Lou Tice - I Will Never Forget You

This is a picture of the two most influential people in my adult life.   Teenie, of course, and our long time mentor and teacher, Lou Tice.

I wrote about Lou in our TEAM headstrong Blog a few years ago upon his death…….at least his physical death.   I say this because Lou has been with me so much and so strongly the last years.   I did not see Lou for about 3 years prior to his death, but I always knew he was there for me.   He has continued to be.

Volumes have and could be written about Lou by people much more eloquent than me.  There is a story about a guy walking down a beach where thousands of starfish have washed ashore.   The guy is throwing one at time back into the water so they can live.   An on-looker asks him why it matters as there are so many?   The man throws one more back and explains, "It matters to that one."   Well, Lou threw a hell of a lot of starfish back into the ocean and I am one of them.

I have quoted him so many times it is crazy.   People close to me, have likely experienced me giving him multiple, multiple credits.  I call them Lou-isms.  These are not just chic soundbites, though.  They are much, much more.

Lou picked me up when I was about 40 years old.   No, I wasn't a poor child at the time.  I had a few things going, but Lou helped me take my life up about 3 levels.   Lou taught me some truths about myself and how my mind works.   He never taught me what to think, he just taught me how to think.  He gave me a 'tool box' with a set of tools that work anywhere, anytime, if I just use them.   I have failed at times to do so, and I can attest that the outcomes are not good.

Fortunately, I was a pretty good student.   So, things have worked out pretty darn well in general.

Don't get me wrong, I never idolized Lou.  He was just a man and he had his shortcomings as we all do.   He never walked on water or pretended that he could.

I don't know if Lou was great man or not--just that he was great for me.   If you are reading this Lou, I want you to know the difference you made and are still making.   I want you to know that I am going to keep using what you taught me as long as I breathe.  I want you to know that I am going to keep teaching it through words and example to anyone who will pay attention.

I will probably revisit this relationship in future writings but for now Lou...

Thanks for everything.

A Starfish.

Euris Vidal of Foundation Cycling - RIP

Euris Vidal (far right) has died in his home country of the Dominican Republic.   He was shot while trying to aid a person be assaulted.   Three people were killed in the incident including Euri.

Teenie and I have been connected to the Foundation Pro Cycling Team of NYC for several years.  We originally met these folks through our very good friend, Roger Kennedy.   They have come to Tucson, stayed with Roger and trained.  We have ridden with often.  In recent years Euri came with the team and we got to know him.

Euri was young, maybe 23, handsome and always had a smile.   He was an aggressive crit racer, who had scored very well on the NRC Crit Series.   We rode with him and had him in our home several times.  This year, the whole team including Euri, stayed with us Gville while they raced in the USA Crit Week Series.

Euri never learned much English, but that was OK, as Teenie and I were improving our Spanish.   We don't know Euri's family but our hearts go out to them.   We also are thinking of all the members of the Foundation Team which include our pals, Alejandro Guzman, Rick Wolf and Abraham Soler.  Euri's death is a terrible loss for the world.
We are deeply saddened.

Dawn2Dusk

Well, the first race of the 2014 Season for MADDOG83 is in the bag and it was really fun.   DCB Adventures put this 'all day' event together for the 5th year and it was a fine race.

I will spare every detail but share some very motivating experiences.

We set up by our sister team, Park City, appropriately named as all of the 4 person team was from that area.

I was reminded how important it is to choose the folks with whom I hang out.   Bill and Melinda (married) were somewhat of a known quantity.   We have been riding and racing with them for while.   Melinda is 68 and a National and World RR Champion.  She is the real deal.  She trains hard and is strong but mostly she has a very tough mental attitude.   Bill is 75 and had exploratory work done on Thursday that would have sidelined most folks for days.  He is a cancer survivor, as well.

Before Bill's first lap, I put down the gauntlet, "Bill, you might be the only guy out here today who can do a lap under his age (1:15)."   I saw him thinking and a little glimmer came in his eye…….then he went out and did it.   I don't think I can describe the size of this accomplishment.

You won't see any press coverage about Bill.  Bill didn't make a trip to the podium.  No medals for him, but I was lucky enough to be there and witness it………. I will be telling the story for a long time.

Cal and Bob, both 55-60ish and the other two team mates, were amazing.   Cal is a liver transplant recipient……yes, that's right. …….a liver transplant recipient.   He peeled of two laps under 1:10.

Then there was the Teensanator.   She has come back from multiple crashes and injury.   Some will remember the smallest of them at 12 Hours at Tsali (face planted and cut the heck out of an eye).  She has been gripped with fear but stayed with it.  In September, she joined me for a skills clinic to help her 'get her mojo back'.   This weekend, she ripped off 4 laps in around 1:10 each.  At top speed, she rolled over, around and through rocks that weeks ago had paralyzed her.

We had one goal:  9 laps.  We were not riding…..we were racing, if only against ourselves.  We missed the time cutoff for the 9th lap by 8 minutes.   You might say we failed and you would be correct.   Teenie rode about 62 miles and I rode about 65.  We did all we could do.  We did not fail to have fun!  We are still both smiling.

Results should be up soon and I will share them.

I Cleaned the Ascent on Cougar Canyon Trail

Normally, I would not write a Blog about a mountain bike ride but today was pretty special.  When you go out solo on something challenging, it can become one of those 'mano y mano' experiences.  Today, it was just me against the mountain….actually the Tortolita Mountains.  There was only one of me but several of them.

About 4 miles from our house, I left the pavement on Como Drive at the base of a climb that would end up being about 800 vertical feet.  Hey,  Cougar Canyon (CC) is really not even a trail but a road….well sort of a road.   So, why I am so jazzed about climbing 800 feet on a road.   Well,  CC was only ever a dirt/gravel road.  A few feet up the road from the pavement, all improvements stopped, maybe about 53 years ago?   It is the worst you can imagine……rutted, gravel, big rocks, ledges, big rocks, sand, big rocks, ledges, sand and some baby heads.   Did I mention the big rocks and ledges?

At one point I went through a gate.   It was held shut by a piece of very tight wire.  As I tried to resecure the gate, the wire slipped off and I hit myself in the chin…..oh yea!!  BLOOD.

After the gate, it gets really fun.  I took one wrong turn that lead me toward the Ritz Dove Mountain.  The road was great fun but after about 5-7 minutes, I encountered a big 'No Trespassing' sign and I turned around.

Finally after a serious set of 3 ledges (each about 9-12 inches high) and more loose sand, I got to the top which is marked by an old inoperative windmill.

Once at the top, I was rewarded with about 8 miles of sweet single track….mostly downhill.   The trail is very technical but gets easier and faster as the mountain gives way to the desert.  Kind of made me giggle.

In all, it was about a 2.5 hour tour.  I returned home as daylight faded and a serious chill set in.   I came in the house with a smile….ear to ear.  Mountain biking is a lot of things and today it was about challenge and discovery for me.   The solo aspect:  I ride 6 days a week and mostly with others.   My solo times are special……..try it if haven't, you might like it?