An old mail, a new post....

Way back on April 9th 2008 I sent out this email to everybody in my contacts list. I spit it out because the the feelings described are real. Last week I was looking for it on my computer and I couldn't find it. I realized when I sent it I was using our old laptop, the one that crashed and died. I figured, well, it's lost forever. The other day a friend of mine forwarded it back to me out of the blue.

I'm thinking that it came back to me in such a strange way because somebody needed to read it who may look at this blog page. After all it is a much larger outlet than my contact list.

My new ride, 09 Superfly. Freaking amazing!

Every so often in our lives we have those moments when everything just clicks. In that very moment there is absolutely nothing wrong, everything is in its place and you are completely at peace with your self. You never know when these moments are going to happen but when they do you’re overcome with an almost eerie oneness with your self.


I had one of those moments today. As you may already suspect, for me it happened on my Mountain Bike. I didn’t ride any special place or explore a new trail. I have been there many times. Right from the car my head was full of random thoughts and life questions. I had a reasonably good day at work and nothing out of the ordinary happened. I rode to the trail head taking it easy, and yes I do know how to take it easy! It took about 15 minutes to get to there and I was feeling well rested. What happened next was amazing.


It was like when the first tread of my front tire that hit the dirt I was in another place. Almost instantly, I was able to hear my every heart beat in my head and feel every breath come in and out of my body. I could see everything with a clarity that was so vibrant and sharp. I swear I could count the tinny yellow pedals on the tops of the trail side flowers. All the colors stood out like never before. Every part of my bike felt like it was connected to my nervous system. With every shift I could hear each click of the shifters as the tiny internal parts pulled on the cables. The feel of the grips and brake levers never felt so right. I didn’t have to even think, everything just seamed to happen like second nature.


I was never working hard or breathing heavy. I felt every roll of sweat and at times I would see a drop fall and hit the dirt. I mean I could actually see it all the way down, almost like in slow motion. My legs spun freely and my shoes never felt more comfortable. I was in total peace with the earth. The light breeze had a little chill to it but was silent. I could only hear the birds and hidden creatures in the bushes. I did see two snakes but I wasn’t startled at all. The first one was a baby Rattler and the other a simple Gopher snake. Each one was within inches of my tires sunning it’s self on the road. I had the overwhelming feeling that they welcomed me into their environment.


When the trail started to go downward things got even better. As well as not having a single thought in my head for the last 20 min’s or so I was ripping down the trail like never before. The terrain was dry and loose on top. The kind of stuff that will slam you in a second if you’re not on you “A” game, believe me I know! I was glued to the ground. The bike didn’t make a single noise. No chain slap, no freewheel zing nothing at all. Then slowly I could start to hear the tires. Kind of a ripping sound as they clawed into the ground and shot me out the corners. Every lean I made was spot on. Each pull of the brakes had just the right amount of pressure, it was amazing!!!!!


Everything seamed to happen just for me. Was it because I hadn’t been on my Mountain Bike for just over two weeks nor did I really experience something special. All the way home I had a new feeling of self worth. I took the side streets and looked at everything. I looked at every person and wondered if they had ever felt like I did at that moment. I was so scared to loose this feeling. It’s slowly wearing off as I ease back into the common realities of life. Bills, taxes, work friends and opinions. I have been left with a bit of ease though. I’m calm and relaxed. When I picked up my cat I could tell he noticed a change in me. I have heard that animals notice people’s personalities better than other people. If he’s OK with this new me that it can’t be that bad.
Will I wake up feeling the same way in the morning? I hope so. Should I think of this feeling as often as I can so I can apply it to everyday life? I will do my best. What did I learn from it? I learned that we all have that special place inside that can take us away from it all. If we learn how to control it, we will be unstoppable…..


Adam Hart
Give to those who need it and teach the takers how to give.

A good friend of mine told me that during early morning workouts he always felt like he was running towards the sun to get warm. During the last few weeks of freezing my butt off in the gas station I think of this often. In doing so I started to take pictures of the sun rise with my cell phone.

Yup, I work in a gas station and look forward to the sunrise everyday. Sure I would rather see it from a trail but it's still great even so.

Sometimes I feel like a cycling crash test dummy . I hope that none of my crashing adventures ever include any of my friends

I crash often and for some reason I keep getting back on. I guess it all boils down to I just love to ride my bike. I have not touched a mountain bike now for a month and it hurts pretty bad. I've been shelling out the road miles getting ready for the 09 season of endurance racing. Oh did I also mention the fact that it's freaking freezing outside! I'm allergic to the cold. I start shaking all over and get the overwhelming urge to pile on the clothes. It's a horrific sight. Go ahead call me a wimp....

All I have to say is that this next season I will complete all three races at the 12 hours of Temecula in one piece! Leadville is going to be done in less than 10 hours and the AMC is going to once again be the greatest event I have ever taken part in! If you do only one race this next season, this has to be it!

Only 6 more months to June!

SUSHI :) As much as I can get!

I have always liked Sushi but for what ever reason lately I have been eating tones of it! 4 times in the last three weeks. When I sit at the table I just can't seam to stop. When you think about it Sushi is the ultimate food. When you are growing up our parents tell you not to play with your food. When eating Sushi you get to do so with sticks! Then you dip in different color sauces that drip off each roll and you shove the whole thing in your mouth. Really, I have not noticed anybody cutting a piece in half any time I have gone to my favorite Sushi hole in Redlands, Ocean Blue. Your parents would be so disappointed..

If you know me you are aware that I'm a bit of an odd ball, I notice everything around me. Tonite I noticed that many of the patrons had a bit of a hard time stretching their mouths around their Sushi rolls. It's especially amusing to see a roll crash land on the table and you can see the look in the persons eyes that says, does the 5 second rule apply here?

Sushi teaches you patience and how to handle things with care. If you attack your Sushi you deform your chosen roll making it hard to keep it in the sticks. You must use a delicate hand and a smooth motion at the wrist. Loading it with lets say Soy sauce, makes it heavier so even greater care must be taken. It's a lot of work but worth it.

Now stuffing it in your mouth, this takes skill. I tried to do the Python thing and disconnect my jaws but I failed miserably. I noticed some folks cock their head to one side so to make the angle of their mouth just right. What can I say, I have more fun eating the stuff than any other food.

It's time to ride again!!!

The knee is good, well pretty good and next week I start my base miles. 15 hours is what I have on the roster. Of course with sun tucking under the mountains by 5:00pm it's a bit of a challenge cause I didn't get off work till 1:30 everyday. The rest is top secret!



It all works out tho. I will keep my road bike at Big Chris's house in Redlands. I'll rush over there everyday after work, get changed, pump the tires and hit the road. I'll have just enough time to squeeze in 2 hours. Friday will bring in 5 hours and Saturday will be the only day I will toss my leg over Mr. Black.



This time of the year is great cause I can ride a bike every day, eat like a pig and drop pounds all at the same time. Now really, what more could you want than that? It's a little different than what I have been doing the last two weeks. I have been on a bike 3 times and you guessed it, eating like a pig! I've plumped up a bit and the endurance has gone south!

I also learned a valuable lesson. Always pack your jersey with enough calories to last you all day when you are on your mountain bike. Especially when you hear the words, it should only be a 3 hour ride.... Ummmm no, Try 5 hours. None the less, the dirt adventure opened me up to new trails that I will be using quite a bit in the months to come and ended with a beer and 3 chicken burritos at a table of friends, Joy, Greg, Trevor and Trevors brother Troy.

First day back on the bike, it was freaking great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only an hour, but freaking great!!!!!!!!!

When I sit around all day......

It's clear as a bell outside and I'm layed up on the couch. AHHHHHHHH! Here is what I have done so far.




7:00am, watched a boxing match on HBO. This is the first time I have ever actually watched a boxing match and I wasn't impressed. These two dudes pounded the hell out of each other for 12 rounds into a couple of bloody wads of flesh. Yeah they are in great shape and I can see where the fighters have to be skilled to survive but damn! A human body can only take so much abuse. The interviews of the fighters was pretty entertaining tho. I thought I had a hard time getting my thoughts across clearly. But hey, if this is the fighters passion I say more power to them, I don't have to understand it.

8:30am, Son of a B*&#h what was in one of my 4 big cups of coffee? I was flipping threw the channels and for some reason I landed on the movie Hairspray!!!!! I have avoided this movie like a low carb diet and now here I am, watching the damn thing. I have no intrest in watching a musical. I hate musicals! Well let me tell you something, that movie rocks! It has it all. Smashing racial lines, lessons of equality and relationships. Oh dang, I'm sounding like a chick! What was in that coffee?? I must also note, Queen Latifah is hot!!



9:52am, Caught the last of Real Time with Bill Maher. Have you ever watched this show. It's funny as hell. Today's guess were Ashton Kutcher and Newsweek editor Jon Meacham. There was also some crazy Republican chick from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who stated that John McCain ran a strong campaign. Ashton was dead on in his views. You gotta watch this episode online Click Here






10:26am, pooped another 800mg Ibuprofen. and picked up the clicker. You know why there is nothing on the T.V. at 10:26am in the morning on Sunday? Because your supposed to be outside doing shit, not sitting on the couch with a computer on your lap repeatedly telling your dog NO when he trys to eat the rocking chair leg. I feel like eating everything in the frig. Oh look, 27 dresses is on. A chick flick but a good one. I'm going to the cupboard. No way, check it out! Footloose is just starting too. I'm so watching it...

This movie reminds me of the time I had to secretly dance in the dark in fear that my town preacher would catch me and kick my ass for it. My favorite part of this flick is when the kid does the Pop and Lock routine during the "Big Dance". He does it pretty good for a kid that grew up in a town where dancing was illegal up intill that afternoon. To see this awesome sight, click here

One thing does bother me about this movie tho. Is it about the fight to have the dance or is it about the dance. The whole time it's, we should be able to express our self's with dance and it doesn't make us evil teenagers. Then at the end of the movie you see all but 3 min's of the Big Dance!

12:34pm, I have proven that you can survive a day on many cups of coffee, organic pancakes from a can, Tostitos chip and salsa. My chosen brew today is one that comes from my French Press. I think this is the strongest way to make coffee, or at least the funnest anyway. You get to smash a lump of coffee grinds into the bottom of a jar full of boiling hot water. Sounds like a good time to me when your all locked up in the house. The second large cup is better than the first because you get some of the grinds in your cup that make the taste and potency even stronger. Oh yeah!

UNO, now that's a game for the ages. There is skill involved in this game you know. If you haven't gotten hip to it I'm not going to tell you cause you never know, I may play you one day and you will be going down my friend. Uno by your self, now that's a fast game. I can slap those cards down so quick they start to smoke!! Of course you can't go for points like this but it only takes me 1 min and 24 seconds to burn threw a deck. Damn this knee, I need to be freeeeeee!

There are fires all over California right now. T.V. stations have interrupted there normally scheduled programs to cover the fires. All except channels 2 CBS & 11 Fox. Why, cause it's Football season of course. We can't let something like all of California being on fire take away from Sunday football. Second best thing, channel 7 ABC, it's Nascar baby, Lap after lap. Lets look at the other big fish channel 4 NBC. It's PGA golf time, oh wait, no it's not! It's fire coverage. How did PGA Golf get bumped to cover the fire? What about all the painted bare chested crazy golf fans to do? The Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay PGA tournament was to be the tournament of the season.... NOOOOOOO. Golf, it just doesn't get the respect it deserves. but seriously, I know what it's like to stare a wild fire in it's face. In 2007 we had huge flame right outside our condo door. I really feel for these folks who are going threw this and I wish them luck and safety.

1:17pm, my cat C.J. has been sleeping next to me all day. He snores, loudly. If you plug his nose he starts to snore out of his mouth, strange cat. He doesn't seam to want to wake up.

2:05pm, I just seen pictures of Ben and Jen's new little girl Eva. She's totally amazing! Popped another 800mg Ibuprofen. I'm done. This is my last update for today. If you have working knees today I hope that you put them to good use, preferably on a bike.

Oh and one more thing. I was just emailed this little bit of truth. And I wnated to share it with you.

My 10.5 laps of three 12 hours of Temecula

First race of the 12 hours of Temecula, January 2008. I got super sick. Did 60 miles and barfed my guts out and had to go home. 6 laps

Second race of the 12 hours of Temecula, June 2008. I was leading the race into the 4th lap and I was feeling stronger than ever. I crashed and snapped my right brake reservoir, bent my rear hanger and put 3 kinks in my chain. My day was done. 3.5 laps

Third race of the 12 hours of Temecula, November 2008 (today). I crashed right at the end of the first lap. I was running strong and looking forward to a great day. No such luck! I dislocated my right knee. As luck would have it, it didn't hurt a bit because of the served nerve path due to two prior knee surgeries. Oh wait, is that really luck? I planned to being off the bike for a while anyway and then start training for next season. 1 lap

First race of the 2009 season, the 12 hours of Temecula, January 2009. I'm going to kill that
b!#&h