TALES: Paradise lost?

After pitching my self and my bike over two barbed-wire fences yesterday halfway through the “regular” route, it occurred to me that single tracking in Okinawa has become more and more like the labyrinth in the Harry Potter movie that continually changes.

After three of the original eastern trails that were essential links to the western trails (The Hole, Cinderella and Mudrock) were systematically deforested and plowed for a new golf course over the past year, the only solution to link (no pun intended) both trail systems was through a pre-existing series of gaps in chain link fences. With brand new fences installed and old fences recently mended, the black and red paint I left behind on already rusty barbs can attest to the fact that times are changing rapidly here.

"... it occurred to me that
single tracking in Okinawa has become more and more like the labyrinth in the
Harry Potter movie that continually changes."

Mainland firms have reportedly increased investment in Okinawa exponentially as it continues growing more popular as a retirement option for those on the crowded mainland. With that come plans for multiple new golf courses (both on top of current MTB and hiking routes in Yomitan) and plans to replace an existing course in Awase with the biggest mall in Okinawa!

As plans solidify for moving many U.S. troops off of Okinawa permanently, it’s reassuring to know that other financial opportunities for Okinawans are knocking at the door of Japan’s poorest prefecture (unemployment sits at 7.7 percent – double the national rate). Unfortunately, I can’t help but see a future for them that looks more like Hilton Head than a culturally rich subtropical paradise. Only those making big bucks could equate golf courses with preserving the environment and culture of Okinawa.

The good short-term news is that there's still plenty of great riding here, and it's tough to get bored in the wake of change. The challenge is foretelling which will be around the longest so we know where to focus maintenance efforts.

TALES: The “on” day

Today’s 20-mile-plus ride was like riding the perfect wave into shore at Ocean Beach in San Diego.

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden alone, and despite not riding for a couple of weeks and pushing harder than I can remember, my burning thighs somehow felt distant. The oatmeal I had for breakfast provided more fuel than it should have and the constant thump of the MP3 player attached to my brain kept my legs moving mindlessly. I can only remember telling myself to “peddle in circles” to get the most of every revolution.

"There is no pain, no doubt, no fear, no hesitation
and there are no mistakes."

My daughter and I were talking a couple of weeks ago about the feeling of being “on.” She had just returned from having an “off” day at soccer practice, but we reminisced about the buttery feeling of “on” days, when everything flows perfectly without even thinking about it. You’re mind’s not cluttered, and you feel completely detached from your body. Your body’s relaxed and knows instinctively what you’ve taught it to do so many times before. There is no pain, no doubt, no fear, no hesitation and there are no mistakes.

Flying down La Luge today faster than I ever have (thanks in part to it finally being dry all week), I can still feel the pillow-like flow of the bike absorbing every unexpected dip and root under my perfect attack position just inches above the seat; my legs and arms taking every shock easily and my unfaltering focus choosing the next line up ahead. Amazingly, this focus did not event waver when I intentionally ditched into the brush to avoid steamrolling a family of four hikers.

These are the few and far-between days you live for as a rider – or really, as a person in general: the “on” days.

TRIPS: No delivery on a ‘Taal’ order (Luzon,Philippines)

For the second time in 30 days, I’m sitting within two hours of the famous active Philippine volcano within a lake within a dead volcano without the time to ride in for a closer look. The active Taal Volcano sits in the middle of Taal Lake, which it situated in the mouth of the giant dead volcano. Here’s the scoop on Taal from Wikipedia:

Taal Volcano is an active volcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. This is located in Talisay and San Nicolas in Batangas. It consists of an island in Lake Taal, which is situated within a caldera formed by an earlier very large eruption. It is about 50 km from the capital, Manila.
The volcano has erupted violently several times, causing loss of life in the populated areas surrounding the lake. Death toll was around 5,000 - 6,000 Due to its eruptive history and location close to population centres, the volcano has been designated a Decade Volcano worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters.

As for me, once again it’s just out of reach this visit with a two hour drive one way from Manilla and a full schedule flying to and fro elsewhere. Next time, maybe I'll ride Taal and add on a day at Corregidor too.

For more on mountain biking in the Philippines, the Bugoy Bikers seem to have their act together. If you’ll be there in late March-early April, check out their ride across Northern Luzon.

Photos came from Wikipedia, various hiker sites and Virtual Tourist-Asia.

TALES: Pardon our dust while we expand …

We can thank Dr. Martin Luther King for the additional day to ride this weekend after Saturday was rained out. Despite that disappointment, it was absolutely incredible to see so many organized rides by OMBA members over the weekend, and the turnout on Monday was the highest I’ve seen for some time with 18 riders!

Absolutely phenomenal to see so many riders getting to know the trails, and it’s terrific to see riders at all levels enjoying the company and the ride.

I bagged out early, but Joe was nice enough to pass a few photos my way for the post after the group put 20-plus miles on their knobblies. The ride map's courtesy of "energystar1138" (Follow the thin, green line).

Dirt Rag Tours C'Dale Factory

Dirt Rag staffers took a day tour of Cannondale's womb in Bedford, Pa., and they published a detailed overview online of the processes and people who turn out by hand the bikes we love at the rate of 400 a day. They also included a superb photo gallery showing many of the people, raw materials and steps in the process. Photo by the Dirt Rag staff.

The Dirty Dozen's Inaugural '07 Ride

By the time we finished Jan. 3 – actually about 10 minutes into the ride – you could call us the dirty dozen as a night of rain that continued in the morning ensured the 12 of us were covered in orange mud for the year’s first Okinawa Mountain Bike Association group ride.

It was great to have so many riders, and so many new riders, out for a winding 19 miles through the Chibana (Chibana Market, Spiders & Pipes and Mad Hatter) and Spider Loop (La Luge, Mother of All Downhills and Lower Chute) trails. Not too many spills, aside from a pile up on some moss-frosted cobblestone enroute home –- we’ll have to try harder next time I guess!

New construction on a golf course 86'd Mudrock for good, but luckily someone had blazed some workarounds for us through what used to be secure chain links.

Anyway, checkout more photos here (Blogger was having upload issues) and the videos below of the ride instead of reading my droning...



Heading Down La Luge



Heading Down La Luge 2