The Mongolia Chronicles

Fat Lady Sings

We brought it home in style today. The Kingsbury's and The Nathan's - Luke and Q representing. We closed the Rock. Philisophically and physically it was tough to miss the 8" (or 14" they were calling on the back) to go up and be 657th chair at 130, and dominate putt putt mountain with the dudes. But it was just, and it was right. We pulled into the lot and a neighbor handed me a brat and a beer, and we shredded, like there was no tomorrow. Because, there isn't. If you haven't figured that out yet, get on it. Long live Eldora. With all it's quirks and bias against passionate locals. Long live the rock. Can't wait ti start season # 24 (yes, 24) next November. Can't. Wait.

'Spring' training

Some 3,700 feet of climbing today. In the wind and the bluster and the winter weather. Ouch. I am 'investing' in my legs. Putting miles in - so later - I can get miles out. There is no flat up here. It's up, or down. Kinda like life that way. Worked extensively on 'project Pimp My Shed' and it is coming along. Doubling the deck size and making better, sunnier places to work on bikes. That - is the crux. Looks like a week of winter weather. To the Yoga studio - I will go. Recover. Prepare. Center. Chill. Follow nature's advice.

Pre-storm BUTTER

Oh the trails were SO lovely this am. Hard to believe we are about to get 300 feet of snow. It was so lovely to rip smooth singletrack, rather than ride and carry through corn snow drifts, shins a bleeding. This was my commute this morning. And if NOTHING else goes right today - I will still grin like a madman all the way to bed. 

A Tough Day on the Bike

Oh, Wahhhh. There are snowdrifts by the dozen, Corn like and impassable. There are short stretches of dry tail portending the coming rippage. There is snow in the forecast for the next 10 days - as it should be. The trails - are not yet - ready. As it should be. Time to spin the legs, stretch and put in some base for when the woods are actually open. Did sign in - that was key. Carried that torch - rather literally.

Chasing Trails

Don't really know if it's the aesthetic of some of these vistas, or the fact that basically we are dealing in ride-able art. There has always been something for me in the lines, and the paths that go through and to things. I have no idea what we were seeking on our trip, or if we found it or not. What we did was put rubber down on many, many places we had never seen or 'felt' before. And there does seem to be some nobility in that.

Serious. Dirt. Binge.

We committed to nearly 2,000 miles of driving. We rode almost entirely NEW trails. We sweated. We got lost. We got 'hurt' - nothing too serious. We have so much dirt in all of our crevices and carnnay's and derailers that we can barely move. Was it awesome - yes. Exhausting - certainly. Humbling in that it's being away from 'everyday life' (and most would argue that our 'everyday' life is quite a ways from the norm) so we were way out tehre...left of center exploring the American West. Lots more detail, but the crux is.....get out. Get out anywhere. For an hour. A day. A year. It will enrich your life and offer perpsective. Invaluable perspective.

Wake up and Chubb

Quinn is so stoked to go shred desert rock that he literally slept in his full face last nite. The Lawd above told us to slide on boards today instead of trying to get the hole shot up I-70. Good choice. Sounds like road conditions are aweful. So, slide we did. Threw the Chubb for the first time this year. Creepy, but fun and exhilerating. Hilarious to see patrollers lost in the deep woods of Eldora. More snow on the way. Looks like a quick slide in the am and then on to desert glory. -10 with overa  foot to mid-70's and rippy 1x. Transition baby.

I lost 20 pounds!

Pretty wild to ride a SWEET full suspension bike on DIRT and go fast and BE WARM. My snowbeast weights almost 40 pounds. My Giant weighs just over 20. Shwing! No pushing. No snow. Speed rally bliss careening into Boulder and getting my daily 1500 feet of climbing in. Oh, and the 4500 feet of descent. I may track descent miles this year, as I think it would be telling. Amazing out. Heading into a few days of snow and then we are off into the ether for almost 10 days to find cool singeltrack, hot tubs and hot springs for Q and some down time as a family. Whatta gift.

By the time we get to Sedona

Really not great riding. Gotta say. Pushing more than riding. Large, oatmeal like drifts that are un-navigable. Doesn't matter rhow much you love to ride. You ain't riding.But, you can ride what you can - and that's what you get. Love it - or leave it. Just fucking ride it. Then smile - and be glad you are this side of the dirt bed.

Spring Things

Multiple Moose sighting this am. Quinn and I are working on our doubles routine and he is absolutely shredding the ramp. Solid pumps and great lines. 10 days until the Moab/Sedona binge on trails and skateparks. Formal training for Spring has begun!