The end

Well this is it... the last post for ScopeThatColon!
I've been thinking about this for a long time, but just never pulled the trigger. This blog has meant alot to me over the years. A place to vent, have fun, shill some product of friends and really, it was a rehab experience for me, too.
Many of these posts got me thru the tough times of cancer.

But don't worry, you aren't all getting rid of me that easy! I still have alot to say and much to accomplish.
I've started a new blog here...http://doit4others.blogspot.com

Go check it out. This one will be a blog with a purpose.... I hope I can get you guys to follow and support the new blog just as much as you have this one.

Thanks to everyone who followed this blog over the years, put up with my sarcastic (and some times inappropriate) humor and had fun with it like I did. My goal was to help and inspire others, I hope I accomplished that....

Work to do...

George Costanza: The sea was angry that day, my friends - like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli. I got about fifty feet out and suddenly the great beast appeared before me. I tell you he was ten stories high if he was a foot. As if sensing my presence, he let out a great bellow. I said, "Easy, big fella!" And then, as I watched him struggling, I realized that something was obstructing its breathing. From where I was standing, I could see directly into the eye of the great fish.
Jerry: Mammal.
George Costanza: Whatever.

So full disclosure: I haven't really been riding as much as I should or would like. Up to this point in my life I've been all about bikes and riding, but as I get older and my family grows, I realize I now have many diverse interests like eating Cheetos, doing half-ass home projects and "sharing" funny pictures on Facebook. Sometimes a healthy bike ride just needs to take a back seat.

So today was the first mountain bike ride in a looong time. And just like with George saving the whale, "The trails were angry that day, my friends..." Slick trails, some mud and hills that some how got much bigger....
Just one of those days where my mad skillz just weren't there... kinda like the Patriots for the last 45 seconds of the SuperBowl....
Then there was the issue of me forgetting my riding shoes about halfway to the Res...had to turn around to grab them... I did remember my NEW GoPro HD (yeah baybee, HD!) camera but it took me a while to figure out why it wouldn't record (forgot to put a memory card in it)...
But you know what? It was a gorgeous "Fall-esque" February day and I did have fun....

I keep promising some big changes to the blog... but again, there's a bag of potato chips that aren't going to eat themselves....

On a more serious note, I continue to be appreciative of everything I have and everything I can do. It was two years ago this past Saturday that I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.... I'm one of the lucky ones because of great family and friends... remember there's always some one worse off than you... help them out....

New Year's ....Again....

So it's been awhile since I've posted last. Lot's going on over here... holidays, Noah's tonsils out, house work.. the usual.
But I wanted to check in with everyone on the new year and encourage everyone to make 2012 their year to remember!
Just like everyone else, I've always made past resolutions and did ok with some, and failed miserably with others. So this year I'm changing the process up...
It's a New Year's Revolution !



I think that maybe if I put some "panic" behind them this year, it may just all work out.

So without for adieu, My 2012 New Year's Revolutions!!!!

#1... Cut out the Diet Coke fountain soda (and any of those "extreme" energy drinks for that matter). Those of you who know me, know my affinity for a good fountain soda... well that affinity has become border line addiction. The stuff is just not good for you and certain parts of my body are reacting to that. Thus far in 2012 I've been pretty good with substituting FRS and water with the occasional can of Diet Coke here and there.
(BTW, don't let anyone kid you, the can is NOT the same as fountain..no comparison.)
I did cave yesterday and I bought a fountain... it was sooo good... but my conscience got the better of me and I dumped it after a few delicious sips.

#2... Pay it forward in a big way. I was given a gift at the end of 2010 in surviving cancer. Lot's of people went out of their way to help, I met some very brave people and I met others not so lucky... It's time for me to step up and help. I have a few things stewing in the pot... stay tuned for some big news....

#3... The usual "Just watch what I, and the rest of my family, eats", it's a no brainer....

#4... Help my kids experience life. There's alot out there that I missed as a kid, I don't want them to go through that.

#5... Start welding again. A few years back I went away to learn how to build bike frames. Time to start plying my "trade" again. It's going to take awhile but it's something I need to do. My goal is a road frame this summer.

#6... Drink more beer. I know this sounds like a strange one, but follow me on this one. I don't really drink, maybe a beer once in awhile, but even after 2-3 beers, I feel like crap the next day and regret doing. There fore I never "hang out and have a beer" with my friends and I end up missing out on some good times. So I need to condition my body to be able to have a beer once in awhile and not feel like crap the next day. Practice starts soon....

#7... Keep riding and flying the Airborne flag. There's a process every year in selecting Flight Crew members and none of us are guaranteed a place. I may not be back with them in 2012. But you all know my fondness for the guys in Ohio and how what they have done for me the past couple of years has gone way past bikes and trips and such. My debt to them runs very deep and I will continue to sing their praises (at least until #5 kicks in, anyways).

There you have it, all doable, I believe...wish me luck...

I challenge all of you to make 2012 your best year yet!
What's your New Years Revolution?

Chaos.....

So that's what my life has been lately. Having 7 and 9 year old boys at home constantly makes this house look like a tornado has hit it. Black Friday and the holidays are coming up at work which makes for a constant state of bedlam there. Then throw the freak snow storm in the mix....

I don't handle chaos well anymore. My brain just doesn't look at the big picture and say "OK Todd, here's what we need to do." I don't function that way anymore (never really did to begin with). I'm contantly loosing things, forgetting things or just not using my time efficiently (I'm one of those guys who's going to be late to his own funeral). I am taking steps to fix it though, not sure if it's working, but I'm trying.

So a couple of weeks ago I found that my wallet, cell phone, camera I take riding, and probably my IPod, were stolen out of my car. I grew up in a small town where you don't lock the car and leave everything in it. Old habits are hard to break. Now I live in a descent sized town and I need to be more aware. That just added to it all and I beat myself up pretty hard over the incident and promised that I will be more conscious of what's going on.

So here I am, last week, a school day, wife commuted with her friend to work, scrambling trying to get breakfast ready, kids dressed, and lunches made .. My yelling was in rare form that day. Walked the neighborhood kids to school (daily ritual) .. just another typical chaotic day... with work @noon....

Crap, I didn't do laundry so I have no clean clothes to wear (we have a dress code).. express wash time (which by the way, takes way longer than the 28 minutes it says on the machine).
Let me run a quick errand to the bank to activate my new debit card... Connie is parked right behind me and I can't get out... where the hell are the second set of keys? I just had them the other day... How can I loose them AGAIN? CRAP.... the laundry isn't going fast enough... where are the keys? what about my debit card? I need to get to work!!!!!!!!
Just another typical chaotic day.

Then I found the answer as I walked thru the garage. hanging on the wall was my Delta cross bike.... I haven't had a chance to commute to work at all this year (I'm usually late, remember?) but this was the perfect time. It was almost 11... I had one hour to get to work.

I dug around and stuffed my back pack with sneakers, deodorant and some work clothes that MIGHT not have been the cleanest in the world. Got my riding gear on and hammered... I can't be late...

Suddenly the chaos in my life disappeared... I found the rhytmm I needed and for that brief 30 minute commute, I put it all behind me. The bike and I were one and everything in my world was good again. Got some funny looks walking into the building with my riding garb on but I knew I was ready for the day. I needed a drug and the Delta was my prescription.....

Walked in, realized I was an hour late (I was supposed to be there at 11, not noon), there were a couple of pallets of freight to be put away and oh, my wife had both sets of keys in her pocketbook....
Just another typical chaotic day.

Total Tear Down....

Yep... that's what's going to happen now from this point on out. Total redesign of my "sporting" life. Things just didn't work out this past season quite like I had hoped. It was still a fun and great year, but not what I had hoped and promised.

Not really sure what happened toward the end of the season, my body just kind of fell apart. I think I can trace the reason back to last fall when I finished my chemo. I went all out balls to the wall and tried to pick up where I left off. Not the smartest decision on my part. I think I just plain over did it and ignored the little stuff that I needed to do for proper recover.

Then I did stupid stuff like screw my ankle up a Warrior Dash (oh, and we're signed up for next year) and then messed my knee up playing Ultimate Frisbee in the dark with glow sticks (oh, I'll be there this week, BTW).

So here's the deal... totally starting over with what I need to do. Starting from scratch and doing all the little things I didn't do. Unfortunately it won't be all that glamorous, so certain people are probably going to be a bit frustrated with me and my lack of "content" on the subject. Not sure where this will take me, but I think it can be a fun ride.


I've already started the steps to the "new me" and I can already see and feel the changes. Things are getting done (although the storm may have pushed me back a bit) and I can't take anything for granted anymore.

The other thing planned is a new blog/website. This one has kind of worn out it's usefulness to me so I have something new planned. Not sure if you folks noticed, but I'm not the most computer literate person in the world



May have to call in some help for the new one...
Ok time to rake leaves and wash the Goblin and Delta... more on that soon....
Take care all.....

Time Machine

I remember the day well. I was sitting at the desk of the health club I was working at (OK, it was more of one of those Nautilus "clubs" that were all the rage in the late 80's/early 90's) reading the newest issue of Winning magazine waiting to get out on my steel Trek road bike for another training ride.

Bob Harrington of Wayfarer Bikes struck up a conversation asking me about my riding and we chatted about general bike geek stuff. Then he asked THE question... "Have you been mountain biking yet?"

Mountain biking? Really? LeMond didn't mountain bike... Hinault didn't mountain bike..Indurain, Delgado, Roche... none of them! "This mountain bike thing is just a fad... it'll never last", I argued. Well I stubbornly agreed to try it out and I've been hooked ever since (even quit the club and went to work for him for a bit). I was a bit off on my "fad" prediction, huh?

Fast forward a few years, I moved up toward Hartford to live with my college friends and drink beer and ride and race mountain bikes. I actually got pretty good at both. My favorite place to ride was Penwood State Park. A pretty darn technical place to ride. Fun place, but for what ever reason, haven't been there in years...

Well today I hit Penwood up again and boy did that place take me back. It was like I traveled back in time. I felt like I was 23 again riding my Kona Kilaua with it's SoftRide stem, Umma Gumma tires and wearing my Bell V1 Pro helmet. Tearing up the trap rock covered single track seemed so naturally to me again. Back then all I cared about was riding and partying so most of those "training rides" were often done hung over. My metabolism allowed me to eat anything I wanted, drink copious amounts of beer and still weigh in at 170 pounds and ride hard the next day. I didn't have a care in the world except to pay the rent and have fun.

Well back to reality, I'm sitting here typing this taking Advil, icing my knee, 25 pounds heavier, wife and two kids, cancer survivor, dealing with bills and wondering if I'll ever race again....
It was a fun trip back in time today... everyone should try it...

I've got the moves like Jaggar

That was the song that I couldn't get out of my head today... annoying, but appropriate...

Headed out to a new to me place in near by Cromwell today called "Hyland River" State Park. I've heard alot about this place having ramps and stunts and such and I was pumped to explore... Got home from dropping the kids off, put on my best free-rider Lucas/McKenna baggy shorts and off I went with the Goblin.
"Nice place, but where the hell are the stunts?"... I've got the mooooves like Jagger...."

Neat little place tucked between the golf course and the river so there were some cool scenic over looks of the mighty Connecticut River and lots of fun twisty stuff.... but still no stunts... what the hell?

Ever since the Death of Racer Boy, I feel like I've been re-invented on the bike. This was the first ride in quite awhile were I really had fun. Didn't care about how fast I was going, clearing a hill, bike parts, blogs or pics (much to Airborne's dismay, I'm sure). Just a fun time in the woods by myself. Hell, even the knee and ankle even enjoyed the ride.
But where the hell where the stunts? I've got the moves like Jagger...

So if you live in the area and looking for a fun quick ride, great place to go, hit me up for directions. I wouldn't go out of your way to go there to ride, unless I missed something.

Got home and looked up some reviews and pics of the area and where the stunts were... The reviews were from 2003... DOH! I may have to sneak back in there this fall and re-build some of them... stealth mode...
Still a fun time because I've got the moves like Jaggar....