This Could Be You

For those that slept in this morning, you missed another epic ride.  After all is said and done, it isn't how you start, but how you finish that makes or breaks your day, and the three finished in style.

The weather report had warnings of thunderstorms and gusty winds destined to ruin any chance of a comfortable ride. Coach Craig, woke up at 5:30 AM and listened to the wind howling outside.  He started to question the wisdom of the ambitious if not illustrious leader BIG MAN, who wanted to leave at 6:30 AM (Coach Craig, you're not alone) Reluctantly, the Coach caved into peer pressure and arrived at Prez. Hale's at 6:30 sharp.  To his surprise and delight the dark grey clouds had passed over our sweet valley and loomed over the mountains and canyons to the East. (Never question the BIG MAN)

Bucking a stiff headwind, the group headed south for the Dimple Dell Loop. Spirits and conversations were lively as usual.  Prez. Hale was quick to remind the 3 amigos that it was his "birth-week" and today was his last day as a 58 year old, which BIG MAN quickly spoke up and asked, "if you're the youngest, why are you the slowest?"

Like most of BIG MAN's rides, the group detoured to journey the path less traveled and to view AND read the plaque documenting the 1st tavern/brewery in Cottonwood Heights. As you will see, pictures were taken to share with the non-riders, or is it just BIG MAN's way of taking a break every 20 minutes? 

After climbing "Jack and the Beanstalk" Coach Craig and BIG MAN sang Happy Birthday, in harmony, to Prez. Hale. A fellow female runner came by and applauded the two. (True Story) Prez. Hale, from memory then gave the TATS for the day.

One ship sails East,

And another West,

By the self-same winds that blow,

'Tis the set of the sails

And not the gales,

That tells the way we go.

Like the winds of the sea

Are the waves of time,

As we journey along through life,

'Tis the set of the soul,

That determines the goal,

And not the calm or the strife. 

--Ella Wheeler Wilcox

With 20 plus MPH winds at their backs, the return ride was an all time PR. However, the breaks were still working good enough to make a stop for a Saturday Waffle, where again the BIG MAN encouraged those waiting to join him in another round of Happy Birthday. 

Tip of the Week = How To Fix Back Pain Cycling

YIPPY SKIPPY

PS - Note NEW feature, "PHOTO OF THE WEEK"! We encourage all of you to submit pictures. 

"Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second" 

 ~Marc Riboud~

 Happy Birthweek

 No Friends On Powder Days

 How many of you have seen these before??

 This is why we ride

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Light House - by Nancy Jensen

Kim Briggs Memorial Ride

A few of the PCRs met this week on Thursday, April 21st, the one year anniversary of the passing of our Captain. It's hard to believe it's been one year and what better way to remember this GREAT man than to take a ride up our favorite canyon, Emigration. It was only appropriate that we meet at the "truck", which we we had done so often.

As usual, we started out as a group and the stronger riders were soon to leave the not so strong in the dust. This too, was something we had done often. Once at the summit, the BIG MAN attempted to get the group to cooperate for pictures. (Kim your leadership skills were greatly missed)

Sexy Legs, Tow Truck Moesser, Coach Craig and BIG MAN set an all time record on the decent down the canyon to the cemetery to meet the ladies for additional memories, toasts, and chocolate milk.

Kim, we MISS YOU GREATLY and appreciate your ordering a nice warm spring day (82) and turning on the sprinklers as not to let us linger too long.

PS - A special thanks to little man and Dr. J for organizing the ride and Vicki and the ladies for the chocolate milk

 

 Guys, guys, look over here

Here's to KIM!

Just like Kim to keep us hopping

13th Annual - Bandit/Deadhead Marathon Ride

Yesterday's ride was started off with a little Italian lesson, by Prez. Hale. 'festina lente', means literally 'make hast slowly', this translation also sounds a lot better than 'hurry slowly'. What it really means is, 'be quick, or be left behind'. Sexy Legs was not paying attention to the lesson and was taught the meaning as he demonstrated to the thousands of riders what happens when you slowing ride across railroad tracks and your wheel gets stuck and DOWN you go. However, he was 'QUICK' to get up and was smiling.

The starting time was early, the temperature was a little chilly, the route was a little different, and the BIG MAN was taught, that if you are not quick, you RIDE BY YOURSELF.

Tip of the Week = How To React To Potholes Cycling

YIPPY SKIPPY

 Start with the end in mind

 If your normal riding buddies leave you in the dust, find some cute ladies that will pull you in

 BIG MAN, where have you been?  We've been here for 10 minutes

 The ORANGE Helmet Bearded Bandits

SPRING RIDING IS THE BEST

(This artistic shot is for Dr. J's camera class)

“All Hope Abandon, Ye Who Enter Here….”

The Nine Circles of Hell described in Dante’s Inferno pale in comparison to Hale’s 10 Hills to Hell!  Saturday, BIG MAN relinquished command of the PCRs and let Prez Hale suggest the route of the day.  So at 7:30 (an hour set to entice the Petunia PCRs to come), those of the PCR’s who are not shrinking violets took off to ride up Emigration Canyon.  They rode BIG MAN'S 7 to Heaven (Wood, you need to go back to the first grade to learn math again; it’s really 9 hills.  Of course, Mr. MBA, a former CPA, will tell you that 2+2 is whatever you want it to be) plus riding to the top of Pinecrest.  If Dante had joined us his Inferno would have included a tenth circle of hell—the 16 percent climb at the end of Pinecrest.  During this journey we discovered why BIG MAN is the team photographer: he needs lots of breaks when the going gets tough.  

Billy Goat Bruner is back in form.  He was king of the summits, all ten of them.  Speaking of billy goats, we almost hit one that hangs out by where the Moon and the Sun was located descending Emigration Canyon.  We had a special guest appearance by Prez Hale's younger, but less good looking, less hair, not quite as smart and not in all that good of shape for being 10 years younger, brother Craig.  He abandoned the group mid-adventure.  And we got a glimpse of Antione and his better looking half ascending Emigration as we rolled down.  

Sexy Legs gave us one of the more memorable TATS as we panted at the end of our last summit.  He quoted Mark Twain who wrote: “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”  While the hardy PCR souls who participated in this week’s journey forgive the pansies who stayed at home, we remind them of Dante’s warning: “They go by turns each one unto the judgment; They speak, and hear, and they are downward hurled.”  Inferno, Canto V.  Be forewarned that your muscles are atrophying and your waistlines expanding (i.e. little man, you may no longer be worthy of that moniker)!  And here is additional motivation for little man to get out: as the scales tips ever higher when you climb upon it, your chances of ending up at the back of the pace line with the BIG MAN increase, where you will listen to his white noise forever!   

Get out and join us next time! 

Tip of the Week = Cyclist Demographics - Just Who is Riding

YIPPY SKIPPY

 There was discussion on whether we should really ride this next "Hill to Hell"

 Yes, the water is starting to run and when you're in last place, ALWAYS STOP to take a PIC

BIG MAN stopped to reminisce as he talked to the owners of Grandma and Grandpa's old cabin

 The old bunk house has been remodeled

Here's a few more PCRs that were out leaving the BIG MAN in the Dust

4th Annual - Trains & Bikes with your Buddies

Yesterday, was another epic ride to feel/see the beauty of our snow capped mountains. A few of the PCRs took a train ride to Orem and rode the Murdock and Porter Rockwell trails back home to Sugarhouse, 62 miles. We had a couple of new faces, which made for new stories, more laughs and even a lesson in trying to ride as fast as the OLDER riders, which will test you every time...... BONK!

Tip of the Week = Exciting Biking Breakthrough from GOOGLE

YIPPY SKIPPY

 The fastest part of the ride...  80 mph

Some have taken the "Riding ID" to a new level.. Sigma Chi Crest... YES, this is GOLD

 Murdock Canal Trail Head

Stop and smell the roses and have a TATS

"In the end, it cannot be doubted that each of us can see only a part of the picture.  The doctor sees one, the patient another, the engineer a third, the economist a fourth, the pearl diver a fifth, the alcoholic a sixth, the cable guy a seventh, the sheep farmer an eighth, the Indian beggar a ninth, the pastor a tenth.  Human knowledge is never contained in one person. It grows from the relationships we create between each other and the world, and still it is never complete.  And Truth comes somewhere above all of them, where, the sower and reaper can rejoice together.  For here the saying is verified that “one sows and another reaps.” 

~Paul Kalanithi~

I know there are a few that ask, "Why does it take SOOO LONG?" Some have even given it a name, "The Wood Factor", others think we should change our name to, "Parleys Picnic Riders"  Finally our camera crew has captured the cause....

Women, THANKS for letting us BOYS BE BOYS