Hipsters, here I come

So, I really want to get a commuter bike that I can use to run errands and hopefully ride to work...when work presents itself to me.

My desire for cheapness has me looking at the Windsor Clockwork, or possibly the SE Lager. I've never ridden a singlespeed before, road or mountain, so I'm gonna stop by Urban Downfall today and take one for a spin.

Am I on the verge of becoming a hipster? Are skinny jeans, canvas shoes, and v-neck t-shirts just over the horizon?

Time will tell.


Post script: Two pics from last week. The Utah Lake shot is from a ride last week, and the Manti Temple photo I took after my friend Manny's wedding on Saturday.

Vineyard TT

Since early last season, I've been thinking I should make a time trial out of a portion of one of the routes I often ride.

I tried it out on Monday afternoon, and it turned out to be pretty awesome (minus the wind).

I've dubbed it the Vineyard Time Trial. It's an 8-mile loop along the east shore of Utah Lake, out by the sod farms in Vineyard and the marina in Lindon.

It's mostly flat (just 200 feet of total elevation gain), lots of straight stretches, and virtually no traffic.

I put in a time of 23:53, giving me an average of 20.1 mph over the 8-mile course.

It's a good benchmark for this year's training efforts. We'll slowly whittle that down as the season progresses.

Spring is coming

Don't let all this snow fool you - Spring is actually on the way.

Behold, the ice melts on Utah Lake!



I took Rumbi for a walk yesterday morning around 10:30. It was so warm outside, I decided I'd suit up and get out for a ride. But by the time I'd changed and pulled out of the garage, the sun had ducked behind a cloud and the wind had started to blow.

While some choose to sit inside sipping soup, others saddle up and plow headlong into the oncoming storm.

Still others - admittedly less brave and likely less intelligent - ride out thinking it's going to be warm, only to end up battling stiff headwinds and bits of freezing rain.

But my burning legs confirmed to me that I had made the right decision. Regardless of weather, it's always worth it once you get out there.

An accidental find

A few months back, Liz and I wanted to visit the Salt Lake City Cemetery and see the burial places of some of the past presidents of the Church.

We couldn't find the cemetery, though, and the idea eventually slipped from our minds.

Last Wednesday, I was headed to the downtown library for some quality Internet time. As I drove up 7th East, I noticed a road in the distance that seemed to head straight for the sky. Of course, I imagined someday riding it and decided to investigate.

It turned out to be I Street, and it took me up through the famed Avenues. Upon reaching the top, I found other streets that took me higher, until I was finally overlooking the entire Salt Lake Valley. It was beautiful, despite the freezing temperatures and incoming snow storm.

Then, on the drive back down, I ran into it - the Salt Lake City Cemetery. So I entered, parked, and started wandering.

I was able to find six of the eight presidents of the Church buried there. I'll have to find Harold B. Lee and Howard W. Hunter when I return with Liz. (Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow and Ezra Taft Benson are buried elsewhere.)

There are also quite a few other notable people buried there. It's a great place to wander around if you have an hour or two to spare.

But take my advice and go when it's warm.

A snow storm closes in on downtown Salt Lake City.

The cemetery includes a section for members of the Armed Forces.

John Taylor

Wilford Woodruff

Joseph F. Smith

Heber J. Grant

George Albert Smith

David O. McKay

Joseph Fielding Smith

Spencer W. Kimball

Gordon B. Hinckley

The Salt Lake City Cemetery is a peaceful, beautiful place. Well worth an hour or two of your time.