Vashon Island Xterra (Dockton, WA): July 10, 2005

Yeah, this post is more than a little tardy.

Another Xterra, another good race. I would have finished higher, but
(1) the bikes Andrew and I rented were downhill bikes, not cross-country bikes,
(2) I crashed on Lap 1 of the bike, and
(3) I missed a turn and went seriously off-course on Lap 2.
Still, it was my first Top 10 (age group) finish. I have to feel good about that.

The swim and run were strong, though. I only wish I had realized the white things on the bottom of Quartermaster Harbor were jellyfish and not PVC pipe.

Sorry, Scott, no time to say "Hi." Maybe next time. Give my best to Rich, Jake, ***** ***** and the dogs.

Thanks again to Ed and Paige for letting us crash at their place. Even if I can never remember the name of their neighborhood.*

* (which is Bryant)

music snob vol. 1

music snob vol. 1 is out.

01 gorillaz: feel good inc.
02 hard-fi: hard to beat
03 rinôçérôse: bitch
04 the new pornographers: sing me spanish techno
05 ween: piss up a rope
06 queen v freddie mercury: new york at last
07 vicious vicious: here comes the police
08 eumir deodato: fora de tempo
09 corduroy: ponytail
10 the rebirth: evil vibrations
11 spanky wilson: sunshine of your love
12 the bees: these are the ghosts
13 legends: call it ours
14 sloan: nothing lasts forever anymore
15 the toms: (i wanna be a) teen again
16 sondre lerche: sleep on needles
17 john vanderslice: crc 7173, affectionately
18 the kinks: rock and roll fantasy
19 richard & linda thompson: i want to see the bright lights tonight
20 fairport convention with sandy denny: who knows where the time goes

e-mail me at m i k e v s f at h o t m a i l for a copy

Winter Park Weekend

Another weekend, another weekend spent out of town. This time in Winter Park, CO. What was to be a weekend backpacking in the Neversummer Wilderness turned into an impromptu mountain biking weekend.

After renting a bike at Christy Sports (a Trek Fuel 70 -- iffy brakes, 8 speed cassette (?!), heavy as a tank, but still, a surprisingly good climber), we set off on Saturday to do the Tipperary/Spruce Creek Loop. On the way up we ran into a girl who had just raced at Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Her time? 11 hours, 13 minutes. Which, BTW, is freakin' fast.

Our route, for those following at home with a map, was Northwest Passage --> Church Park Rd. --> Tipperary --> Spruce Creek --> FR 159 --> Zoom Trail --> Chainsaw Trail --> Uncle-initiated bushwhack back to Northwest Passage trailhead.

Sunday was a mellow hike near Meadow Creek Reservoir.

Following a bad bout of hay fever Sunday night, a Monday ride was questionable, but we did it anyway. Elk Creek Rd. --> Unmarked singletrack --> Sunken Bridges --> Water Board Rd. --> D-4 Trail --> WTB Trail --> D-2 Trail --> Elk Meadows Trail --> Elk Creek Rd.

Many thanks to the unnamed worker bees who are creating some of the best singletrack in the Fraser Valley. I'm not one to name names, but their place of work rhymes with "Isty Sports."

Thanks again, guys.

Miss Slovakia 2024

The Shape of Things to Come