I think we all have, or need, a Beech Mountain.

Whether it’s life, weight loss plans, or cycling goals each of us has either had, are experiencing, or will experience a Beech Mountain.

Why We Need A Beech Mountain

A Beech Mountain is nothing more than symbolism for an event in our lives in which our actions will define us. Perhaps it was an ascent or group ride that we struggled with. The loss of a relative or close friend due to illness. Or the loss of a job.

How we react to those situations will shape our lives.

We need a Beech Mountain because it rips off the scabs in our life and exposes the bleeding sores that reside at our core. It can put our faults on center stage and test our morals, ethics, and values. It shows us what we’re capable of and what we’re willing to do in order to achieve what’s right in our lives whether it’s family, career, or health. A Beech Mountain reveals the man or woman we truly are.

Cycling Is My Answer

I can remember three distinct Beech Mountains in my life. The loss of a 16-year military career in 2006, the loss of my job in October 2008, followed by the loss of my dad in November 2008. For the most part I think I’ve reacted to those situations well but know I have a long, long way to go in one particular area in order to summit my Beech Mountains.

I’ve ridden a bicycle ever since I was a little kid. I took many years to off due to the military but returned to it again in 2008 because I needed help. It was going to be my tool to overcome significant health issues I have. It works but there are days when I feel like I need a reminder of why I’m cycling. A workout or ride that will re-awaken the drive and determination to ride hard, watch what I eat, and train. Train like there’s no tomorrow. To follow through with plans that have only made it as far as a thought but need to come to fruition in order to achieve success.

I need a ride. A reminder. I think we all do from time to time.

Are You On Beech Mountain?

I invite you to share your thoughts or experiences below. What was it that got you over the summit or reminded you why you’re doing it?

Feature image courtesy of Frenchy.

Team Radioshack Prototype Jersey

If you’re signed up to the Team RadioShack email list you would have gotten this yesterday (I took the liberty of bolding some key points):

If you are receiving this email, you’ve either followed the team from the glory days of the Blue Train or are a new and excited fan for what will be the next great American cycling team: Team RadioShack. Either way, we wanted to say thank you for your support and give you a sneak preview of a working prototype of the jersey the guys will be riding in in 2010. While the final Jersey is expected to look very similar, it will be officially unveiled in Australia in January during the Tour Down Under. It was our goal this year to create something visually distinctive and a look that was symbolic of what we feel Team RadioShack is all about: cutting edge technology, speed, strength, determination and a global message to LIVESTRONG. The experts at Nike and our partners at RadioShack helped to create this fast form-fitting design using various textures and patterns symbolizing the themes of new technology, global connectivity and community. We think it looks pretty damn cool.

Some early Twitter feedback I saw was that some folks don’t like it. @ultrarob says:

“Think new Team RadioShack jerseys look old and out dated just like Radio Shack…”

I’ve even seen some responses calling it “F-U-G-L-Y” and others saying that Team RadioShack needs to hire a graphic designer.

I’m no graphic designer (and definitely not a pro cycling fashionista like everyone else seems to be) but I kinda like it. It looks subtle and the logos seem to fit the design pretty good. If I wanted to see anything extra it might be some blue to round out the red, white, and blue.

For all the haters, I think they missed a couple of key points in the release above. They are:

1. It’s a working prototype.
2. The final jersey will be officially unveiled in January at the Tour Down Under.

Could the final version look similar? They say it will but for everyone to get bent out of shape over an early prototype is a little extreme.

I think it looks pretty damn cool too.

Juan Pelota

I love it. Personally, I’m not a fan of Contador. I think he’s got a lot to learn before he comes a great cycling champion (I really just don’t like his grin). The sport of cycling needs a good rivalry like this and, even though Contador is nearly 12 years younger than Armstrong, next year is already shaping up to be a great year of cycling.

El Pistolero

I’m glad too because somebody needs to wipe that cheesy grin off Contador’s face.

What do you think? Is this rivalry good for cycling? Am I too hard on AC? Am I a LA fan boy?

Sure, Lance is going to be on the team and that’s a great reason to be a fan. Radio Shack will partner with the LAF and LiveStrong in the fight against cancer which is another great reason to be a fan. The real reason I’ll be a fan though is because of my Dad.

My Dad was an electronics genius. He learned the trade at an early age and held several jobs that saw him develop his skills including installing electrical systems on airplanes and performing electronics work on Minuteman Missiles. When I was a kid he had his own business installing satellite tv systems. As a hobby he was a Citizens Band (CB) and Ham Radio expert. He rarely bought new radios but choose instead to either build his own or repair broken ones he would find at flea markets or garage sales.

So, what does my Dad and Team Radio Shack have in common? My Dad was a loyal Radio Shack customer. If he needed parts or tools for a radio or CB he would go to our local Radio Shack store. When Radio Shack would receive returned electronics that were broken, and not covered by warranty, who did they call? My Dad.

Image Courtesy of TeamRadioShack.com

Is the snubbing of Horner only the tip of the iceberg though? When Astana put together the team they did they assembled one of the most talented teams ever created that includes a combined seven eight tour wins and multiple podium finishes. Having that much talent on one team, especially with multiple tour winners on it, has created a pressure cooker that has potential to explode. Throw in the financial woes of the team during the Giro d’Italia, the potential team takeover by another sponsor and the rumors of Cantador going to Garmin-Slipstream and you have a good ole fashioned soap opera.

Now that Horner has been left off the roster because Cantador wanted one of his “boys”, combined with the events surrounding the team over the last two months, I think we’re going to see some real fireworks during the tour. It reminds me of when Lemond and Fignon were teammates and all the drama surrounding them. I just hope the Astana soap opera doesn’t totally ruin the tour.

What do you think? Will Astana provide us more drama than racing? Did Chris Horner totally get boned?

In an effort to try and spread the word around about some of the great cyclist/bloggers out there I’ve decided to start a new series of posts called a “Cycling Blogger Profile”. This is where I’ll feature a cyclist who also blogs about their cycling and try and bribe them into answering a few questions. How often will I do this? Who knows. Once or twice a month maybe. Maybe less. You get my drift.

My first victim is Jeff Contreras who runs 331miles. Jeff runs a great blog where he talks frequently about his cycling as well as other events in his life. He rides in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas and is famous for being an “Elite Cyclist” and having “truly massive quads”. On a serious note, he puts in some serious riding and his posts are always accompanied with pictures from the ride.

Jeff @ 331miles.blogspot.com

Q: How long have you been cycling and what got you started?
A: I started cycling in high school, only to me it was just riding my department store bike for longish distances. After an almost 20 year hiatus, I started cycling in earnest in 2006. The combination of wanting to lose weight and the encouragement of a triathlete buddy got me started.

Q: What kinds of bike(s) do you ride?
A: I ride a 2005 Giant TCR C1. I also have a Marin Hawk Hill (2003?) mountain bike, although I rarely ride it.

Q: What do you consider your greatest cycling achievement?
A: I rode from McAllen, TX to San Antonio, TX in 2 days during the summer of 2008. 100+ miles each day.

Q: What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish with your cycling but haven’t yet?
A: I would like to race sanctioned races (of course train for them too). Living in McAllen, it requires too much traveling. If I get back to Austin (or other metro area), I’ll probably make it a #1 goal.

Q: What’s your favorite on-bike food/drink?
A: I like Clif products, particularly the mocha gel. To drink, I like water with Nuun electrolyte tablets, alternating with sips from a bottle of plain ol’ water.

Q: Who will win this year’s TdF?
A: Ooooh. I’m picking the sentimental favorite — Lance Armstrong. But I’ll hedge by saying it could definitely be another Astana rider, either Contador or Leipheimer. My outside pick is Boonen.

Well, that’s it. Be sure to head over to Jeff’s blog, 331miles.blogspot.com, and give it a read. Subscribe to his RSS feed while you’re there and/or follow him on Twitter @331miles.

Jeff, sorry you had to be my first victim but thanks for answering the questions.

I have one question for all you cycling fans out there. Are you surprised? I mean come on. The French have been after Lance for years because of his domination of “their” race. He won it seven consecutive times and with his return this year to professional cycling I think they are now worried he may win it an eighth time. You see, this is a French race and they haven’t had a native winner for 23 years when Bernard Hinault won in 1985. I don’t know about you but I think this has rubbed them the wrong way just a little bit. It may have even chaffed them some. Maybe they should have used some Butter in their shorts to help alleviate the pain of this long drought.

This “violation” along with the leaking of the report to the press is just another event in the long line of shoddy behavior by the AFLD. Their practices, procedures, and tactics have been so shady that I’m really surprised anyone even listens to them anymore. Am I glad they’re trying to find the druggies in the sport? Sure. But why does it always appear they have a personal vendetta against Lance?

Something else to consider is that with this comeback Lance has made a conscious decision to subject himself to the most stringent drug testing that has ever occurred in the sport. Knowing that, how stupid would he really have to be to take something? If he was going to get caught now would be the time. How much would he stand to lose? I honestly think that winning the Tour de France is a distant secondary goal to raising worldwide cancer awareness. If he were to take performance enhancing drugs, and get caught, do you realize the huge negative impact this would have on his cancer work? There’s no way he would take that chance.

I almost wonder if AFLD should change their name to Agency For Lance’s Demise. I guess we’ll have to wait and see who drops the soap first.

Now I’m off to investigate if Lance’s crash in the Vuelta Castilla y Leon was a cleverly designed plan by the French to keep him out of the Tour after he passed their drug tests. Is it mere coincidence that the crash occurred a week after the drug test? I think not.

I’ve collected some images of trial bike bikes that possess the ability to not only be fast but look fast.

BMC Time Machine

BP Stealth

Cevelo P3C

Cervelo P4

Fuji D6 Professional

Kestrel Airfoil Pro

Look 596

Specialized Transition

Trek Equinox TTX

This is a repeat of the Trek Equinox above but I’ve included it because of the awesome paint scheme that was specially done for Lance Armstrong’s comeback to professional cycling. The 1274 signifies the number of days that have elapsed since his last race and his return at the Tour Down Under this year.

Lance Armstrong Time Trial Bike

This is certainly not an all inclusive list. I’m sure there are others out there that could have made this list but just weren’t included. My criteria for this list were that they have the coolness factor and aren’t prototypes. If you have a recommendation for the list please include it in the comments.

I did a book review of Heft On Wheels by Mike Magnuson soon after I started Biking To Live. If you haven’t read it you should. It’s a great read. You can find it on Amazon here.

Over the last couple of weeks I had the desire to go back and read Heft On Wheels by Mike Magnuson again. I had let someone borrow mine and never got it back so I went and bought another copy. In fact, I finished it last week and have started it again. Why am I so interested in his story? For one thing it’s inspirational reading about a 255 pound overweight, chain-smoking, borderline alcoholic who turns his life around with a bicycle. Second, I can relate. The more I payed attention to it I started to notice a lot of parallels between Mike and myself. They are:

1. I’ve always ridden a bike. I can always remember having a bicycle of one type or another and riding it everywhere. One of the first ones I remember was silver and had a banana seat. I have no idea what brand it was but that’s not important. We lived sort-of in the country when I was this age and couldn’t ride our bikes really anywhere other than the two acres we lived on. My brother and I tore up those two acres though!

Jumping our bikes was one of our favorite activities. I remember setting up a huge ramp one time using an old basketball backboard that was actually half a sheet of plywood. This jump in particular stands out because I vividly remember failing to get enough speed on the approach and basically tumbling over the end of the ramp. I had a pretty nasty bruise from taking the end of the handlebars in the stomach but other than that escaped injury. I’m really surprised we didn’t seriously injure ourselves.

When I was 10 we moved to the city and we continued riding our bikes. We had a friend whose dad had collected a bunch of old junk bicycles and we would mix and match parts to make the ultimate machines. That’s where I cut my teeth on working on my bikes.

We would rides our bikes everywhere. To the local fishing hole, downtown, going to the store for my parents, etc. Imagine a little kid riding back from the grocery store with shopping bags hanging from the handlebars. That would be me on many occasion.

When I was in high school the Youth Director at my Church and I would ride our bikes across town to a friends house where we would stash our bikes and then run back home. Kind of like a duathlon. The next day we would run to our bikes and then ride home. It was about a five mile trip one-way.

2. I’ve always liked watching the professional bicycle racers on TV. Ever since I can remember I’ve watched the Tour De France. I remember trying to catch bits and pieces of it on Wide World of Sports back when Lemond was America’s only hope in the race. He was the sports figure I looked up to back then. Can’t say that I agree with him now-a-days but he helped shape my love for the sport of cycling. I remember when Lance Armstrong first started riding in the TDF and when he abandoned the race before being diagnosed with Cancer. I watched intently as Miguel Indurain won his five Tour de France races followed by Lance. Like Mike I received all the popular catalogs (Nashbar, Performance, and Colorado Cyclist) and drooled over them. Man I loved cycling.

3. When I joined the military right after high school I forgot about cycling. I’d still catch it once in a while on TV and always looked forward to July but I wasn’t able to ride again for a while. While on deployments overseas I had always hoped to be able to be in France in July and maybe catch a stage in person. That never happened though.

Then in 1994 I had the opportunity to do a bicycle ride from Connecticut to Ohio to help raise money for the children’s hospital in Akron. I jumped at the opportunity and bought my first true road bike. The Cannondale R-300 that I still ride today. I didn’t know much about serious road bikes at the time and probably didn’t get as good a bike as I should have. I really enjoyed that bike ride. I trained by myself for it by riding to and from work. Doing some long rides on the weekends and so on. Looking back I’m surprised we didn’t have any group rides.

4. I forgot about cycling again. After that trip to Ohio my life got busy again after being selected for Officer Candidate School and I moved quite a few times again. I tell myself that I had no time to ride but I drug that bike around with me everywhere. I kept it indoors so it wouldn’t feel the effects of weather (often suffering the wrath of my wife). I would see it all the time and it would never dawn on me that I could use it to help me with my weight problem. That’s probably not true though. I knew it could help me but I was just too lazy to use it. Every once in a while I would get the urge to ride and would drag it out for a spin or two. I even had it overhauled once or twice in anticipation putting in some epic time but I failed to follow through.

5. I liked to eat. I liked food and it liked me. Too much in fact. Super-sized fast food meals were a staple in my diet and were essentially another food group for me. I knew it was bad but didn’t care. I drank way too many soft drinks. I would eventually cut over to diet drinks but are they really that much better? How many people do you see order the double quarter-pounder with cheese, super-sized, with a diet coke? That was me. Ironic isn’t it? My love of food eventually cost me dearly but that’s another story for another time.

6. I knew I had a problem. Unlike Mike I don’t have an alcohol or smoking problem. Never did. The food though we have in common and it was going to kill me. After seeing my dad have a heart attack at an early age I should have taken the hint then. I was too stupid to do anything about it. Not until about a year ago when I started this blog. The last six months though were rough, especially with Dad passing, and I think I’ve finally started to get the message. It’s a shame it takes stuff like that to make us listen.