The Everyday Athlete

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• It All Starts With Some Pedaling: Oregon Solo CycloTouring

  Halfway to Detroit Here’s how it happens. I wake up in the morning and put on a fairly almost-brand-new pair of Sidis. I lash a temporary home to the back of a heavy steel bike with a long wheel base. I pedal out of Portland. Along the way, I learn... Posted Aug 06 2010, 03:00 AM by Grit & Glimmer Filed under: cycling, adventure, oregon, Featured, touring, travel, camping, cyclotour, surly, solo, detroit

• Monkey Swing Video: Chockstone Climbing Guide Pulls a Tarzan

  Sal and I had the distinct pleasure of rock climbing at Smith Rock with Jim Ablao of Chockstone Climbing last weekend (photos and story imminent). While we were busy scampering and shaking like leaves on big, tall pieces of rock, Jim entertained us with... Posted May 03 2010, 09:41 AM by Grit & Glimmer Filed under: adventure, oregon, bend, Video, Featured, climbing, vacation, travel, smith-rock, lichen-it, rockclimbing, terrebonne, jim-ablao, chockstone, cinnamon-slab

• New Zealand or Bust: Details!

  Just confirmed the last details for the previously mentioned October trip to New Zealand. Here’s the scoop! Short version: Fly to Rotorua, attend SSMTBWC (or not – up to you! note: this trip won’t put you in a very good position to race... Posted Apr 17 2010, 12:33 PM by Grit & Glimmer Filed under: cycling, adventure, bicycle, Mountain Biking, MTBSSWC, touring, newzealand, rotorua, cycletour, adventure-travel

• “Beyond the Epic Run” - Inspiration in Doses

  I’ve always admired ultra-distance runners. Their sheer will is mind-boggling (and a little nuts, in the endearing way). Running 100 miles? Insane. There are people who get all worked up about riding 100 miles for Pete’s sake. Running around... Posted Jan 13 2009, 10:48 AM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: motivation, running, life, adventure, announcement

• Christmas in 1981: Showdown on the Sledding Hill

  Merry Christmas Eve to all! I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and warm celebration, wherever you’ve ended up this holiday season. We’ve decided to stay in town and wait out the storm instead of braving the winter roadways to get to my parent’s... Posted Dec 24 2008, 02:57 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: adventure, stories

• Portland Deep Freeze 2008: WTF

  Seriously. This is a little crazy, no? I woke up to over a foot of accumulation, with flakes still coming down. Riding the mountain bike on the side streets, even with studded tires, is hard. Regardless, I’m headed out one more time in an attempt... Posted Dec 22 2008, 02:51 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, bikes, adventure, storm, snow, studded_tires

• World Domination From a Hot-Pink Banana Seat: Christmas in 1985

  My last column for 2008 will run in tomorrow’s Oregonian, but if you don’t get the paper you can check it out online. In it, I begin my quest for world domination, inspired by a bike-accessory I received for Christmas. (It was the motorcylce... Posted Dec 20 2008, 05:32 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, bikes, adventure, stories, everyday_cyclist, glimmers

• Boot Camp Diary Archives: Day Three - Molly on the Mountain

  I’m a bit behind posting boot camp diary entries publicly, but I’ve been keeping them tucked away for a winter day and I’m pretty sure that tonight qualifies… brrrr. Molly finished her ascent to applause and cheering. She was the... Posted Dec 16 2008, 11:14 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: fitness, motivation, adventure, boot_camp

• Snow Bikes: Helmet Cam Footage from the Dusting

  Yesterday my cycling coach said, “Come to this here group spinning thing - it’s nasty outside.” I looked out my window, saw a fresh dusting of the good stuff, and sent a text back to him: “I’m riding outside! This is awesome... Posted Dec 15 2008, 07:39 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, bikes, adventure

• What is all this white crap? A cold weather cycling guide to the rescue.

  It’s snowing! No, really! Big, white flakes that are sticking. East coasters will mock us for being excited and Portlanders will forget how to drive, but dagnabbit, I’m stoked. And, I swear I didn’t plan the weather, but I have a cold... Posted Dec 14 2008, 10:40 AM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, bikes, adventure, announcement, everyday_cyclist

• Saltzman at Night: I did not anticipate the teeth.

  I can see the dog’s teeth. What strikes me is not that the teeth have the potential to puncture skin, but that I can actually see them. It is pitch black, the cold winter trees of Forest Park blocking out the moonlight. Moments earlier I’d... Posted Dec 04 2008, 06:04 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, cyclocross, training, adventure, stories

• The Curse of Villebois

  I should have known better. We’re racing bikes through what is left of a former insane asylum. A few rotting concrete walls and several deadly spikes of rebar growing out of the ground here and there are the only remnants of the building that was Dammasch... Posted Oct 15 2008, 10:22 AM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cross_crusade, racing, cycling, cyclocross, adventure, stories

• Bring it to me Angry, Baby - Cross Warmup Music

  Quote from a friend last week, “I am getting so fucking annoyed that everyone who races ‘cross can’t bring themselves to talk about anything besides fucking ‘cross!” Don’t worry. I cut him off. He’s off the friend... Posted Oct 09 2008, 07:59 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, cyclocross, adventure

• Death to Chihuahuas: Cyclocross Animal Sacrifice Part Two

  I had to kill a bird to get the ‘cross gods to bless me with a remount. Since then my front wheel is a magnet for suicidal vermin. Squirrels dodging underneath my mud tires, looking for an easy way to end the pain of losing the backyard battle to... Posted Oct 09 2008, 03:19 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: cycling, cyclocross, adventure, stories

• Bike Fighting: Lady is the Boss

  I’ve wanted a BMX bike for three years. Every year, I ask for one for my birthday. Last year I got a Dutch cruiser instead. This year, I spent all the allotted birthday money throwing a big-assed party. I’ve got a secret crush on BMX culture... Posted Oct 08 2008, 02:57 PM by The Everyday Athlete Filed under: bikes, adventure