Tag: alpine trails association

community activities, giving back

A Little Community Service Goes a Long Way

AND no, not the type of community service that a judge orders, the other type. The willing type.

PART of our mission here at California Alps Cycling is, after all, to help the communities in which we live, work and ride, and this past weekend presented us with some opportunities to do just that.

A Little Town Decorating

SATURDAY was about decorating our little town. Club-wife, Patricia, had a grand idea to place wine barrels about town and fill them with poinsettias for the holidays. The Markleeville Enhancement Club (formed a few years back by yours truly and our good friend Mary Rawson) donated the funds (which were donated in turn by members of the community) for the barrels and the blooms.

WE prepped and then placed a dozen 1/2 barrels about town. It added a nice bit of color, don’t you think?

We also put a few more decorations about our little hamlet. Club-mother, January, and Mary, even received help from an unsuspecting, but very friendly traveler, who had the necessary height they needed to get those last few decorations up.

Sunday, it was the Watershed’s Turn

THE Markleeville Water Company, which supplies water to our town, and for which I’m the webmaster (that’s a scary thought but I do what I can) and a volunteer board member, began its post-Tamarack Fire recovery in earnest this past weekend.

THAT work started last Friday, and went through Sunday. I helped out with some manual labor on Sunday, and my Mom and wife (January and Patricia) helped out Saturday and Sunday by checking in volunteers and getting waivers signed.

I worked with a gentleman named Jim Dickens, from Reno, who came down to help because he heard about the event while attending a Trout Unlimited webinar in which Kimra McAfee, Exec. Director of the Alpine Watershed Group, was speaking.

Members of Sunday’s squad doing some seeding and some chinking. Click on the link below for more on that.

DIANE and Steve from Carson City joined on Sunday because they ride their bikes in this area (Steve is a Deathrider) and wanted to give a little something back.

THERE were more volunteers like Jim and Diane and Steve, and locals too. Members of CalFire and the California Conservation Corps helped immensely by felling trees and providing support.

IT was just so Markleeville…all of these people, from different areas, different walks of life, old and young alike, all volunteering their time to help us.

WHAT an awesome feeling! What utterly cool people! It validated my continued faith in my fellow humans.

IF you’d like to learn more about the restoration, by the way, and check out a little video about chinking, here’s a link to that MWC post.

WHAT about you? Did you do, or will you be doing, some giving back of your own? Please share if you did or will be. 😉

IN the meantime…

RIDE well, be safe and stay healthy.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours from all of us here at California Alps Cycling!

fitness, health, hiking

Rest – What a Concept!

ADMITTEDLY it’s been recently forced upon me – rest that is, but nonetheless it appears to be what I needed.

FOR various reasons, since last Saturday’s hike with fellow members of the Alpine Trail’s Association (ATA), I haven’t done any riding, or any strenuous activities for that matter.

SPEAKING of the ATA…Saturday, June 12th is the ATA’s Curtz Lake Trail Day event.

We’d love to see you there!

That Was My Quick Plug. Now Let’s Get Back To Rest

AS I was saying…er, writing, I’ve gotten three (3) full-on rest days since that walkabout (we were doing some fascinating recon – finding missing sections of an old YCC trail) near the Markleeville Airport, and that itself was somewhat restful. We did three (3) miles in the same amount of hours. A nice pace indeed and a nice break from “the usze.” Youze? Yooz?

WELL since then, and as I alluded to earlier, due to work, life, and such, I haven’t been able to put in any serious athletically-oriented time. The benefit? Real rest. And, real recovery.

NOW I realize that this isn’t the best way to gain fitness. On the contrary, my fitness, and the corresponding “scores” are declining. Not for long. But that’s not my point. My point is that I’m REALLY seeing the impact long-term rest is having on my performance. In my mind it’s validating that focus on rest and sleep is as important as focus on HIIT, TTs, endurance and tempo. See this earlier post for more on that if you’re so inclined.

HRV up.

RHR down.

THAT’S the long and short of this little missive.

I don’t share this data out of hubris, no; it’s just that since I’ve been in denial for most of the weekend-warrior part of my life I figured that you too might not be as steeped in those sleep and rest habits as you could be either.

KNOWING these little details has helped me better understand how my body reacts to stress, both chronic and acute, and so I can more easily know when things are off and more importantly, when things are on.

MY genuine desire is that what I’ve learned, and am continuing to learn, will help you in some way.

I’d love to know either way so do comment on this post, will ya?

IN the meantime let’s all relax, have a cerveza, and get ready for the Deathride!

FINGERS-CROSSED, my new, more restful outlook will help come July.

REST ON!