Oh, the irony!

I have a terrible secret that I feel I must admit. For the last few months I've been part of the Specialized Trail Crew, and to attain that position I had to prove my social media chops. Twitter feed and following, blogging ability, community involvement- these were all crucial metrics that I was judged by and deemed decent enough to make the cut. Along with attaining the position in the Trail Crew (along with 7 other guys) I got a pretty nice bike, a bunch of gear, and a few mtn bike trips.

Here's my deep, dark secret: I'm not really all that social. I'm actually sort of shy and quite awkward, at least until I get to know someone. I don't really talk to people in bars unless they start talking to me first and then that makes me feel even more squeamish. The one instance where I actually got a girl's phone number at a bar was initiated by me choking on an ice cube, inevitably starting conversation. I rarely say "hi" to people on the street (although that's probably a result of my NY roots). But somehow somewhere around 300 people (appear to) find my insights throughout the day interesting. And that I find fascinating.

I didn't really think much about this until this morning. I was walking to La Tinga (a local mexican joint) for some breakfast burritos for my co-workers and me. As I'm standing on the corner waiting for the light to change I hear a voice behind me: "are you John?" I turn and the dude on the bike says, " I'm Jared, @jradness on Twitter".

Now at this point I imagine an adept social media junkie invested in promoting his personal brand would take this opportunity to solidify a connection within his network and probably leverage that to get some free drinks, show tickets, mention on a TV show, a job, whatever. I say "imagine" because I simply blurted out, "I'M GETTING BURRITOS. LA TINGA'S OPEN."

Knucklehead.

So if I run into you one day, don't be put off if I appear a bit awkward. I'm actually quite nice and very passionate about the things I'm into, which is probably why I try to share those things with everyone who will listen. And I guess that is what is pretty nifty about what the level of connectedness allows- personal connections based in shared passions despite any interpersonal social blundering. For that, I'm quite thankful.

I'll still let you buy me a beer though.

Finally!

For the last month or so I've been a little evasive, at least online, about something going on with me involving a bike. As of yesterday I can finally divulge the great secret.
A little while ago I submitted my application for the Stumpjumper Trail Crew. I promptly tried to forget about it as I went along with my daily life. My ability to forget disappeared when I got the call from Tan at Specialized (@iamspecialized) notifying me that I made the short list. For the next few weeks I was especially tense (partly because I was looking forward to my vacation to NY).
Well, I made it. And this Monday, my bike arrived. A 2010 S-Works Stumpjumper and a bunch of gear to go with it. I've never had this much bike before- and on the inaugural jaunt around town and up to Pete's Hill I can say that this thing is incredible.
The bike is not the only reason for my excitement- the opportunity to let my passion take me in a different direction, open new opportunities, ride new places and especially to meet new people is especially intriguing.
As of today I haven't been able to take the new bike for a real ride. We have a bit too much snow and mud on the trails right around Bozeman to even go for a night ride, so the maiden voyage will take place Sunday at Pipestone. Naturally, I'll take tons of pics and probably some video.
If you'd like to check out the Trail Crew site head over here.

P.S. I now have a 2008 Stumpjumper Comp for sale.

Freedom! (SJTC)

(as posted in the Stumpjumper Trail Crew Blog)

Bikes=Freedom.
That pretty much sums up why I ride. From my first Ross to my Schwinn Predator to my Dad’s old Deluxe Varsity to the baker’s dozen of mountain bikes I’ve had the simple act of pedaling two wheels has always brought me freedom.
My first mountain bike was an exercise in defiance- I had taken money saved for car insurance and bought a mountain bike instead. But that simple act was the first pedal stroke down the singletrack of Mountain Bike Enlightenment.
Ok, I admit, that’s pretty corny. but this is my story and I can tell it any way I want. Essentially what happened was that mountain biking brought me freedom (if only temporary) from daily struggles while also introducing me to some of the best people I’ve met and some of the best trails I’ve ridden. And that is what I’m excited to share with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Specialized is trusting me with a bike an a place to share my thoughts. The bike will get mentioned, but what I’m more excited about is sharing my thoughts on places to ride, people to ride with and events to ride in.

It's Over.

Winter's here. Pack the bikes up. Thanks for all the great rides and memories. It's been real.

Wait, what an I saying? So there's skiing already in Bozeman (as long as you're willing to use or make rock boards) and about 4 inches of snow on the ground in town. Riding isn't done for those who would rather be astride wheels than atop planks. It might be tough, you might (will) struggle, and you might have to drive a bit to get to the riding- but you can ride. Trust me.

For the purposes of this post I'm going to try to stick to real trails, with real singletrack. In the winter you might not always have this luxury- but you'll usually be able to get that fat-tire fix. I'm also going to stick to regular mountain bikes- I don't have a Pugsley (hell yeah I want one though).

Pipestone

Most Bozeman folks know about Pipestone. It's a little climatic anomaly just over an hour west from town. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Continental Divide the whole area tends to stay relatively free of snow. And by relatively, I mean it will have three to four inches of the white stuff compared to the three to four feet we'll have in Bozeman. The best times of the year to ride at Pipestone are in the spring (late March through early late May) and autumn (October to late November). It is often possible to ride in midwinter- I've been there in January (in shorts!) during a warm snap and in six inches of the lightest powder at 8º in February after a few hours of skiing fresh powder (there's a story here, but I'll save that for another time).
Essentially, throughout the winter you can ride in Pipestone. How many of the trails you can ride on depends on the amount of snow received, but usually there's enough to scratch the itch.


South Cottonwood

Just a few miles southwest of Bozeman lies one of the most popular trails close to town. South Cottonwood is unique in that it is not nearly as steep as most of our trails, despite its paralleling a moving body of water. These two factors- high foot traffic and moderate grade make it variably ridable midwinter. On more than one occasion I've driven there with XC skis and bike- and I've chosen the bike. The furthest I've made it is about a half mile past the third bridge and if I had fatter tires I probably could have gone further. Studded tires are usually necessary if there has not been considerable snow for a few weeks- but that's when the trail is the most ridable.
A nice side benefit to riding a packed, icy trail is that the trail is insulated from your tires, so you can't do any damage. Yes, you can slide around corners to your heart's content. Braaap!

Sourdough Canyon (Bozeman Creek)
A couple of details about Bozeman Creek: it's not singletrack and you'll have to deal with acerbic glances from XC skiers. Like South Cottonwood it's better after a few snow-free and cold days. It regularly gets groomed by the Bridger Ski Foundation so the snow usually is nicely hard-packed and consistent. This is another area where I've ridden a few miles up (after riding there from town) on 2.1" tires without issue- unless you count the cold glares from skate skiers as I passed them uphill and again downhill.
Please respect the work the BSF does, especially regarding the classic ski track set. Sourdough is a multi-use trail but screwing up the skiers' fun won't win the mountain bike community any favors.


East Gallatin Recreation Area

Close to town on the other side of the interstate is a pond, park, and small network of trails. These trails do not get groomed for skiing and see a LOT of foot traffic. While a little bumpy these trails are usually plenty firm for normal sized tires. Do be aware of people walking though.

Well, there's a few ideas for you. Remember a few key details to make any attempts at riding more successful- fatter tires, a period of cold snow-free weather, and platform pedals. Disc brakes and singlespeeds make things a bit easier but are not necessary. This winter I might experiment with building a set of 24" wheels with fat tires- I'll certainly document that if it happens.


Remember, skiing is tons of fun but there's only one way to satisfy a craving for mountain biking. With a bit of preparation you can sucessfully ride in the winter- even in Montana!

Oy, the anticipation!

I'm hesitant to say too much, lest I wake up from this dream.

What I will say is that I made the short list and had a nice conversation with one of the guys in charge of the Stumpjumper Trail Crew. No official word yet, so absolutely no celebrating.

What I can't help but think about is how this next year will pan out, if I do win the bike. Naturally there will be pictures, videos and written descriptions of the bike being built, initial short rides (we already got some snow yesterday, so epic rides in Montana are pretty much shut down), and some riding in snow when I really should be skiing. But I also feel that I'll be getting wrapped up in endurance races- 24 hours of Rapelje solo? Probably- done it once but I've been itching to do it again (thanks to @boneshakerbike for the post). Butte 100? I said I'd do it this year but a broken wrist put a damper on "training" (I should insert my standard disclaimer here: I don't train. I just ride.). And then there's the 3rd annual Montana Backcountry Bicycle Fest (look for a dedicated blog for that soon). Anything else? I'll take suggestions, as long as you don't ask me to ride in the Berkeley Pit.

Hopefully I'll hear soon. As it is it'll take months for my fingernails to grow back.

-John

Stumpjumper Trail Crew

I'm going to assume that you're reading this because you're willing to read through my spiel on why I should be part of the Specialized Trail Crew.

There's more than one big fat reason for this, but I'm just going to get that one out of the way real quick: the opportunity to ride a 2010 S-Works Stumpjumper for a year. I can't pretend that's not a factor, so there it is. Yet that's not the only reason- not by far. The prospect of riding a fancy new mountain bike is pretty exciting, but what I find more stirring is what I can bring to my cycling community.

Those who know me in person, on the internet and in the Twitterverse are well aware of my passion for all things cycling. Mountain biking was my introduction to my adopted extended family of bike geeks and resides firmly in my heart (well, right along there with my passions for good food and beer). But there's so many idiosyncratic people in this huge family and they've all affected me in some way. And because I love these quirky folks and how they ride (and what they ride) I've tried to bring what I've learned from them to my home of Bozeman, Montana.

Mountain Bike festivals, clunker downhills, Alleycats, hardcourt bike polo, Velocache, roller racing, bike commuting, ice racing, winter riding - these are all things that I've been smitten with and brought back to Bozeman to share with my community. I've written, tweeted, blogged, wrote about bike maintenance and made videos not for local fame and acceptance but to enrich our local cycling culture.

Let's pedal back to the point of this post- mountain biking. As I mentioned earlier the simple act of riding a bicycle on dirt has, for the past eighteen years brought me joy, inspiration, calm, health, pain (both good and bad), and more importantly most of my friends. I ride for many reasons, but the longest lasting memories are those involving the people I've ridden with.

It's because of the people who ride and their passion for riding that this year I assembled the Montana Mountain Bike Network- one of my projects I'm most proud of. The great state of Montana has thousands of miles of amazing singletrack- and much of it is threatened by energy development, mining, logging, or Wilderness designation. Our mountain bike community had no decent way to keep in touch with others in another part of the state, putting us in a position to lose if (and when) trail issues came up. In the first few months of the site being live we had over 90 concerned mountain bikers join. Those folks are more aware of the issues facing their trail access across the whole state- and as a bonus we're all learning about great places to ride.

An exciting outcome of this was the second annual Montana Backcountry Bicycle Festival that I helped organize this year. In an effort to raise awareness of the impending Continental Divide Trail closure south of Dillon, MT the Montana Mountain Bike Alliance threw a party that drew 150 folks from all over the state. We converged on the tiny town of Lima and camped, ate, danced, drank, and rode the whole weekend. Most importantly, those 150 avid mountain bikers are now acutely aware of the immediate future of mountain biking in Montana. Since this year's festival went so well, we've started planning next year's fest- expect it to be dy-no-mite!

Wow, you've made it this far. Thanks again for reading- it means a lot to me. There's so much that I've been involved in that I sometimes feel like I'm getting spread a little thin, especially when you consider that I man the helms of the Twitter feed and blog of the shop I work at in downtown Bozeman.

I can think of nothing better than a new bike and a little writing incentive to help aim the passion I've got for all things bicycle. Thanks again for considering me for the Stumpjumper Trail Crew.

John Friedrich (a.k.a. Mr. DNA)

Twitter:
@johnfriedrich
@MontanaMtnBike
@BZNBikePolo
@BangtailBikes


Blogs/Networks:
Personal Blog
Montana Mountain Bike Network
The Bozeman Fix - The blog of Bozeman Bike Geekery
Jerk Of All Trades - T-Shirts and opnions (new)
Practical Pedal Fixit Blog
Bangtail Bikes

Events/Bike Geekery:
RockySprints
Velocache Bozeman - Bike fun for nerds
Bozeman Bike Polo (not my site, but I got it going here)

There's more out there- It'll just take me well past the September 18th due date to index it all. Thanks again for reading- and if you're ever in Bozeman look me up, I'll show you a few good rides. - John

On Design.

Lately (well, for the last two and a half years) I've been subject to a growing interest in design. Sure, you can call it graphic design if you want. But to me DESIGN is much more than that. It's not just the physical flyer, poster, or ad. It's how those tactile manifestations of the concept of "design" represent the values of an entity, its collective dreams and desires, its foibles, efficiency, even its rapport with others.

I know this sounds like its heavily influenced by four long years at a university as a student in a graphic design curriculum, but it's not. There's a harsh reality:

I don't know shit about design. I've not had training in it. I feel like I'm constantly pestering my designer friend about all sorts of details about design.

Sure, I've got an interest in good design. I realize that there's a ton of meaning silently lurking beneath the surface of any advertisement, and I've been striving to figure it out. I could go to school for it, but to be honest, I'd rather finish my engineering degree.

Yet I still have a yearning to know more, the same way that I want to understand all the grimy details involved in making beer. I don't really want to be a professional brewer, but I do want to make beer as well as a real brewer. I want to be able to have a conversation with a professional brewer about brewing without sounding like a total novice- yet I still want to learn something.

I am striving to approach design in the same manner. I want to, more than anything else, UNDERSTAND. I want to know why Helvetica is so inspiring. I want to be able to lift the hood on a vintage VW ad and see- understand- why it's so appealing. I want to be able to create a piece of art that conveys the sense and the feeling that I feel about something. And I want the viewer of that art to feel a stirring, a desire- without knowing why they feel that way.

I feel that since having that awakening of attention- since the point that I started to see and try to get it- my skills have progressed. I'm well on my way to design geekdom: at a recent party, faced with no Sharpie with which to mark my cup, I cut my name out of a red plastic beer cup (i put another one inside, duh). I tried my hardest to use all lower case Helvetica...and it turned out okay. Dork.

Anyway, here's a progression. Any criticism, complaints, hints, encouragement and especially suggestions of reading material please put in the comments. Thanks in advance.

Template for pint glasses for winners at Rockysprints, our version of roller racing:

One of my earliest, a shirt design on Cafepress. It's unspectacular but a few people bought one:
One Version of the header for a blog I started and sporadically write for:

A spoke card for an alleycat we put on last year (note not very good GIMP work):

Poster for Rockysprints, roller racing a few of us put on in a local bar. This is where I feel like I started to "get it" (even if it is a blatant rip-off of NYC subway signage). FYI, the final version had red behind the 3, since that's what it is in New York.

And the latest version of the Rockysprints poster. Getting better!


-John