Sunday, February 21, 2010

TEN YEARS...


It's been 10 years since I walked out of Wal-Mart with my yellow, 24 inch wheeled, full suspesion NEXT bike. It was February 22, 2000. I loaded it into my pick-up, strapped it down like a motorcycle, immediately removed the cheesy stickers and then re-applied some Fox Racing stickers. I was no dummy, I knew it was't a "real" bike, but I was determined to make it look like one. It was warm that day. I drove home to the farm, put on some old jeans and rode up the driveway toward the cattle pasture. The gravel road was a gradual climb and within a mile I was cooked. Over the next 3 months I rode that bike. It skipped gears on its own, it bobbed like a pogo stick and it was sized for a 12 year old boy, but I rode it. The first event that cemented my obsession was a little stretch of singletrack through the woods that I had built for my motorcycle. The exit of the trail dropped really steeply down a bank out onto a road. It was gnarly then and still is to this day. So I rolled that move on my little NEXT bike. I was stoked! It was so much fun!


(I'm noticing some similarity to this bike and my new one...red bits everywhere!)

In May of 2000 I bought my first REAL mountain bike. A Giant Warp, with disc brakes and full suspension. By then I had lost 40lbs, and I could ride to the cattle pasture in the middle ring, bust down to the old spring on rocky cow track, cross the creek and then head back up the "unclimbable hill" to the house. The world seemed so much bigger, so brand new.

A little yellow NEXT started a journey that hasn't remotely begun to end. From New York, to Canada, to Moab, to my meeting my amazing wife, to New Zealand, to Colorado. Through bikes I've got more friends than I can keep up with.


(Catskill Mountains, New York)

(Sticky Forest, Wanaka, New Zealand.)


(Moke Lake, New Zealand)

(The raddest chick to ever ride a bike, Coronett Peak, New Zealand)

It's ironic that such a stupid name for a bike so amazingly captures the way I feel every day. Becuase of bikes I am always looking forward to whats NEXT!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

MOAB TWO!



We went camping, despite what the sign said. Our little night excursion took us to a little known arch hidden among the domes of rock near Amasa Back. "Cable Arch" as its known was a little bit elusive.



I hadn't been to Cable Arch in years. Luckily my brother in law, Andy, decided to go with us. He found the arch in the dark, in the snow, without a headlamp.





The sleeping was cold, but bearable. Keith brought his stove for some hot chocolate and then we fell asleep watching the flat screen...playing was the most amazing show ever seen, a show that plays every night, yet one never tire's of this "re-run" STAR SHOW!





We awoke in the morning to the sun painting the world around us pink. We hiked out and found that we were a little confused as to how we had gotten where we were. Thanks again to Andy for knowing his way around the maze of slick rock. Growing up in Moab has many advantages.




Of course a trip to Moab isn't complete without some sweet bike riding. Amasa Back was all ours and in pretty good condition considering the still massive amounts of snow.





After the ride we got the news that Mary's new bike will soon be shipping. That made my girls day, which since it was her birthday was even sweeter. We'll be prayin that her hands are ready for it by the time the snow melts.

ON YER BIKE!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Two New Travel Destinations......

SKI CISCO!-----Come ski the snow covered adobe wonderland in eastern Utah. Be the first to build your condo complex, and retail outlet at this undiscovered destination. HURRY-- Lots are selling fast!


MOUNTAINBIKE VAIL!!-----Hey all you Grand Valley mountain bikers, are you tired of your trails being covered in snow? Make a pilgrimage to the spring riding destination of Vail. Our trails are dry and buff, not like those annoying desert trails down below. Escape March 6-7to the "Vail Fat Tire Festival" All the fun you can handle, shredding through the aspen groves and carving the loamy mountain dirt. For trail conditions check out www.mountainbikevailthisspring.com


I'm in Denver----On the way over the mountains I noticed something strange. Very little SNOW! It seems that all of it fell on Moab and Grand Junction before it could reach the high country. So I thought of some new promotions....

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Foggy Morn...



Greg, dogs, and I took off this morning into the inversion fog. About mid-way up Petekus we broke into clear sunshine and looked down on the valley below, still shrouded in cold.



We were out early, but still were being chased back to the truck by softening trails. Not that it seems to matter, as anywhere there has been snow free trail, hikers have turned it to a wallowy, muddy mess.



Ranting aside, it was a beautiful morning to be out. The mini dogs and the medium dog all agree!



We found Mr. Curiak out packing down everyone else's ruts with his massive snow tires.



Hey Folks! (mostly customers) Get out early and stop complaining about there being "no good riding."