inevitable death of a season passes us yet again, try to avoid the depression of your local city and stay alert with some trail pounding. Who knows you just might find you are a mtn. biker at heart.
Oh yeah....if no one realizes this.....you are able to ride a mtn bike completely around the shenango lake resevoir (sp). It is a great loop for this area and can challenge your riding skills a few times. It's no state game lands with groomed trails but it is a place to get your wheels spinning in a different mindset and backdrop. You may have to ride a little pavement if you are seeking to encounter trails in the local area, but that could be a little needed break. Again if you are seeking a little mtn. biking in the local arena and dont know of anything.........just ask!
Enough said..........catch you all next time. Good luck keepin them wheels turnin....
harms
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Labor Day Ride?
I'm planning on riding tomorrow, say around 8:00 AM. Maybe easy 40 miler, up to 322, back via Jamestown to either Greenville or Kinsman then home.
If you want to meet at park, call or log into blog, if no response, I'll leave from my place.
Jay
If you want to meet at park, call or log into blog, if no response, I'll leave from my place.
Jay
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