Number 986th Place!

I recently started using a new program with my phone that has the ability to track your mountain bike riding efforts. I won't bore you with maps of each ride as who wants to see a bunch of maps with some red squiggle lines throughout? One of the bells/whistles of the program, however, is it also tracks EVERYONE who has rode a certain trail (and is using the application) and ranks the times. As old Coach Stevenson used to tell us, there is always someone better. So true in this case. For the trail I rode today, I am in 986th place, so I got that going for me. I pulled up a few trails in the area for comparison with the group I follow; noted at the bottom of this post. Leading the way on two I pulled is former Milford Redskin Shaun L. Funny thing is I don't recall Shaun being that athletic in high school but damn she has really taken a grip on the mountain bike world. Right behind her is my nephew Jackson and roughly 10 minutes off the pace is yours truly. My excuse (always an excuse) is I like to stop for photo opportunities and Hendrix on with my music player a bit more than the others. Excuses, excuses.
Trail Head  

Indy Road Trip - Blind Squirrel Found a Nut

Yep, it had to happen eventually. Prior to yesterday, only one Lion road trip for me resulted in a victory, that being the woeful Browns when we had the "we suck less" chant going. I'm going off of memory but some form of my Michigan posse has been to Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland (twice), Green Bay, Nashville, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.....to see the Lions lose. That is a lot of losing on the road. But thanks to the Colts secondary who I hear were working at UPS and Staples last week, the Lions somehow won. They tried their darnedest to lose but it was not to be. 

These trips are usually part football and part local sight seeing, however, being a former Hoosier back in the late 90's, I had seen most of it already so besides checking out my old house, I was more or less being the tour guide Saturday night for the many Michiganders making the drive.  

With me for the game were friends and former co-workers when I lived down there, Devin and Doug. Both are still in the area, raising families and doing well. Rather than doing the pre-game tailgate, we went with the local tavern to watch the early games. Many "Luck" jerseys in the house.  

A gold star to the Lion contingent who made the trip. We sat near a group from Allen Park and the northeast area of the stadium had the "Let's go Li-ons" chant going before being drowned out by the Colts fans who just booed. Devin and Doug had to hear my rendition of "forward down the field" after each Lion score; which of course ends with the ROOOOAAARRRR!!!!!! (with the stretched out claw for effect). 

The Colts stadium is a beautiful one. It is pretty much identical to the Lions stadium with one caveat that I can't believe wasn't even considered; a retractable roof with a north end wall that opens to the city skyline. 

It wasn't pretty but the Lions are 1-0 and in first place!

Trail Head 

winning field goal

Devin and Doug

view from the north side of the stadium

quite a few Lion fans in the house

victory is near

 

my old crib in Indianapolis

Pre-Labor Pedal

East Side Eddie P.

Summer time is unofficially closing shop once again for the 48th year of my existence and what better way to start the Labor Day festivities than a pedal! East Side Eddie P. braved the bullshi* traffic (accidents mixed in with stressed out headed-out-of-town- ASAP travelers; the perfect storm for a cluster fu**) to join me for a loop at Island Lake. 

There was a little bit of everything on the trail tonight. Besides getting passed by a pack of hardcore riders, we witnessed one dude wipe it trying to climb a root/stump infested hill and his friends gave the standard, "Are you okay?" response. After years of pedaling, the proper term is "That must hurt for you to be writhing and moaning like you're passing a kidney stone." Of course he isn't okay you morons. I honestly called them out on it. 

Labor Day On!!!

Trail Head

call me Timmy Leibovitz  - too nice not to take that picture

random dude