Sunday, August 27, 2017

Greatest Ride On Earth??

Big Man is slowing down in his way advanced age, so he is not able to produce the blog as often as he once did.  His readers are likely grateful. (NOT TRUE)  This week’s blog is a combination of the adventurers of the tattered remains of the PCR’s for the past two weeks.

                Last week, for the second week in a row, the PCRs rode to Antelope Island.  While they did not see a single antelope, they did witness a herd of buffalos.  The park ranger reminded the PCRs that the official name of the lumbering beasts is “bison”, but who ever heard of “Bison Bill”, a “bison nickel” or listened to the phrase from the classic western American song “Home on the Range” sung “where the deer and the bison roam”?  It is just as un-American to refer to them “bison” as it is to use the metric system as a unit of measurement!  On the trip home Bruner tried to demonstrate his bicycling mechanic prowess by repairing a flat in less than 30 minutes.  He failed miserably!  It was a great ride, except Big Man was not there.  In his absence Prez Hale attempted to assume command.  Mr. MBA immediately took over Prez Hale’s role as chief complainer.  Prez Hale has since abdicated any responsibility for attempting to herd the PCRs and reassumed his role as chief complainer.

                This week was the final long ride for the PCRs.  Mr. MBA brought to bear all of his business acumen to plan and promote the event.  He told us it would be the “greatest ride on earth”.  He planned a route from Coalville, to Kamas, up Mirror Lake highway, across a long dirt road from Wyoming to Chalk Creek back to Coalville.  In accountant like fashion he plotted the path on Strava and calculated the distance and ascent.  Then he promoted the ride with the deftness of a Steve Jobs.   Like a commanding CEO he wrote a page of rules for the PCRs to follow so that everyone would maximize their ride enjoyment.  But in a  Bernie Madoff like manner he duped the poor PCRs to follow his directives like sheep, only to ditch them at the last minute and ride what he referred to as the “greatest ride”--from Salt Lake to Deer Valley.  The PCRs have retained Prez Hale to investigate a fraudulent inducement class action against Mr. MBA.

                Nevertheless the PCRs made the best of ride, which was plagued with mishaps. The first sign of the ill-fated journey was Morgan had a flat, it was not his bike tire, but his car.  So he had a late start.  Then Queen of Wraps had a piece of glass slice his tire and had to use his ingenuity to repair the tire using an empty gel container.  Later, after passing Mirror Lake the sidewall of Big Man’s tire was worn away caused by a spoke failure.  The tire was beyond repair.  He was thirty nine miles from Kamas.  The remaining PCRs were confronted with a Sophie’s Choice:  complete Mr. MBA’s “greatest ride on earth” and leave Big Man behind and let him use his thumb, good looks and boyish charm to see if he could hitch a ride back to Kamas, or stay with their biking brother, knowing it would be far less likely that someone would pick up three stinky bikers instead of one.  Taking their que from Big Man (Craig you will appreciate this) Big Man was left alone to his own devices.  He pulled it off and found someone with a soft heart who drove him all the way back to Coalville where he was joined with by the others after they completed the ride.  The others journey on to discover that the route wasn’t what Mr. MBA touted it to be.  Nevertheless, they saw many beautiful vistas and met many friendly people.

                Thank goodness the long rides are over--except the big one.

YIPPY SKIPPY

 
 It's still a little early 

Where are the Buffalo?



 Cool, Quiet, No Traffic and a GREAT Sunrise


One was SAD the Ranch was closed, the others
 THANK GOODNESS!








 Big Man left on his own, took pictures so you might find him if he turned up missing

 Sitting under the shade waiting for his buddies

 MAN, GLAD THAT RIDE IS OVER!

           

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Variety Is The Spice Of Life

Diversity makes life interesting, as in Prez. Hale goes golfing.....WHAT??? This phrase comes from William Cowper's poem, "The Task" (1785), "Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor"  With this in mind, the PCRs decided to change things up this week and from the pictures below you will see they did a few things different.

So the question should be asked, What are you doing to spice up your life? Are you riding the same routes each week or looking for new vistas? Are you meeting new people and making new friends? Are you sharing pictures of new rides and places you've been? (Dr. J and little man)  Life is short, make the best of it each day. And most important, if you get a couple of wasps in your jersey on the downhill, STOP and get them out.

YIPPY SKIPPY

 Let's go Long & Flat 
(new pavement on this trail... SWEET)

 ... and you thought riding LOTOJA was tough

As always, PB (Pretty Boy) is always wearing the right colors

 After a long ride, relaxing and refueling is KEY!



 Make sure to spend time with BABES 
and GO TO THE MOUNTAINS...

.... and Enjoy a GREAT Sunset






OUCH!


Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Summer Is Almost Most Over

"Time flies whether you're riding or not. The choice is yours." 
~ unknown ~

The summer is almost over so make sure you get as many rides in as you can. Many of the rides the last couple of weeks have been in the mountains, some on roads and some on trails.  The valley heat has encouraged the PCRs to spend time in the beautiful Utah mountains, among flowers, moose and deer. However, with mountains come hills and for some, a little whining. (You know who you are)

On July 24th, a group headed up the "original" pioneer trail on mountain bikes and Tow Truck Hawke found out what a moose looks like, "CLOSE UP".... HOLY @#~!  Coach Craig and BIG MAN joined the youth to see if they could still handle a mountain bike without getting bucked off, which they did, but enjoyed riding part of road back to the car. The following week, Prez Hale and BIG MAN wanted to see where the Pony Express rode and ventured on a new route behind Jeremy Ranch and up the backside of Big Mtn.  They ran into several new vistas and met a couple of new friends....

The Tour of Utah was held last week and Stage 6 was an invitation for amateurs to get a feel for how good these riders really are. The spirits were high and smiles large early on, but many experienced what happens to the body when it dehydrates.......... CRAMPS... (How you feeling BIG MAN?)  Dr. J and little man headed to OR to ride on uncharted roads. (Eager to see your pics)

So the BIG questions:

  • Are you thinner?
  • Are you faster?
  • Are you more fit?
  • Are you KOM?
  • Are you a Stravaholic?
No matter how you answer the above questions, did you ENJOY your summer on a bike?

YIPPY SKIPPY






 Yes, they are all smiles for NOW!




BIG MAN begs for a little water while he waits for his wife to pick him up....
GO UTEs!