Disparities

Some weeks in the field I learn and see more than others. Last week in Puerto Penasco was certainly an example of one of those weeks. The group and family that I worked with were both incredible. I got to know some of my Amor friends and coworkers better. I got the tiniest bit more proficient at Spanish. And the desert sunrises and sunsets were incredible. It's hard to remember and keep track of everything that went through my head and heart during the week, but I have at least one more solid lesson to share following it.

Resort Town?

Many of the people for whom we build homes in Penasco are amongst the poorest we serve. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Flores Meza family's income was just $56 a week. Part of what makes this so unbelievable is what Penasco and neighboring Las Conchas have become to American visitors. Because of the beautiful desert, dunes and ocean, this area has become a very popular vacation spot for Americans. It's convenience is a big part of it's popularity, as it sits just over an hour from the border and within several hours of Phoenix. Over the last 20 years, luxury resorts and condos have sprung up in parts of Penasco (Rocky Point to many Americans) and Las Conchas. Whenever I travel highway 8, the main pipeline in and out of Penasco, I am struck by the fact that I lead missionaries with shovels and tools in their vehicles as we are surrounded RV's carrying 4-wheelers and other toys.

In truth, many of the people who visit Penasco on vacation have no idea just how bad things are in the areas that they don't frequent. I observed the shock on the faces of people who have vacationed in the area and never knew the extent of the poverty around them. Despite the fact that ignorance is bliss, I have found myself frustrated and in judgment of the people who visit Penasco for extravagant fun while such dire need exists there. The disparity between Americans with money to spare and the homeless Mexicans within miles has been too much for me to stand at moments.

Personal Reflection

Whenever I find myself in a position casting judgment on others, I try to take a step back for a more objective point of view. One of my favorite things to do is think about Jesus when a mob brought an adulteress to him and demanded that she be stoned. In this story, Jesus bends down to write something on the ground while everyone waits for his response. What he wrote is not revealed in scripture. It is my thought that the reason we don't find out what Jesus wrote is because it is irrelevant to the reaction of the crowd. What is relevant is that he gave them time. Time to consider the hypocrisy of their outrage and demands.

I gave myself a few moments of pause this week to reflect on the way I have judged those that don't understand or help what is going on in Penasco. I immediately looked to my living situation. Two things struck me. My lifestyle is not as comfortable as it once was, but globally speaking, I am living high on the hog. I eat well everyday, have far more clothes than I need, have far more bikes than I need and drive a car that is way beyond my needs. All this while I live 20 miles from Tijuana, a place where people often struggle to get a roof over their head and clean water to drink. If I look even closer, I live in an extremely diverse and impoverished area of San Diego. My apartment is on the border of City Heights and according to geographic information collected in 2005, the median household income was $19,393. The average household at that time consisted of five family members. That's just $3,879 a year for each person to survive on.

As I look at everything that Americans are missing as they pass through Penasco everyday, I also have to consider all of the needs as I am a passerby in my own neighborhood. Life is complicated and full of distractions, some worth pursuing and others not. Our lives and perception of our own needs certainly get in the way of helping those around us. As Jesus calmly draws in the sand and waits for me, I need to look inside, take stock and come to a better understanding of my true needs. Excising some of the wants that I believe to be necessities in my life can certainly put me in position to better serve those around me. I know that this will be a process and I know that I'm not ready to give up many of the things I should. Despite how daunting and discouraging striving toward these goals can be, I know where I can start.

I am going to put down my stone.

Adelante!

-Clint

Giving More

This past week, I traveled to Puerto Penasco, Mexico to meet a group from Arizona and build a house for another needy family. I arrived a day before the group and took some time to preview the site where we would be building. Upon my visit, I discovered a very friendly family eagerly awaiting a home. The Flores Meza family consisted of Oscar, his pregnant wife Juanita and their three beautiful daughters. They immediately struck me as loving and welcoming. It was great to learn that we would be building for such wonderful people over the coming days.

The next day, I got to meet the group I would be assisting with the construction of the new home. I brought them over the Arizona border with the help of a close Mexican Amor friend, Jorge, and they accompanied me south to Penasco. The group spanned from three middle school aged boys up to adults, including the pastor of their church and his wife, a youth leader. The group was very excited to work with us, as they had missed their yearly trip in 2009 and it was their first time in Penasco. It was great to have such an enthusiastic crew for the week. Starting from the first day, their commitment to the family was apparent. We were up at sunrise (a little earlier than I am used to, to be sure) the next day and quickly at work. This would start a pattern for the rest of the week, affording me the incredible opportunity to see the desert sunrise and sunset nearly every day. While the group did a wonderful job of being extremely productive, they were also very interactive with the family and surrounding community. Neighbors came to help with the build and the group welcomed them and put them to work. Watching the cross cultural bonding and cooperation was incredible.

(The sun sets in the desert. Incredible. I wish you could have been there.)

I learned an important lesson as help came from throughout the neighborhood. I was working on installing a door in the home when a young boy named Jesus started shadowing me. Jesus had been around the site helping with various tasks, but I knew that installing a door might be a little complicated for a boy his age. My initial impulse was to politely point him in another direction so that I could focus on my work. Fortunately, I resisted this temptation. Instead, I did my best to teach him to install some hinges through actions and gestures (My Spanish is atrocious). This was when Jesus started to teach me a lesson. This was not a boy who simply wanted some action without concern for the quality of his work. As I let him take on more and more responsibility, he diligently copied everything I showed him, even including some of my unnecessary idiosyncracies. This also gave me an opportunity to step away and share some of my story with the pastor I was working with. I also came to realize one more thing. I will meet a lot of boys much like Jesus during my tenure with Amor. Such an incredible experience has become day to day for me. His experience, on the other hand, was likely once or twice in a lifetime. The example our group set will cause many ripples in the life of Jesus and others. I'm thankful God took those tools out of my hand and placed them in those of Jesus.

An event that I would consider a miracle happened this past week as well. One of the leaders of our group was nearly fluent in Spanish and was able to communicate very well with the family to find out more about them. She eventually engaged Juanita in a conversation about her pregnancy. It turns out that she is about eight months pregnant, but is having some complications. The baby is currently sitting breach with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. For this reason, her doctors wanted to perform a c-section this week rather than risk a natural birth. The problem with this is that a c-section will cost the family about $800, which has to be paid up front. The Meza family not only does not have $800, they only make about $56 a week. My group found it impossible to walk away from this need and wanted to help. We contacted the church that is providing the Mezas with their new home and the pastor came out to meet with the family and group to verify all that was going on. In the end, the group visited various atm's throughout the town, in order to pull together over $1,100. They donated the money to the church so that the church may take care of the Mezas medical expenses and some incidental baby costs. I was blown away. This group accomplished two unbelievable feats. First, they helped provide for a desperate need. Second, they empowered the local church to assist this family, which is exactly what Amor strives to do in its ministry. They also ended up working for this family through a series of circumstances that they considered unfortunate. In the end, we were all glad for these circumstances, as they put this particular group with a big collective heart in the position to help this very serious need.

This miracle is not complete yet. Juanita will have her surgery this week and it is in the hands of God and her doctors to bring mother and baby through healthy. The truth is, we're not even sure that everything is okay with the baby now, we simply know she has a strong heartbeat. It is one of my deepest desires right now that I will be able to visit the Mezas again and find them healthy and happy in their new home. Please be a part of this miracle in action and pray that mother and baby will come through healthy. Thank you.

(Everyone stands proudly in front of the completed home. Oscar and beautiful, pregnant Juanita are in the first row on the right.)

Adelante!

-Clint

Living The Dream

( The view from my mexican "office," the cab of my well used and loved Toyota Tacoma, on a beautiful morning.)

Over the summer, I had a really meaningful exchange with a new friend that I made on a trip. Isaiah was one of three adult leaders with a youth group. At home, he is a graphic designer who runs his own business. He shared with me his experience working for a large design firm. While he enjoyed the nature of his work, he sometimes felt frustrated with the way business was done. After downsizing resulted in him being laid off, he started his own business. He commented that it was challenging at times, but he loved his job and what he did on his own. Running a business and doing what he loved was a true gift to him. He even managed to work his faith into the design of some products. As I listened, I was really happy for Isaiah, but my happiness quickly gave way to jealousy. Why does it always seem like somebody has a better deal? Why is it so hard for me to find my niche? I started to respond with, "Wow, it must be nice . . ." but then I caught myself.

A Conditioned Response

The truth is, the sentence I began but had the good sense not to finish was a programmed response. Since the beginning of my professional career, I don't think I was ever really happy with it. My experience was quite the opposite of Isaiah's. I really enjoyed my employers and appreciated the kind of people I worked around, but I just didn't care for the work. I became an accountant through a series of indecisions and although I was often assured I was good at my job, I never really enjoyed doing it. I struggled to keep my attention on the work and often questioned whether it challenged me in the ways I desired to be challenged. Over time, I always tried to give my best, but I just had a hard time finding joy in what I was doing. Although I had the skill set, it felt as if my personality and desires did not work with what I was doing, leaving me feeling as if I was trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. I made a great living and worked for wonderful people, but always found myself jealous of those around me. Whether someone I knew had a higher salary, a more fun working environment, or a more interesting job, I often found myself saying, "Wow, it must be nice to be doing what you want to do."

It Is Nice

As it turns out, it is nice. I have come to realize that I am doing exactly what I want to do right now. And more importantly, I am doing what I believe God wants me to do. It is really awesome to feel like your talents and passions are being utilized in your job. The interesting thing is that it's still not perfect. I consistently find difficulties and challenges that I sometimes do not want to deal with. Such events are different now than they were before. Rather than becoming a big source of discouragement or something that I lose sleep over, they are just part of my day. It's amazing how things change when you can find deep value and contentment with how you spend your time. The highs of my days are obviously great because they are the highs, but even the lows can be enjoyable. Sometimes it feels great to sacrifice for a cause to which I prescribe.

Several days ago, I was hanging around our apartment with Drew and he asked me how I was doing. It first crossed my mind to respond with the typical, "fine." After that, I gave it a little more thought. I told Drew that no matter what happened before or what happened in the future, I was happy with where my life was. No matter where I am led and how I feel about anything that happens in the future, I can be proud of what's happening now. Despite all of the crazy experiences and strange decisions in my life, right now I am surrounded by a tremendous group of people. With them, I am doing all I can to build homes for people that don't have them, educate Americans on poverty and share my testimony. I know that life doesn't revolve around what you do and not everyone gets a situation as amazing as mine. This time may be fleeting. Regardless, I am here now. Thanks for bringing these thoughts to the forefront of my mind, Isaiah. This is a profound gift and I will do my best to serve, grow and cherish every moment of it.

Adelante!

-Clint

New Addition

Two weeks ago, I had to say goodbye to a very important part of my life. I shared with you the history that SI 2.0 and I had together. While our time was brief, under a year, she quickly captured my heart and imagination through some incredible adventures together. It was wonderful to be able to share more about her and the time we had together with you. There was only one thing I didn't share with you on that day. I had already met someone new.

A New Bike in My Life

You see, despite all of their obnoxious branding, Trek Bicycles sells awesome bikes and does great business. A clear indication of these characteristics is how nicely they handled my cracked frame. I brought SI 2.0 to the local Trek Superstore and showed them the crack. They quickly filed a warrantee claim and had something new headed my way. I really appreciate Trek for standing behind their product. There is no way I could have afforded to replace my broken frame. That said, when I brought SI 2.0 to her final resting place, there was already someone new waiting for me there. There she was in an unassuming box, sitting on the floor of the shop area. Without even seeing her or making her acquaintance, I already knew her name: SI 3.0. As I removed her from the box, I immediately noticed she was clad in white, a daring and disrespectful choice to be sure, as I was saying goodbye to SI 2.0. I looked back and forth, in surprise at SI 3.0 and longingly at the worn, used, carbon and teal paint of SI 2.0. I was upset by my loss, but I knew that I had to leave SI 2.0 there at the shop, lest her damaged headtube cause a catostrophic accident in the future.

Don't Judge Me

Several days later, I returned to the Trek Superstore. The mechanics there had removed all of the parts from SI 2.0 and replaced them on SI 3.0. It saddened me to think of SI 2.0 broken and stripped bare, possibly thrown in the trash somewhere. That said, SI 3.0 looked hot. The white color she wore was more brash than the presentation of SI 2.0, and the way that my pink crankset completely clashed with her white and red colorway only added to her in your face attitude, much like a female version of Hansel. Being SI 2.0's younger sister, all of SI 2.0's components fit perfectly on her. I had to admit despite my misgivings, I had met a younger, snappier, less worn version of my old companion. In addition, there was nothing I could do to get SI 2.0 back. She was damaged and no longer usable. I accepted SI 3.0 from the mechanic and took her over to the buru to get her home.

(Here, SI 3.0 sits in front of the buru. I won't lie, the buru expressed extreme displeasure with the fact that I was already bringing someone new around, but supported us nonetheless.)

Together, the buru and I took SI 3.0 home so that we could make sure she was properly adjusted, hoping to take her out on some trails and get to know her better in the not too distant future.

Our Relationship Thus Far

Unfortunately, the last couple of weeks have remained busy and for much of that time, my leg remained sore, so I have only gotten to ride SI 3.0 once. On that one ride she performed admirably, and by admirably I mean pretty much exactly like SI 2.0. Let's be honest, she was built exactly like Superfly 2.0, so the ride is exactly the same. For the way things have worked out there, I am very pleased. In other areas, our relationship has been a little more rocky. Since she insists on wearing white all the time, SI 3.0 has proven to be a lot more high maintenance. In order to keep looking so flashy, she has to be constant cleaned and tended to. This is not the only area in which she requires additional attention. SI 2.0 understood, perhaps better than I did, that she was just a bike. She sat quietly leaned against the wall or clamped into my work stand when not in use. She understood that I have a busy life and just moved into a new place and that I sometimes wouldn't be able to take her out as often as we both liked. SI 3.0 is just the opposite. She incessantly complains when she is not in use. She always reminds me that she is more at home on a trail than leaning against the wall in the living room. I try to tell her that I would like to be riding more too, but my claims fall on deaf handlebars. In addition, she doesn't always take care of me the way SI 2.0 did. The one time we did go out for a ride, she didn't make me an after ride snack. This was something SI 2.0 always thoughfully did. I'm not ready to give up on her, as some of this is probably my fault. Whether spoken aloud, or simply considered in my mind, I am constantly comparing her to SI 2.0. I miss her teal and the way it went great with my pink crankset. I still have every right to miss her because it's only been a few weeks, right? The fact is, SI 2.0 was broken and I needed a new frame, but maybe I did move on too fast. Wherever she is, I just hope SI 2.0 understands.

Adelante!

-Clint

Ripple

Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
- The Grateful Dead

Amor has a really unique way of deciding what kind of work it does to assist the Mexican people. Years ago, the organization saw a need to have local people involved in the decision making for what we do. This has helped avoid the classic problem that occurs when a foreign entity comes intending to assist a people but really ends up forcing it's own agenda and culture on the people it is trying to help. As a result, a group we refer to as the Mexican Pastors Board was formed. The Mexican Pastors Board is a team of local pastors that live, work and conduct their ministry in the areas of Mexico where we are involved. Everything we do, including building homes, distributing water filters and giving other aid, is directed by the pastors. They meet and decide who is in most desperate need of a home and where our assistance is needed most. Ultimately, we carry out their vision for local communities. I love this way of doing things. It is a beautifully designed way for our ministry to work. Because I find it to be the most effective way to carry out our ministry, I never anticipated one challenge this selection process presents.

Most of the time, when I take a group to a site to build a home, we find a small ramshackle building, gutted out truck or some other minimal shelter in which the family has been living, but this is not always the case. Occasionally, we will come across a larger, more solid structure, sometimes one that appears to meet the family's needs. This inevitably leads to questions from our participants that have come to build. "Why did you choose this family for a home?," "What's wrong with the house they are living in?," and "Why do they need another house?" are some of the main questions I have to answer. Initially, I was entirely unprepared to field these inquiries, but the first emotion I felt was anger. While I saw the same scene as the participants and sometimes had the same questions, I was blown away that people could come from a place of such abundance and make quick judgments on the needs in Mexico. It was also frustrating because I didn't feel like I had a great answer. I didn't yet know about the Mexican pastors' role in 0ur ministry and even I wondered how we sometimes selected the people who would receive aid. Gradually, I grew to understand and react better. I realized that people were leaving their comfort zone to come down to help Mexican families and wanted to feel like they were making a significant difference. I also learned more about how the Mexican pastors worked within our ministry. I felt I was prepared to handle these tough questions.

My new strategy was to pass the buck. When asked why we were building a home for a particular family, I responded by putting the responsibility on our pastors. If groups seemed unhappy because they felt the need was not desperate enough where they were working, I simply told them we didn't pick who got the homes. I informed them that it was the local pastors who identified needs, we simply came to help where they directed us. I also assured them that the pastors had a better understanding of the needs in the area than we could ever have and that they put us where we should be. Sometimes people responded well to this, but sometimes they didn't. When the visible evidence in front of them led to the conclusion that there might not be a strong need, assurance that the pastors knew what they were doing sometimes wasn't enough.

As the summer went on, I learned a lot through studying and observing the people I worked with and the communities I worked in. I began to see that it wasn't just the families we were building for that were being affected. Neighbors and passersby saw what we were doing and were intrigued by a bunch of funny looking and strangely acting gringos that were building homes by hand. Participants forged bonds with each other, the people for which we were building homes and Christ. Cultural barriers were broken down. It began to realize that the decision making process for what we did didn't start with our Mexican Pastors' board. The work we do is divinely inspired and has far reaching implications in the hearts, minds and souls of everyone we come in contact with. This really hit home for me when Howie, a long time field specialist and former monk who works for Amor, was in the field with me one day. While sharing with one of my groups, he mentioned the Nicene Creed, a creed I had recited many times while consistently attending Catholic Church over a year or two. The Nicene Creed starts with the following lines:

I believe in God the Father
Maker of heaven and earth
Of all that is seen and unseen

Although I had said these words a hundred times, I never fully considered the ramifications of the third line until Howie was sharing with us. This doesn't just refer to a spiritual realm that is around us. It refers to all the tangible things that happen that we can not see as a result of what we do. There is an unseen portion to all of our lives that is in reality much larger than the part we do get to witness As I type these words I wonder about the eyes that will see them and the minds that will consider them. Whether you build a house, write a blog, prepare taxes, brew coffee at Starbucks (Ryan Bros. is better) or simply hold a door for someone on the way into the post office, you are making an impact. When you think about all of the people you affect through subtle interactions and gestures, it is easy to know that the "seen" portion of your life is just a grain of sand in comparison to the beach that is the "unseen." Now my answer to why we build a house where we do has gotten simple. Because God wants it there and the affect it will have goes far beyond anything we can observe.

(Our lives are powerful, flowing rivers, with many streams and tributaries that branch out and cause growth and change in the environment around them.)

Whether or not you have professed the Nicene Creed or subscribe to Christian faith, the truth of the unseen in our lives is inescapable. We are presented with opportunities to influence the understanding, countenance and emotions of others nearly every waking moment. The responsibility of using these opportunities to affect positive change is staggering. Do you consider this truth in everything you do? I don't. I often allow my selfish goals and emotions to determine the way I live rather than considering the great unseen and the fact that the story of my life is infinitely larger than the narrative I observe. I want the testament of my life to be one that inspires love and hope despite my broken, human state. Living for others with this knowledge and responsibility is intimidating, but I know that the strength to do it does not come from me, it simply dwells in me.

Let it be known
There is a fountain
That was not made
By the hands of man.

Adelante!

-Clint

Dealing with Disappointment

Updated 9/13/2010 9:09 am PST: There were a couple ideas I forgot to put in yesterday, so I added them today!

Despite having an incredible job and great friends in my new home. I have had a good deal of disappointment to deal with lately. The transition here was tough in a lot of ways and recently, I have had a series of situations that have ranged from mildly annoying to heartbreaking. For the sake of not driving you and me into a deep depression, we will focus almost solely on this week. First off, I have been dealing with a chronic injury that began about three weeks ago. I suffered a pretty serious quadriceps pull while losing at indoor soccer. I had gotten into a pretty good routine of running and riding my bikes here and was feeling good about it and this pull laid me up for a solid week and half. Even since that time, I have gotten to start exercising again, but I have to be very careful and can never put in 100% effort for fear of further injury. Having my progress interrupted has been discouraging. Next, I had to say goodbye to the beautiful S/I 2.0. As if this wasn't bad enough, I had to witness this heartbreaker in the same day. Then, on my first run since my injury, I took off a little later than usual, and ended up running in the dark. Not a big deal until my apartment key fell out of my arm strap and I was unable to find it, thus leaving me locked out of my apartment with no phone to call for help. Finally, the week was wrapped up with and awful, ugly, poo smelling bow with this disaster. I thought I said I wasn't going to get us depressed. I need a prozac.

Given this clearly traumatic and heartbreaking week, the likes of which I'm sure most of you have never had to confront, I came up with some coping mechanisms to deal with disappointment. I can't guarantee that these will always help you in your situation, all I can guarantee is that these were the ideas I came up with in a matter of minutes when I determined that my post today would be rather irreverent. Seriously, though, give them a try. Who knows? They might work.

1. Pretend whatever happened that upset you, never really happened at all. I employed this strategy most successfully following a Virginia Tech game that didn't happen in 2007. We were not completely embarrassed in a season opening game against LSU. I was not distraught and at a loss for what to do for several weeks afterward. I have no recollection of any of these things happening therefore they did not happen. It was all fabricated. Any game footage you try to use to prove otherwise was clearly doctored.

2. Do Something really sweet to get your mind off things. Eating something really sweet helps, too. For example, following the Boise State loss, I went to a baseball game. Not that special. Until I saw Heath Bell's (The Padres' Closer) entrance. I was speechless. Actually, I had a lot to say, as I am rarely speechless. I understand if you've never been to a Padres game and don't understand the Heath Bell phenomenon. My strong advice is if you live in the San Diego area or visit, do not miss seeing Heath close for the Padres. Incredible. Next, we were treated to a postgame fireworks spectacular at Petco Park. There is nothing more spectacular and Amurrican than a fireworks spectacular. Except for maybe frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt with fresh strawberries and kiwi and dark chocolate chips. Which I ate after the fireworks. Spectacular. Potentially horrible night salvaged. Mission accomplished.

3. Visit the Flavins. So, Thursday night I was locked out of my apartment with no cell phone, nowhere to go and my roommate possibly not coming home that night. What did I do? Naturally, I imposed upon the hospitality of fairly new friends that think I'm kind of weird. You would think the same if I came to your door all sweaty in my running getup that always includes a bandana and flourescent green shoes. (Best. Running. Shoes. Ever.) I've worked with the Flavins at Amor and they are absolutely awesome people. I have been quoted in the office as saying I'm not sure which of them I have a bigger crush on. You might think this is strange. I maintain it is not, as you have no idea how cool the Flavins are. They let me hang out at their place for a couple of hours and even offered me a bed in the event that I wasn't able to get in touch with my roommate, Drew. The bad news for the Flavins: They just moved down the street from me a couple of weeks ago and I have already shown up at their door needing a favor. Good luck, Flavins, I'm sorry you found such a great apartment that was so close to me.

4. Both of our losses are out of conference, so we can still win the ACC and get a decent bowl game, right? Right‽

5. If the bummer you're dealing with involves a loss, replace whatever it is that you lost. This works well for two reasons. First, you now have that thing that you lost. That's really what replacing something is, look it up, it works out great. Second, the new thing that you get will be newer and shinier than that old thing you lost. I love new, shiny stuff. You'll probably forget all about that old thing. I think most people do. More on the specific application of this mechanism to my life in a later post.

6. Have a Tasty Beer. Hey, it is what it is. Please skip this step if you are under 21 and refer to the next step instead (The next step still applies to adults as well.)

7. Have some s'mores. I cannot put enough emphasis on the fact that if you eat just one, it is not a s'more. S'more stands for "some more." Don't worry about the calories, just crush as many of these things as you can until your stomach hurts. Remember, graham crackers are good for you, you're supposed to have chocolate daily, and marshmallows are made of nothing but clouds. Delicious, wonderful clouds that brown slightly when you put them over a flame. S'mores are the best over a campfire, but if you don't have a campfire you can still eat them. Cook them over a gas stove. If you don't have a gas stove, use a large lighter. It will be worth it. I could write a whole post on s'mores. Maybe I will.

8. When life gives you lemons, just trash the lemons and bail. Noone wanted fresh squeezed lemonade. Country Time is just fine. Your time is too valuable to be spent squeezing lemons. Go do something fun. Go for a bike ride.

9. Go for a bike ride. I understand that not everyone likes riding bikes, but you should. They're great. You can use them to get from point a to point b without using fossil fuels. They are super fun to just ride for recreation. There are many different types. Types for riding on the road, types for trails, I even heard they're working on some flying ones. It's true. Find one that works for you. Ride it. You will have fun. If you don't, it's because you did it wrong.

10. Complain incessantly to friends. Misery loves company. That's what friends are for. They surely won't grow tired of you and stop hanging out with you.

11. Do not, under any circumstances, listen to Glycerine by Bush. While beautifully performed and written, this song can send you to a dark, dark place in a hurry. For me, that place is often the rejection I felt as I was passed over by so many young ladies in middle school. It is like P12 Sandpaper for emotional wounds.


12. Grow a beard. Beards are awesome. They are great for so many things. They cover up your ugly mug. They catch food so that it can be enjoyed at a later date. When they get crazy long, they serve as a conversation piece. They also preoccupy you with constant thoughts of whether they have gotten to the point where they just need to be shaved or not. I love mine because I think I look like a Mexican pirate. Many ladies think that this step doesn't apply to them, but their are hormones that can take care of your inability to grow a beard, so you have no excuse. Beards and bikes are dragonsauce.

13. Be thankful for what you've got. Oooh, I'm getting serious on you with this one. After a long time of thinking the opposite, I'm learning that life is about what you have, not what you don't. I would wager that noone reading this blog will go without food or a roof over your head tonight. Chances are, you were born in the U.S. with a tremendous amount of opportunity to be provided for and provide for yourself. You did nothing to deserve this, you are blessed. I'm willing to bet you've got a couple of friends that will put up with you using #9. If you've got a little faith to top it all off, then you've got about all you need. Even if your alma mater is terrible at football this year. Give thanks.

Got anymore ideas for legitimate or hilarious coping mechanisms in the face of disaster? Give me a call or leave a comment below. I would learn them.

*Beard Update*

I have not cut my hair since I left Virginia. I have not shaved my goatee since mid June. I have not shaved the rest of my face in about three or four weeks. This is the result. I've gone native and we're going to see how long this lasts. This may or may not become a regular feature of the blog.

(I know.)

Adelante!

-Clint

R.I.P. SI 2.0

The many parts that made up Superfly Interrobang 2.0 were likely manufactured in Taiwan and various other Asian countries with a cheap labor force. Once these parts were inexpensively but painstakingly manufactured, it can be assumed that SI 2.0 was assembled by Trek somewhere in the U.S., possibly at their hub in Madison, WI. It was here that she began her life as a Gary Fisher Superfly. Unfortunately, her life had a rather unceremonious beginning. Following a 2008 model year in which Superflys flew off the shelves, there were some changes. For 2009, Trek (Owner of the Gary Fisher Brand) raised the price of the Superfly and increased production, hoping to both meet demand and increase profit margin. This resulted in the failure of many of these beautiful bikes to sell. This particular Superfly was among the ones that slipped through the cracks and remained in the warehouse unwanted and unpurchased. Soon, desperate to find homes for sad, lonely Superflys everywhere, Trek put the remaining stock on clearance. This was where this Superfly's fate began to change. Curtis Prosser, one of the owners and managers of Haymarket Bicycles, informed me of this clearance. Although another new bike was the last thing I needed, my heart went out to this unwanted, unloved Superfly (and I like new stuff). Given a price that was tough to refuse, I parted with my old race steed, the Joker, in order to afford the much sought after Superfly.

(The Joker was a beautiful, well loved race bike with every part chosen to my exact specification. Unfortunately, it was not carbon and did not have 29" wheels, so it was sold. I miss it.)

(This is a stock Gary Fisher Superfly. Not nearly as purple and visually arresting as the Joker, but it has larger 29" wheels as opposed to standard 26" mountain bike wheels. Also, it is light, made of carbon and dead sexy.)

The Superfly and I felt an instant connection. Her bigger wheels and lighter, stiffer frame helped her to roll over logs and large rocks better than any bike I had ever ridden, while maintaining quick acceleration and climbing ability. As time went on and our relationship grew, I knew it was time to give this stock Superfly a new name to make her feel loved and reflect the mystery of her unparalleled awesomeness. Thus, she was named Interrobang. Interrobang and I had many adventures and a healthy relationship. We traveled throughout Virginia and Pennsylvania together to find and tame any available singletrack. When it was time for me to head to California to work for Amor, SI pledged her unwavering support and accompanied me on the journey here. Because of SI's willingness to support this life change, we were able to spend some very valuable, wonderful time together. We explored the trails around Colorado Springs, Co, enjoying flowing trails and wonderful views of the city.

(Exploring the roads, trails and mountains around Colorado Springs.)

We also spent time together in Moab, perhaps the highlight of our relationship. We enjoyed the world famous slickrock trail together as part of a 2 day stay that included three tremendous rides.

(The world famous slickrock trail, a must for any mountain biker that can make the trip. Shrimp Rock, beautiful snow capped mountains and red slick rock can be seen in this photo.)

(SI was always a lover of nature, here she takes a break from a ride in Moab to observe a beautiful desert flower.)

Although we didn't get to ride, we also enjoyed the incredible views of Lake Tahoe together. This trip across the U.S. did not come without it's challenges, though. We did have to travel through Kansas, where SI was blown about on her rack with impunity. We also had to travel on the relentless highways of Nevada. Finally, as a result of a mistake I made during our travels, SI was grievously injured. This was perhaps the low point in our relationship. Because I had so much going on both time wise and financially during my first three months in California, SI sat damaged and unused. Despite this dark time, I was soon able to repair her with new wheels and an improved, pink crankset, therefore making her SI 2.0. After putting so much work and thought into restoring our relationship, SI 2.0 quickly forgave me for the months of neglect, displaying her characteristic grace. We quickly resumed our relationship where it had left off, exploring unknown areas and forming a closer more intimate bond. Together, we found new trails in the San Diego area, Mexico and even completed a 50 mile Sunday ride, despite my lack of conditioning. Sadly, this ride would be our last. After that beautiful adventure was finished, I noticed a small crack in the head tube of SI 2.0.

(Just below the G2 decal, you can see a hairline crack in SI 2.0's headtube. If made worse with wear, it could cause me grievous injury.)

There is a chance this crack could just be cosmetic, but given the risk that it could give way and cause a catostrophic crash, the bike had to be put down. This was a painful decision for me. SI 2.0 and I have grown so close in such a brief time. Despite our love for one another, her biggest responsibility is to support my weight while riding down rocky descents at high speeds. Given that she can no longer be counted on to fulfill this responsibility, I had to make the hard call. Yesterday, SI 2.0's frame was sent to that great singletrack in the sky. She is survived by Sram X-O componentry, fox fork, bontrager RXL wheelset, seatpost, handlebars and stem, Truvativ noir crankset, Selle Italia saddle, Avid juicy ultimate brakes and me. We all ask that she be remembered for her adventurous spirit, love of the outdoors, unwavering support and sweet teal color scheme. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to http://www.amor.org/. It is what she would have wanted.

SUPERFLY INTERROBANG 2.0

OCTOBER 2009 - SEPTEMBER 2010

SHE LIVED, SHE LOVED, SHE SHOWED ME THE BEAUTY OF 29ER'S. IN THANKS, I BROKE HER WITH WITH MY EXCESSIVE WEIGHT AND POOR BIKE HANDLING SKILLS. MAY SHE FIND SOMEONE BETTER IN THE GREAT BEYOND. REST IN PEACE, YOU SLEEK, BEAUTIFUL, CARBON, AMERICAN RACING MACHINE.