VermontStrong: Support the Green Mountain State

It's no secret that I love Vermont. I love the riding and the landscape, but it's the people that give the Green Mountain State such a great vibe. Well, parts of Vermont got destroyed with the recent floods. I'm sure you've seen the new footage from places like Ludlow and Montpelier. I'm hundreds of miles away from the devastation but my spirit is there with the people. 

If you're interested in helping, here are some resources:

• Montpelier Foundation
• American Red Cross
• Okemo Valley Flood Relief
• Vermont Community Foundation

Or you can buy gift cards from some of the local businesses to give them a cash boost for now:

• Onion River Outdoors
• Bear Pond Books

Know of another way to help? Another resource? Another business to add? Let me know!

SafeTrails: Feel The Heat

It’s been a hot summer, and climate scientists predict that the season is going to continue to get hotter and hotter every year. Here in New England, we’ve typically had our share of “hazy, hot, and humid,” days, but we’re seeing more; although other parts of the country (Hello Texas), and the world (Hello China) are suffering more than we are. That being said, the heat here CAN still be dangerous and it’s often the temperature combined with humidity that causes problems.

Central Vermont Cycling Tour

Ah, the good old CVCT. This was one of the earliest gravel rides Jean and I did, back in 2016. We had actually signed up in 2015, but the weather was so torrentially bad, it was cancelled. Anyway, fast forward through a pandemic and other stuff, seven years later, and we're back.

It was a great weekend of camping with our friends Liz and Dan at one of our favorite campgrounds, Lazy Lions in Graniteville, VT.  Clean, quiet, and nearby trails to walk the mutts, what more could we ask for?

SafeTrails: Ticks in New England

Let’s face it, ticks suck. Figuratively and literally. It seems like every year the news features stories that claim "this will be the worst year for ticks," and every year, we ARE seeing more and more.

Unfortunately, they’re part of the outdoors, and while New Canaan Nature considers them “a strong and important link in the food chain,” I’d personally be happy to see them gone.

But, they're not going anywhere, and thanks to the effects of climate change (warmer winters with less snow), we will keep having "the worst year," over and over. Especially with the fact that ticks can be active any time of year when the temperatures are above freezing.

I think plenty of people are aware of Lyme disease and at least know some of the symptoms, but Lyme is just one of several diseases that can be spread by ticks in New England.

Let's first dive into the different ticks found here in the northeast (data from CDC.gov)

NEMBA’s Philip Keyes Leadership Summit

Got to head down to Cape Cod to check out NEMBA’s Philip Keyes Leadership Summit, March 24th-26th.

Just under 100 participants from nearly all of NEMBA’s 33 chapters got together to discuss strategy and how to ensure the success of the organization and mountain biking in general, and of course, ride.

After some energetic opening remarks from Nicole Freedman, NEMBA’s new executive director, the brainstorming began

Boning Up

 NOT MY FEMUR

Getting older has never been billed as being fun, at least not once you get past that magical age of ”21” (which was so, so, long ago).

But, just like trying to keep an old car or an old bike up and running, our older bodies (or sbould I say "classic") need more maintenance as time goes on. Here is yet another article that discusses the importance of weight and strength training as a way to stave off osteoporosis and osteopenia. 

The reality is, exercises like cycling, and swimming, just don’t cut it when it comes to bone strength. The more you stress the bones, the stronger they will become, providing you have adequate nutrition with calcium and vitamin D.