Bill's Blog (Web Log)

Fixing Flats

I have had the worst luck since last Friday. Friday night I went running and felt so tired I had to walk back to my car. I decided to take it easy on Saturday, maybe go with some friends on a easy ride. Saturday I woke up and decided to go on a ride with my friends here in Missoula. I fixed up my road bike into a Cyclo Cross Bike for this one ride because i knew there was going to be a gravel road section. Long story short, we rode up and over Deer Creek Pass via logging roads and singletrack back into town through Pattee Canyon. What is so bad about that? Broken spokes front and rear with a broke free hub body to boot. After bumming out all evening Saturday I decided to take Sunday off and fix the bikes up the best I could. I found a freehub body and spokes at Open Road and went to work on the bikes. The TREK frame is ruined so I made it into a singlee speed (a good climbing gear). The road bike I was able to fix completely. I found some extra time in the evening to go for a ride up pattee Canyon. Why is this bad? Try a brutal down-pour. Monday after a rough day at work and ate chocolate all day. Why is this bad? I went home and fell asleep ... missing my hike with Marcy. Marcy would make me pay a little later. On Tuesday I went for a small ride to gear up for the season. I rode out towards Rock Creek and the ride was flat. The day was beautiful, a much needed break from the cold. Why is this bad? Try flatting and having to use thee credit card to get a new tube and c02. That brings us to last night, Wednesday. I decided to take a long road bike trip up the Blackfoot. The day was qwesome and it definately felt like spring. What is wrong with that? I can say that the rest of the evening will explain! I got to about 45 minutes out and realized that in my rush to get going from work I left the key in the door of my car and my laptop was just sitting in the front deat waiting to be stolen. I tried to rush back only to get anouther flat tire. I was able to finally get back to the car and took the same trip to the bike shop that i took the day before. To top of everything I got home to find that Marcy had ripped apart my $40.00 fleece slippers that I had bought last year to camp with. And there you go ... she got back for not getting to go hiking on Monday.

B I K E L O G 2005

Total Miles This Month: 67.47 miles Total Miles This Year: 303.47 miles Total Climb This Month: 5,434.67 feet Total Climb This Year: 7,924.67 feet

Feeling Tired

Tonight's run almost did not happen. I got off work and arrived home on my trusty road bike. I had been eating chocolate at work and that may have contributed to my lethargic state. I procrastinated and even feel asleep for two hours. When I woke up I knew I had to get m my ass outside for some exercise. My plans were to run the Hellgate Canyon Trail up and over Mount Sentinel. As I began to run, I realized that I did not want to run the entire mountain. I decided to run the Kim Williams Trail and Monday hike the Hellgate Canyon Trail. I ran to the end and stopped to take in the night air. I just could not get back to running and walked almost the entire way back. I force my self to run the last mile. Now at home I feel really really tired. I hope to feel better tomorrow and that this scratchy throat goes away. Tomorrow I want to attend the Deer Creek Ride that a local bike club is putting on and a film at the Pipestone Store on some Alaska Kayak descents. This weekend is my birthday and it will be tough enough to just have bad weather, but to be sick would really suck. On my birthday, I hope to be riding my bike into Idaho and please pray that the weather is nice to me.

Lolo Pass Bike Trip This Weekend

Well it is Friday and this weekend I start getting into shape for the up and coming summer season of fun in the sun on bike. I have selected Lolo Pass because of it vicinity (just up the road ... have you checked the gas prices lately?) and it has a pass. I have taken the week off to recover from my "mountain run a day for 31 days straight" campaign and I feel out of shape as usual. The weather is a different story. Our spring like weather has left and a more seasonal briskness has returned. I am hoping to have warmer temps visit us as I begin to go road biking. So tomorrow off I go on my first road bike ride in Montana. Last year I did not have a chance to do a real long ride anywhere since I was new to the area and succumb to mountain biking season.

BIKELOG 2005 Total Miles This Month: 108.56 miles Total Miles This Year: 236.00 miles Total Climb This Month: 1,368.5 feet Total Climb This Year: 2,490 feet

Thank You MARS Stout Inc.

I just wasted the entire evening and stayed up late due to my blog. I started by looking into what the weather was like last May here in Missoula. I was doing it to plan this year's road bike ride. I started to read my story from the time that I arrived in Missoula.

After reading all the way up to today I feel so thankful for where I am at now. I read how close I had come to being in the streets. How dark the days were getting and how starvation was taking its toll.

I am thankful for my job at MARS Stout and what everyone there has done for me. That job has truly saved my life. I just hope my stay there continues and they consider me for full time and on their payroll. Thank god, I found a job.

In the Valley

The recovery of last weekends climb up Lolo peak is complete and now I am preparing for my road cycling months here in Montana. April and May, I usually hit the road to get into shape and to get into a better shape. Being poor, all I could get to prepare my road bike was two cheap tires and with those, I will overhaul my bike tomorrow. This means getting the mountain bike somewhat going so I can ride to work on something that is not tricked out with clip-less pedals and a greasy big chain ring. If you are a commuter who likes to keep their pant legs clean, you know what I mean.

This Friday I will complete my days off from training by going on a run and this weekend I am planning a 50-mile bike loop or mountain pass ride somewhere. I am thinking Lolo Pass since it is close and I have never explored beyond the pass itself. The weather is turning spring again but the rains are supposed to keep the spring feelings at bay. Let us hope April will be better.

Last night was FFOL and it was just mom and I. Kathi came in a little later with some digital photo questions that I must research a little further today for her. In addition, my aunt Paula needs a map to Iowa for her swaray. Therefore, I better run to work and get busy there. Cheers to the adventuress today; May they find the week adventurous.

Lolo Peak Successful

I just got back from Lolo Peak last night around 10:30. It was brutal, I had to survive the long hike, 5,000 feet of climbing, deep snow, trecherous rocks, and high winds. I will write more when I feel better. This feels like the hardest peak I have done to date. I ran into brutal weather on top with really high winds. It was brutal. But, I think it was awesome as well ... it is hard to believe I kept going, specially when I realized that I was going into the evening and still not summited. I barely got off the summit when it got dark. I just finished doing the pictures from the trip and I have to say they are the best I have ever done of mountains. Stay tuned I plan to upload them tomorrow. They are just stunning and one I hope to sell someday ... its that good. Well, I better hit the sack, couldnt sleep so I had to get on to say hi and to take my hiking plans off the web so no one thinks I never came back.