Slow Recovery

My five continual days off started with a plan of sorts. Wednesday I mapped out a route for Thursday, a nice little route somewhere in the 45 to 60 mile neighborhood. Starting my virtual to reality journey at my house on googlemaps what do I spy?

That would be The Boy jumping out of his friend's car to wave at the googlecar cam. Weird. I sent him the link, he posted it here, and I wasted a lot of time surfing that site later (when I shoulda been riding).


Yes, as one might expect, the ride never happened. I woke up to blustery winds and a lack of resolve. It was a good thing, for once I was forced outside (in a car) to confront my agoraphobia I found that the roads were clogged with second to the last minute shoppers. On Friday I did get out for an hour on the mountain bike with Advocat, Chico, Scott T, and Johnny Flapjack... and that was all the saddle time I got in the whole time.

I had prepped my fixie cyclocross tire shod machine for a snow ride, but I couldn't be bothered with such silliness. Snowmen were made, snowballs thrown, and sleds slidden. I accomplished less in the last five days than I have in any five day period in the last two decades.

It's December.

Whatever.

My old friend and Ellsworth teammate John Moorhouse posted some very old photos on his facebook page.

24 Hours of Tahoe 2001 (I think). Breaking out the sleeveless jersey with arm warmers look long before I made it way cool junior.

Here I am up on the podium with none other than the first ever 24 World Champ Rishi Grewal. He wasn't terribly nice to me until the race was over at which point he shot me with champagne.

Meh.

My favorite photo?

That's me and my late father. Yes, he is on crutches. The day before the event he was helping us set up the Ellsworth trailer/tent/giant advertising juggernaut. He slid off the front of the trailer in an attempt to dismount gracefully and ended up shattering his heel. He spent the better part of the evening before the race in the Truckee ER while I ran out to the parking lot to prep my lights and gear. It was the last time he ever got to go to a race with me.

Today is his birthday. I really miss him.

Thanks for the memories John.