Friday, December 25, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Peppermint Loop
Headed down south to ride the terrain around San Ysidro, which if tied together makes for an awesome adventure. We started at the White Mesa, hit the SY Truck Trail and dropped into Red Mesa following the path of moto trials riders. After looping in the Red Mesa we went back and rode the White Mesa again.
Someone placed signs at White Mesa. We rode that loop in multiple directions and climbing Dragons Back is every bit as fun as descending it.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lunar Rover
So I had a mid morning meeting down south and was done by noon and that meant I had a great opportunity to head out for some exercise before the drive back home. I left the bike and packed the running shoes and finally ran the loop out here, finishing on Dragons Back. It was awesome, those trails were made for running.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Madshus
Many years ago Jeni and I used to spend a pretty penny to enjoy a winter wonderland. Now it comes to us free of charge. With Raiders Ridge on one side of the neighborhood and Hillcrest Golf Course on the other, free entertainment is just literally right out the front door.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Blue Sky Mine
Blue skies returned! In fact after riding on the trails in town for 6.5 hours, I can say that at the very end of the day - technically it was dusk - the clouds had cleared completely. Nice.
But before dusk, you could see that the mountains got snow from the storms first wave.
Roll Tide

Saturday was a good day.
My alma mater whooped some gator butt, which is great!!! and albeit late. I worked with a more than a few UF graduates when at the big Watermelon. Now it's onto the big steers from UT.
And with a "big" storm on it's way it meant ride, ride, ride. 30-miles of singletrack right out my door called me.
Roll Tide Roll
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Drug store supplies
Animas is where it's at. The only weird part of it is whether you wanna get wet or not. I spinned slow so I actually had to stop a few times to keep the heart rate down.
Staycation. It's the new vacation.....
Friday, November 27, 2009
Rocks Off
I hear you talking when I'm on the street,
To a dancer friend of mine.
I can't seem to stay in step,
'Cause she come ev'ry time that she pirouettes over me.
I only get my rocks off while I'm sleeping.
Plug in, flush out and fire the fuckin' feed.
Heading for the overload,
Splattered on the dirty road,
Kick me like you've kicked before,
I can't even feel the pain no more.
I only get my rocks off while I'm sleeping.
Feel so hypnotized, can't describe the scene.
Its all mesmerized all that inside me.
The sunshine bores the daylights out of me.
Chasing shadows moonlight mystery.
Headed for the overload,
Splattered on the dirty road,
Kick me like you've kicked before,
I can't even feel the pain no more.
But I only get my rocks off while I'm dreaming (only get them off, get them off),
I only get my rocks off while I'm sleeping (only get them off, get them off).
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Beantown
The day started at o-dark thirty with a trip over to Utah to do some work in Blanding. The plan was to ride up in these mountains when work was over.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Utah - I actually looked closer at my atlas and found something called the Dolores River Trail near Dove Creek. 26-miles long one way for an out-and-back up a classic river the kayakers know well. I decided that would be better to scout, since it might just lead to bigger and better adventures as the maps show jeep roads abound in this area.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Mix it up
The weather here has ben most excellent and it's going to continue to be cloudless through the holiday. I skipped the mountain bike over the weekend, but plan to hit it up starting Wednesday. We hit up a nice pre-turkey date party Sunday night and received beta that the Colorado Trail up to High Point is riding fine via Dry Fork, with the descent down past Gudy's squishy in some parts, but ready for transportation nonetheless. Wahoo..... I'm looking for some big time dirt miles this weekend.
Muscles were damaged in the last year and it's time to build them up. Ride, lift, run.....thats going to be a theme for short while. Oh, don't forget the beer in there too - gotta support the local economy.
Friday, November 20, 2009
County Road 5
Ok, so it's a picture from last fall...this time there is more white and less yellow, but I did not bring a camera.
No music in the ears on the day, and a near death experience from a unrepentant UPS driver - who also decided to stop the truck and chastise me for the sin of dirt road running..... she somehow thought I had no right to run there.... I thanked her for her contribution to humanity.
All I can think of is Wille the Pimp.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Run like an antelope
Well perhaps more like roll like a cantaloupe. I've been getting some running lately and have been enjoying it. When I travel it is much easier to hit up an epic trail run than it is for a biking one primarily because of time.
So with some work down in Taos and then Red River, I settled on the Lobo Peak Trail near Questa.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Festival 8
Ok, so had better planning been involved in my life, Festival 8 would have been witnessed. But 3 days of Phish is kinda hard to swing in mid career, but the download isn't. 3 Days of Phish playing all their best tunes, and then a hellacious attempt at playing the Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street from cover to cover.
So I downloaded all THREE days of Festival 8 and decided a huge ride was in store to listen to some of it. Yeah, thats right - you can't ride long enough to wear out a Phish download.
Trust me - download this and be amazed. There is on like Donkey Kong and there is on like the Crimson Tide. Phish was on, I mean seriously on.
But what made this even better was I caught on with a big Peloton and listened to the concerts.
I figured I'd ride with some heavy hitters and listen to my new tunes. What a way a day can play.
I followed Susie Greenberg's wheel, and little Susie with her head caved in showed a lot. She's got a strong pull, but climbing up that steep Hesperus Hill I found that Susie's about as clean as a slot machine. Pays off once in a while, but she will rob you clean.
We moved toward Mancos and it was cold, cold, cold, cold, cold! I mean it was like I stepped into a Freezer! I fell back and was riding with Uncle Ebenezer!
But Mancos brought on special treats!
I had heard of the place, but never had seen the face.
Apple Ginger Bar. By the grace of Rutherford The Brave and the holy 44x16, I arrived.
But this Peloton was wickedly fast. I caught the wheel of Runaway Jim as best I could, but then came the hard charging Mike and he taught us his song. We turned toward Breen, and it was time to listen to the Stones, I mean I never heard Tumbling Dice play that well. The Black Crowes, while not exactly a band I listen to, did show us a great cover a few years ago, but damn Phish just rocked this one in an extended version played out in American musical roots that the Stones only pretended to play.
Agriculture was abundant, but Wilson kept yaking in the group ride and, well I almost felt like punching him in the eye. The dude kept trying to control the Peloton! But out of the corner of my eye, I got distracted! I saw an Ocelot out prancing in the field!
He pranced about like he could hide in the herd and float with the flock.
By then it was back to town and I decided to head north to Dalton Ranch. Kids were playing soccer in the golf course and it was just beautiful, too scenic to even contemplate a picture. When one sees a photographic moment like this, one doesn't even think of grabbing a camera.
As we rolled back toward town, it was apparent that we were fighting the Squirming Coil of Sunlight. I caught Satan's wheel, but he was too busy catching a Ray and he soon slipped out of sight. But nothing to fear, I caught a man with a Torn and Frayed jacket that was so epic, I think Keith Richards shed a tear. Damn that tune brought me back into town and I thought it might be best to roll down 3rd Street and back up Guglein.
Wouldn't you know it, but David Bowie wanted to pull me up the hill! I rocked the extended Bowie riff up to the Hostel and by then it was time to listen to the Ghost. At 95-miles and almost home, his answer gave actions, but he never spoke a word. It was 100 we went for and got.
Just like we had been instructed from the Ocelot.
I mean it was like living in a Loving Cup. Just one drink and I fell down drunk. As I said goodbye to Mick and the Stones, we both nodded to the Phish, who gave us this 100.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Low
If you ride early, you gotta get low to avoid the chill. Fortunately La Plata County has tons of this stuff, with little traffic to be found. Road season is close to beginning.









