Night before teaching brings out the best

Jordyn passed on this movie of Pepper at the shop trying to make herself at home one night after a long day greeting people. Gretta and I just had to watch it a few times and we figured those of you in cyber-land might like it too.

With all the stress of teaching tomorrow...this hit the spot!
 I'll have progress reports from the first days as a Penn State Professor in the coming days...if I make it...

ready for another show...bigger and better...images and beard

So, I have an opportunity to be a part of a gallery opening and group show- hell yeah!
Met with Jody- picked out images- just got done mounting them and framing the lot- I think they look better than the model holding them...
Yeah- these really are big...23x27" images in 32x39 frames...
enjoy...my eyes are tired from working at the shop and then framing all night...oh the pain of an artist...
you may recognize the first photo- it was the postcard I sent out for my graduation...the rest are my working through images of the past years and making sense of them...that's the hope anyway

just when I thought I was out...

Yup...you can only resist the racing scene for so long...
IronCross...the longest cyclocross race in the country...100km (62miles)...here is the MapMyRide info...
4hrs47min
one gear
no flats
and the FreezeThaw posse took second by a fraction...we did get a case of Troegs Double Bock that hits harder than some of the climbs!!!
My back is sore this morning and I may be working at less than full capacity!
The GPS had me buring 6800 calories...time to pack a big lunch...
later
e

It happened...it really did

Dear Sweet Lil' Ol' Bianchi,
You have served me so well the past two and half years...I am sad to say your adventures here are done...it's time to move on. Rather than hurt your feelings...I'm just going to have to let you go. Yes, the new Surly is my go-to...and well...you could just sit in the back room...all pretty and green and unridden...or you could go to a new home. Yes, a new home...doesn't that sound nice? A place where you will once again be someone's go-to? Besides...our place together was SF. And, well, we just aren't there anymore. We are near forests and dirt and rocks and beautiful rolling roads with fall leaves and summer breezes. You are meant to be on commuter paths and streets, trustworthy and steady, everyday. You deserve something better. No really...you do.

Yeah, that smiling face...that's the face of someone who came home to a hidden, just put together cross bike...E hid it out back...then suggested we take the dog out and...bam! There it was! He had put it together on his day off...why is he so good to me? Mr. Aweseome!! And, to put icing on the cake...he went riding with me this morning on my first road ride ever... it, too, was awesome. Yeah, sorry lil' ol' Bianchi... new adventures ahead!

Fall in State College...and a good ride

Here is the last ride I have done...cool...dry...fall colors beginning...if you don't have a cross bike, I feel bad for you...
We suffered a bit, hit some high speeds descending, wore out some legs
it was a good day!
good luck to the Ton in his race...
it really is fall...the shop goes to fall hours starting tomorrow!
dig the ride...2hrs 20min...we really went for it...

e

Hmmmm

So-I looked up images of bobcats and nothing really looked right. Then I looked for images of eastern mountain lions...turns out that cat is a young mountain lion! How's that? A real mountain lion here in Centre County!
Things just keep getting better some days!

Big Cats in Happy Valley...really

This morning Jordyn showed up to ride off into the woods to Ebinsberg, PA and figured I should ride out with him for a bit before he fought the wind for the last 50 or so miles. It was cool and clear, the wind was in our faces, our bikes whistled along the corn and soy fields we find surrounding town. Today also marked the first home Penn State football game and the lack of traffic heading into town was welcome as most of the fans showed up on Friday. Our route took us on Whitehall road heading west. Lots of halls around these parts...Linden Hall, Pine Hall, Centre Hall...you get it. Whitehall shoots down the valley and green fields open up to showcase our ridge and valley system mountains. This morning was truly one for the story.
Our ride and chatting was interrupted as this dead animal flashed upward from the side of the road. At first we both thought it was some cheezy stuffed animal lost on it's way to tailgate before the game. At the same time we HAD to turn around and check it out. What we found was just what we never figured we would see here in central PA...it looks like a Bobcat, or some sort of big cat. There has been talk of the Nittany Mountain Lion being spotted in the past few months. Everyone wants to believe there are a few out there. What these images mean...I don't know. We saw it and got some quick shots, it wasn't there an hour and a half later (I checked on my way back!!!)
I really think there are larger cats out there and would have been much happier seeing it run in the distance and not have been hit and dead.
The paws looked good and were huge.
No ribs showing.
The coat was perfect and thick.
Teeth were white and clean.
It really looked in good health from what we could see.
I left buzzing with excitement and hope that there really are some out there...I also left sad knowing that this magnificent animal died.
Enjoy the images...all hail the iphone's crappy camera!!!

Bam! Bam!

Nothing like enjoying the last cool morning before the heat sets in for the next week...some time on the ride it hit us and just kept getting hotter...



E

BAM!

Got a road bike when we moved back, for some reason I still get pulled into the forests to ride the gravel roads....
Anyway...check it...
it hurt a good bit and my bike is all dusty...
sweeeeet

Gretta gets her ride on!!!

Gretta is really getting into the whole riding in the forest and embracing the climbs...this ride took her deeper into the forest than ever...nice!
Keep it up lady!
e

Pansy Lungs Loop

WARNING: mushy content within

Truth be told... I have pansy lungs. They've been giving me a fit since...well, as long as I can remember. Once upon a time and not so long ago, I was horribly embarrassed to walk up hill with anyone. Just the slightest exertion, and I would begin to sweat, turn red in the face, gasp for air. It was an absurd scene. I have asthma (yes, I realize even here as I write this that it sounds shameful), and I've always allowed it to act as a limitation on my life--doing anaerobic activities, avoiding anything aerobic tooth and nail. Little did I realize (thank you, wonderful husband of mine!!!) that pushing through that uncomfortableness...in small, smart, careful steps would help me to take charge of my lungs. And, now I can officially say, my lungs do not own me.

Today, I climbed (on my sweet machine) about 2800 vertical feet in less than two hours...and there was no gasping! Granted there was plenty of sweat and red in the face but NO gasping, panting, panicking. And, I actually (stand back, now) had...fun! Happily, this only verifies my intentions in getting a mountain bike. To have FUN! I didn't get a bike to become fast or "good." I just wanted to be out in the forest, and I gotta say, riding a bike up hill is soooooo way better than running, and I could go so far, see so much more of this beautiful forest in our backyard!

Here is what I named my Pansy Lung Loop...it is my beginning fire road loop that I am using to smack my lungs into good behavior. I must apologize to my running shoes here... sorry old friends... you may not see many days outside for a little while... at least until it snows enough that I can't make it out the forest. But, really, I mean, if you had a sweet machine like that...would you wear you? Really? I know it's harsh, but this isn't San Fran anymore.

The fireroads here aren't washed out in 3 feet deep ruts...nor are they stupidly straight up hill.

And, just look at that...it's a fireroad! Not even a "trail."  Just a road (with trees!) that takes you here, to this lookout:

And here, where it seems that magic can happen and it's entirely understandable why the forest becomes such a personal relationship that always seems to come across in people's discussions of these places:

And, just when it seems that it can't get any better...it has been. I've met some amazing women to ride with and had the incredible fortune to spend a lot of time with them in beautiful surroundings. Then, to boot, I have a partner who I trust and has encouraged me and helped me to extend beyond my comfort zone to find something that I truly, truly enjoy!

We're back baby!!!

 

Gretta post 7 mile ride wondering why it is that I still have to have a camera even after we just finish our ride...because- that's why!!!

 

dig that dirt on my lady!!! Dannnnng

Yes, that is our beat up old truck we drove all the way out here with 275,000 miles on it! It was made while I was still in high school. 

 

Gretta's new best friend...

so, one of the points of our move was to enjoy the outdoor opportunities here in central PA, in that we decided that Gretta deserved a bike to call her own and a chance to figure out what all the fuss was with mountain bike riding.
Yesterday she took the bike and climbed up the moutian road in Rothrock state forest to get aquainted with it...all alone in the woods and fire roads. This morning we headed out to the local trails that feature dirt and turns so she could run around and get dirty. It was great!  It ended up raining on us, she went head first over the handle bars when a log jumped up and she really looked like it was worth all the hassle of moving back.
Gretta- it was great being out there with you!!! You rode so well, thanks for letting me be a part of your first mountain ride!
e

Here...here at last.

Made it to Leah's pad last night around 1am. (Thanks, Leah!!!!!!!)..dang what a day it was. And the gps took us along route 22 with a ton of night construction, one lane roads, and two cranky people... But here we are- rested, caffienated, and just a kittle stinky from riding without ac for 17 hours straight. Hello beautiful state college.

Coordinates: N 40•46.645' W 77•50.935'
Elevation: 1106'

Oh suh-nap

It's the first Sheetz...e just spun the tires and nearly turned the rig over pulling in. well maybe not that extreme... But he did off road a little over the curb pulling in. Someone's getting excited. To tell the truth we all are... We're going to push on.

Coordinates: N 40•00.231' W 81•34.517'
Elevation: 858'

Yo to the Zeigs

Future home of some super fine people... We weren't kidding Eric and Kim... We're coming to see you guys once you are back in this pretty state!

Coordinates: N 39•49.810' W 84•48.779'
Elevation: 1122'

The Golden Road

Hit I-70 --the golden road home. We are less than a thousand miles away now and chomping at the bit to just get there. To stay on the road til we are there or to make a short day tomorrow? We'll see once we make Columbus. No matter, we are pointed in the right direction with the smell of honeysuckle welcoming us back across the river.

Coordinates: N 39•08.924' W 88•30.574'
Elevation: 598'

Out of the desert and into the woods

Just got to real trees... You know the ones - they are really green. Not a brownish green. And they don't look like their tough and rugged branches and leaves will slap you for looking at them. And weird... What's all this green stuff on the ground?!?! Onward east!

Coordinates: N 35•31.774' W 98•10.772'
Elevation: 1494'

Another possible dream town

Outdoor stores, bars, and galleries...goodbye, Flagstaff. It was nice getting to know you. We hope to see you again someday. Maybe "set awhile" as E's grammy would say. Grand Canyon pics to come soon. Hiking down into it is way better than the rim...wayyyyyyy better.

Coordinates: N 35•11.523' W 111•37.394'
Elevation: 6879'

Driving to see a big hole in the ground

The white aspens tucked into the ponderosas and hemlocks....hard to beat. We will see what a big hole in the ground can stand up to!

Coordinates: N 35•18.764' W 111•46.504'
Elevation: 8007' 

Williams AZ kinda nice!

So we roll into Williams Arizona to get gas, the tritches are 90min behind our schedule, so we decide to check it out...
As I write this we are in an awesome coffee shop with wifi to aid in the iPad updates. Thus far Gretta has been doing them on the iphone as we drive, the coordinates are live and accurate so dig them in google earth!!!!
Last night we slept in the Mohave desert preserve for free and were almost blinded by the moon's glow, the moon shadows were crazy bright! The wind kept whipping as we laid down...magical...really. We got up and took a hike, visited the visitor center, got patches for our backpacks, a sticker for grettas bottle, and a pin for my hat. Then we headed off to kelso dunes for another hike. Super crazy to see so far and then hear Pepper's tags behind us in the desert bushes!
Tonigh it is flagstaff and tomorrow the grand canyon.
Yes- it is a charmed life!
But if we didn't live it then who would?
See the easterners soon!!!!!!
Now for coffee...
E


Pictures coming soon!!!
Coordinates: 35°14′58″N 112°11′24″W
-g