Pain is the doorway to reality

New Slippers

2011-11-03T13:57:00.002-05:00

All this recent snowfall had me cruising cyberspace in search of a deal on a pair of slippers for the coming season. Samio's baited me on some backcountry adventures so these ought to fit the bill a bit better than my full on alpine versions.

winter dreams

2011-10-21T13:50:00.002-05:00

maybe a decision point. need some votes on the following, not for me of course.

burton freebird

jones solution (to life with the masses i guess)

Cross Season

2011-10-19T21:02:00.007-05:00

Lots going on lately with the cross season, training not being one of them though.

New rig

USGP #2 in Fort Collins in true cross conditions although something over 40 degrees with rain coming down sideways isn't exactly my idea of spending a free day off work.

And given I caught a cold from previous said experience I got to sit on the sidelines last weekend and shout a Christine to go faster.

so what do you live for

2011-10-06T13:25:00.002-05:00

a lot of reflection these days regarding what i'm doing (or not) and why we're here in the first place fueled yesterday by the passing of a truly inspiring individual who's life clearly ended too early. RIP mr. steve jobs.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

cheqfa(n)tastic

2011-09-26T21:54:00.004-05:00

(photo credit Amy Dykema)

not entirely the result we hoped for given top notch trail conditions but a wet towel, cold water and a spot on the podium almost makes it worth the 30+ hours of windshield time required to get to/from the northern most reaches of wisconsin. been talkin' about it for a couple years now and said i was going to fish that dang namekagon river, which i did. the browns are every bit as fun there as they are in CO. as always though, catching up with the old crew is always a blast and a few good stories seem to come out of the woodwork undoubtedly aided by the sprecher, new glarus, bell's brewing and various other local favorites we can't get in our neck of the country anymore. now the schedule opens up for CX but don't count on my reappearance in madison in the dead of winter for any bike riding (re: CX nats). that's prime season on the planks folks.

it's about that time.....

2011-09-09T08:22:00.003-05:00

who's got a connection in revelstoke?

Attack of La Niña Trailer HD from MSP Films on Vimeo.

a weekend of labor

2011-09-06T09:17:00.000-05:00

Eck rolled into town on Thursday night and I knew we were in for a long couple days when we finally closed up shop that night near 1 AM. Friday riding at Buffalo Creek followed by a night on the town in Denver. Saturday took us up to Boulder area to check out some trails we'd never ridden (and we ended up at the wrong spot) and a trip down Pearl Street. Sunday's PV Cycle Derby was a blast, even if Eck did beat me due to a slight (I'd guess 2 miles) diversion from the course. And yesterday a trip up Mt. Falcon in the scorching heat had us craving margs at Morrison Inn followed by some refueling at Yardhouse before depositing the big guy off at DIA for the return trip. A great weekend with great weather and the only thing I didnt' get accomplished was any movement of that 10 ton of rock in my driveway.

crossin'

2011-08-30T14:07:00.002-05:00

hard to believe it's already time but we've still got some MTB'ing to address. the field is filling up though so no time to delay.

2011-08-29T10:06:00.001-05:00

It's been a couple weeks but finally got my Mt. Evans ride in for the season. Picture perfect day with The Donny Kay and his trusty sidekick. I've been lucky every year so far with conditions that didn't have me regretting the ride up. Now if they can just figure out how to fix the heaves in the road so I don't have to retighten all my bolts when I get back to the house. I'm noticing it in the legs now that I've recovered and with Cheq Fat looming, shortening of the rides with increased intensity so my eyes aren't bleeding at Rosie's Field is the name of the game.

2011-08-02T23:28:00.001-05:00

While Christine tended to family business out east, I took the opportune moment to schedule in a few days of what you think would R&R if you consider carrying a 50# pack up over 10,000 feet relaxing. I figured if I was sufferin', Rich was not any better off than I.

Destination - Buffalo Peaks wilderness down by Fairplay. Activities - hiking, drinking wine from a box and catching a whole shitload of fish.

We got a late start and ended up hiking till nearly 10 before we hit a spot worthwhile for pitching shelter. We woke in the AM to clear skies and conveniently placed beaver ponds holding the wonderful greenback cutthroat trout. As Rich made java, I must have landed 4 in 10 minutes while he watched from a distance in disbelief. It was going to be a good day. Unfortunately, we were so busy catching 'em, we never even took any photos until later in the day when we transitioned from Rich Creek to Rough and Tumbling creek where brookies were the norm. We weren't going to be planning any fish fry's with the size of these suckers, but they were holding up in nearly every inch of water and with the short season at this elevation, oftentimes grabbing the flies before they hit the water. Never seen anything like it and I'd do it again because we saw only a couple others fishing on the nearly 12 mile hike round trip.

Buffalo Peaks...check it out. Go counter clockwise from the Rich Creek trailhead. The cutties are all on the Rich Creek side and it's not a bad 3 mile or so hike in.

Cracked Up on the 4th

2011-07-13T08:18:00.003-05:00

First I have to thank Backcountry Brewery for providing suds to wash down the dirt post race. We spent a grand weekend in the High Country attempting to dodge the blistering heat that seemed to be plaguing us leading up to the weekend. I have to admit, thoughts of racing bikes at altitude didn't seem all that appealing with the lack of riding I've been doing lately. I'm thinking about installing cranks on my desk chair just so my legs remember what the movement actually feels like. We were pleasantly surprised by our results so thoughts give way to really training for the cross season and our beloved Chequamegon. This weekend presents the Breck Brew Fest so maybe some camping and rolling the tandem on the knobbies this time which is something we'v not done in the mountains yet although we've talked about it a million times.

passing time

2011-07-11T08:25:00.003-05:00

seems like time seems to spill over into eternity with hardly a post to be found. to be honest, work is consuming a lot of resources and the rest of the time devoted to the person that puts up with my ornery ass. there is light at the of the tunnel, but unfortunately the fact is i'm still in a tunnel and with that this feeling of entrapment.

however, i'm not here to piss and moan about the fact i'm employed - that's a good thing. sure, i wish i was getting paid by the hour but the paychecks are funding the new patio going in before the end of the month which ought to appease christine for at least a couple of weeks. i am posting today as i reflect on all the changes the past few years. changes that were both wanted and very much needed for us both. the move west was one i waffled on for some time but today marks the 3rd year for the passing of a great person - my dad. in the end, it was this event that had me/us seeking out something we needed, something we were missing. a dream of living somewhere we felt could be the last place we'd ever want to live. we are in that place and every day i do believe we're thankful for that decision and what it's brought us. i thank you, dad, for helping guide us in the right direction. you will always be missed.

Love hate relationships

2011-05-23T08:14:00.004-05:00

Saturday ride to Deckers from Ken Caryl. 86 miles and 9K of vertical. Fortunately it wasn't a blast furnace like it often times is. Being a bit 'behind' on the training doesn't help matters though. Love the group. Love the view. Love the ride. Hate the nearly 5 mile climb out of Deckers at about 6%. Worse yet it one of the closing pitches before the final descent which has to be over 15%. But you can't get shots like this in Wisco.

Having fought through Saturday, I contemplated a second day to Deckers on Sunday but this time chasing the elusive Rainbow. Rich suckered me in and we did our punishing 40 minute hike in and although we had some hookups, nothing in the nets. I question every time I go there leaving empty handed but the views are unapproachable. Even with the terrain devastated in '02 by the Hayman fire.

Holiday weekend coming up. Could be some time on the slopes. Maybe the Foothills Climbfest. Probably some time planning the back yard patio. Maybe some weekend camping and MTB time preping for the Firecracker 50. Any way you cut it, it'll be nice to have a 3-day break.

you've got mail

2011-05-20T07:53:00.002-05:00

So I've been without my trusty stoker for what seems like forever. Some travels back east and now down in Vegas, I'm back to meals of PB and J with a side of Fritos and an IPA. Livin' the dream I tell ya. In her absence, the mailbox has been stuffed with all sorts of fun stuff......CFTF confirmations when we thought we were out and now a preferred start position. Tickets to Kauai dropped to $500 so there's still a decision to be made. And just when the season is ending (A Basin got nearly a foot the past 3 days so it ain't over till the fat lady sings) the 2011-12 passes show up. And what does all this mean? Means I better get my work balance back in check - it's the reason you've not seen much since Whistler.

The Buena Vista Century ride looks hit or miss depending on weather. Leadville's pretty high and with moisture in the air, that means snow showers this time of year. We're bagging thoughts of even attempting it and instead, doing this. Beautiful ride and plenty of climbing (out of the gate pretty much, it's 10 miles at 4.7%). Come n' get it.

A ride mapped on 05/20/2011

Find more Cycling Routes / Bike Rides in Littleton, CO

whistle(r) while you work

2011-03-28T21:42:00.004-05:00

it was a lot to squeeze into a weekend, but the reward was dished out in full on the mountain with some steeps we don't get much of here in CO and good snow to boot.

http://gallery.me.com/scootsonmoots#100052&bgcolor=black&view=mosaic&sel=0

Green eggs and......

2011-03-17T13:19:00.003-05:00

If I'm not thinking about green beer, it's Whistler. Departure tomorrow eve. I hope the winds keep up and they keep 7th Heaven closed until about noon on Saturday. Intel anyone?

super bowl pregame

2011-02-14T13:40:00.002-06:00

every once in a while the torturous drive pays off. too bad the best run of the day required both hands on the wheel for fear of becoming a shish-ka-bob in the pines of blue sky. for those that missed the day, there will be more.

Vail 2.6.2011 from Scott Peterson on Vimeo.

sick day

2011-02-10T07:25:00.004-06:00

actually, it wasn't a sick day but it's what sick days are meant to be like. deceptive it was - flat light and more snow than the video reveals, making laps from first lift to last, my legs were cramping by the end of the day. i only hope i can do the same when i'm 200 years old like jean.

2011 Finson Showdown

2011-02-07T23:24:00.004-06:00

It's always fun when sibling rivalry hits the slopes. Sorry Eric, work has been nuts so it's taken a bit longer than planned to get this assembled.

staycation day 1

2010-12-24T06:14:00.002-06:00

Storm Watch

2010-12-21T08:48:00.003-06:00

As I count down the final hours in my role here downtown, thoughts of deep snow don't seem to leave my head. Tomorrow with the fellas should truly be a day to remember regardless of where we decide to park the car. I would do anything to be at Mammoth the next few days though, not that the lifts can actually run.

Then I get a week off between Christmas and New Year's to enjoy some time off, get some painting done in the house, complete some basement projects (ski tuning bench, waxing stand, etc.) before my new job starts the 4th. Keep your eyes on this channel for updates on my 'vacation'.

Pre Birthday Wishes Come Tru

2010-12-13T06:43:00.003-06:00

Not my birthday, but I'm glad Christine was dreaming for a day like we had Saturday. Video courtesy of a MacGyver mounting approach with the Go Pro on the end of a ski pole.

staycation

2010-12-08T07:59:00.000-06:00

i'm in serious need of one ASAP

turkey blowout and some jinglecross cross

2010-12-01T22:46:00.007-06:00

the post holiday blues are the worst. i complained about the drive back into the country's center to meet friends and family over the holiday but it's always worth it when you look back.

didn't get any pics with the family, probably because i was fending off the little heathen's most of the time. i, nor they, would have it any other way.

figured a stop in iowa city on the way back was the proper way to break up the drive. passed on the friday night racing opting instead for stein's of boulevard ale somewhere in coralville. sure to make for a good night's sleep before race day.

it was a chilly morning but the grounds were buzzing with anxious cyclists looking to burn off the calories surely consumed in the past days. we have meredith loving the hike to the top of mount krumpet.

you've got mike donning some sweet socks one-gearing it on the speedvagen. man, i need me one of those.

you've got yours truly trying to trying to bridge to mike in lap one only to stack it up on a descent putting me outside the tape and OB.

how about me successfully completing the catch on the last lap (helping me out by crashing in the same spot i did!) and just getting him before the line (that's fun racin' folks - me on the line and mike a short bit back).

mt. krumpet was rocking in a few ways for the elites:

food and fat tire served up at no cost!!

bills from butt cracks (really) for the elites was the talk of the afternoon though.

wait, that was until the patron came out in the parking lot. thanks for the housewarming gift eck!!

can't wait for 2011!

night moves

2010-11-17T22:45:00.004-06:00

with daylight clearly lacking when i finally punch out, it's a good thing bear creek is close by so i can keep up with my poor jingle cross training regimen. not sure what the biggest danger on the trail this time of year is - the frosty and slick trail conditions, the horse turds lurking around every turn or the coyotes in the middle of their happy hour meal.

so the usgp new belgium cup was last weekend and this shot says it all. rotten start with a back row position on a muddy, off camber course. not a great combination. throw in a rear wheel that lost almost all it's pressure in the first two laps coupled with neutral support that wasn't ready to do a swap for me and when it did happen, i could have changed the wheel on my car faster. it doesn't matter how much 'charging' you do, it's probably inevitable the fast guys in the 35+ are going to catch....which they did. not happy.

jeffer was in town though and put together some decent laps even though his stomach was in knots. before the next event, i recommend twizzlers vs a clif shot. he tried to make love to one of the course markers so if anyone is wondering why the blood on his lip, now you know. i think they plan to write each other over the winter season.

Powered by Fuel

2010-11-09T22:41:00.004-06:00

Cafe that is, on a bike of another variety. Looks like the days of dry, dusty courses may be gone for CO though folks, and it's time to get out the wool socks and knee warmers.

Zenyatta

2010-11-08T07:55:00.004-06:00

After running stairs at Red Rocks Saturday morning, followed by more intense than normal ride to Evergreen where I had my first cramp since I arrived in this fair state, one would wonder why I thought it was a good idea to do a cross race Sunday where I start at the back and attempt to scratch my way to the front. I cat'd down for this one just to be fair to myself but the new rubber was more than helpful and I ended up within arm's reach of the top 5 had I not cramped on the steep run-up on the second to last lap. Starting to feel like that horse who nearly won the Breeder's with a come from behind finish. Not sure I can duplicate results in the 35+ open this weekend but Curtes is telling me I have no choice.

Sun, Sand and Cold Beverages

2010-11-01T23:09:00.004-05:00

The first two I got early as I had my a$$ handed to me in the 35+ open at the Boulder Cross Classic. Starting at the back in this field is not the way to make a living so it's a good thing I've been logging 12+ hour days the past 3 weeks which in itself isn't really a great way to prep either. First lap I ate dirt as I bounced off the course and into the tape squarely putting me maybe 5 positions out of last place. The new hoops and rubber can't be ready soon enough. After that, I spent 45 minutes wondering how cold the suds were at the beer garden as I viewed Christine there doing some early sampling. Why is it that I'm doing this again?

CX cash flow

2010-10-29T22:38:00.003-05:00

Okay, I've been wishing lately that I was considered exempt on on the payroll because these 12-14+ hour days are starting to wear me down. I think I'm gonna need to remind them of this thing I called 'balance'. On top of that, I got's this fever for CX and with new gear rollin' in, I don't even have time to sniff a bit-o glue in the basement. Best I can do is push Christine off the side of the bed and slide in the new hoops. I'll admit, this post is entirely for Eck because I've failed to post the vid or pics from my first adventure with the barriers. Looking forward to Jingle in IA City. Who's in?

Mother Nature lashes out

2010-10-25T09:27:00.002-05:00

Good thing we blew out the sprinkler system yesterday. Looks like it's time to break out the p-tex & the swix iron to repair damage from last season.

MapMyRide - Fearsome Foursome in Boulder, CO

2010-10-08T11:51:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow 9 AM....who wants in?

MapMyRide - Fearsome Foursome in Boulder, CO

Chinese Water Torture

2010-09-24T14:34:00.004-05:00

If'n you thought I liked to splash in the water before.....

(randolph image from 2008)

look at me now. by the power of 2, we get waaay more discharge so those of you thinking you're safe riding the shoulder best look over yours before believing you've made it through safely.

(randolph photo 2010)

It's no DSQ

2010-09-21T13:36:00.003-05:00

In hindsight, I was so ticked that we'd lost a podium spot that all i cared about post race was our fridge full of beer. Our result is still respectable given our issues but that doesn't mean next year doesn't have vengance written all over it. Bring it on Curtes....you and your mouse (inside joke so don't ask).

11/17/2011

2010-09-20T18:42:00.005-05:00

Put it on the calendar as a re-do. Things were going extremely well running 2nd mixed, 3rd tandem overall with a decent gap on the chasers. But when this happens

and your stoker has to stand the last 8 miles.......well, it makes me wish we would have done a few sessions full on standing the Lookout Mountain Wednesday night climb. The final podium spot passed us in the last mile but the legs were crisp and so was my thirst.

For those that missed out or just can't get enough, roll with us to Rosie's.

2010-09-15T13:48:00.004-05:00

i spotted a photo of this guy earlier today and thought nobody could have a bigger smile.

not true. i just returned from the restroom after washing my hands of a healthy meal consisting of buffalo wings and chili cheese fritos having noticed a particularly large smile on myself. why? because in the coming days we'll get to spend some quality time with the old clan slinging beers and slammin' puddles at the ever enjoyable Chequamy. This will be year #2 on the death-trap-made-for-two with my recently (and yes, i consider anything in the past 10 years recent) acquired stoker. i keep hearing complaints about the view being obscured from the rear position so next year i've been shopping the Bay for next years' rig. here's a preview.

please notice though folks, she still ain't driving and that's a complaint i've heard lately. christine's gonna have to perfect her presidential wave to keep up with this gal though. i need curtes to check to see if schwalbe makes a knobby nic in 16".

let git 'er dun boys. picked that up on my last trip into georgia and can't seem to shake it. that and a craving for grits. maybe it's the iowaining in me just needing a little corn in some form.

endings, and beginnings

2010-09-13T11:15:00.001-05:00

this is for my riding pal dave w. it's been a long season of riding but don't fight the impulse. we're not. get out and buy some new gear!! zero races down for the season, one to go.

the season approaches

2010-09-10T16:52:00.001-05:00

Teton Pass

cheq fat proving grounds

2010-09-07T23:32:00.005-05:00

this road is familiar to some. those in the know take overly exuberant first timers to test their patience and REAL climbing skills. it ain't the 15% grade that makes it tough, it's the gravel on skinny road tires that makes it hurt.

we did manage to catch a couple nice shots along the river. busy weekend for those camping, floating, fishing and drinking massive oz's of brew no doubt.

got in a few beers and some bonding time with the local trout population myself. i think i had guppies bigger than this guy though.

backfill

2010-08-31T23:03:00.003-05:00

How'd you spend your Saturday?

2010-08-21T17:36:00.003-05:00

Sleeping off the hangover from Friday night
Doing much needed yardwork
Catching up on your laundry and grocery shopping
Sitting around all morning contemplating what you should do with your day
Spending quality time with your significant other punishing your legs on a nice cruise up to the Mt. Evan summit

Last year, I did this ride on my single and I have to admit, it's a lot easier than riding the tandem. It's only 27.4 miles, but topping out at an elevation of 14,130 feet accumulating 6,575 feet of tear producing vertical gain (it's actually 6,900 of true climbing), you better bring your 'A' game or be prepared to turn around early. Having looked earlier in the year at doing the Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb, I thought it'd be good see how our time would have faired against this years list of winners. As it turns out, it would have been close for top spot on the podium but we would have been 2 of 6 idiots (there were only two tandem entries) actually crazy enough to think it'd be fun had we actually done it. Maybe next year.

Looking much happier now than a mile ago. I guess lactic acid will do that to a gal.

You know your high when the white mountain goats and marmots appear.

It's hot in the neighborhood!!

2010-08-02T16:44:00.005-05:00

JEFFERSON COUNTY - Wind is pushing a fire south as it burns off of C-470 and Morrison Road. Southbound C-470 is closed at the Alameda exit while fire crews work.

West Metro Fire says they have five trucks on scene and five acres have now burned. The fire began just after 2 p.m.

Fire crews say the fire started on the shoulder of C-470 and began climbing up hill. No structures are being threatened but there is lots of smoke.

The fire is not contained and no evacuations have been ordered.

In addition southbound C-470 at the Alameda exit, there are several other road closures because of the fire: CO 8 Morrison Road, eastbound Soda Lakes Road to C-470 and the ramp from CO 8 to eastbound C-470.

Boundary waters

2010-07-28T22:36:00.005-05:00

Having hailed from the Midwest, one associates said subject with northern Minnesota but in this case I'm talking south.....very south, like Rio Grande south. I've been anxious about the day I actually went across the border into Mexico but I got in and out without incident on a business trip. I even got a great lunch out of it although the fedearlis outside had me a little freaked out.

Tequila Party

2010-07-21T08:21:00.003-05:00

I'm gonna have to throw the crew working on our place a big party because they're ragin' on the house. Taped, mudded and textured in a day. Sunday the cherry on the whole lower level went down and yesterday the railing finally went in along with the doors, trim and cabinets. Guess it's time to start packing.

Rocked

2010-07-15T10:13:00.003-05:00

It's amazing how much drywall these guys can hang in a day. Must have been a case of Corona's and a taco dinner on the line.

localized

2010-06-30T23:14:00.003-05:00

back in the old neighborhood, sort of. nice view of the concrete jungle that is woodfield mall near schaumburg. the busse wood preserve is somewhat of a gem for the area in much need of some open space.

BTC 2010

2010-06-29T08:12:00.005-05:00

Our first major bike tour is complete:

6 days riding
470 miles
I'm guessing around 19,000 feet of climbing
A whole lotta calories burned

Day 1 was a beast at 105 miles crossing Slumgullion Pass (5th highest paved in CO @ 11,361 feet)

But Day 1 didn't end there - we crossed Spring Creek Pass too @ 10,901

Day 2 started in Crede and ended here, in Alamosa. Morning shot of our accommodations with Shuttle Guy.

Our stay in Alamosa HAD to include a stop at the San Luis Valley Brewery. But notice how Sandy isn't giving the proper attention to the beer like everyone else.

Day 3 had us pushing across the border into New Mexico. Chama to be exact.

Day 4, easy stroll up the street to Pagosa Springs, and back into CO.

A day off had us taking advantage of some fine waters rolling off Wolf Creek Pass so why not do a little fishing. And a little unintentional swimming too when I slipped on the rocks not once, but twice.

Day 5 of riding took us up and over Wolf Creek Pass. I wish I had a picture of the guy wearing the KOM jersey we blew past as we were sipping our morning coffee still trying to get warmed up.

I think I spotted a few fishing holes on the east side of Wolf Creek Pass where the San Juan flows beautifully along the highway. Must have topped out over 60 MPH on this descent because some of the group reported speeds around 55 on singles.

Last and final day, a long one at 95 miles, took us back to Gunnison and over our final pass of the week. On this day, we spent a lot of time at the tip of the arrow as we wound down the canyon after the climb. I questioned if she really enjoyed putting people in the hurt locker, but today Christine did.

there goes the neighborhood

2010-06-18T23:06:00.003-05:00

a fine quote from mike curtes i might add. if they build it, we will come. and come we will. fast progress is being made on our recent purchase although i say purchase rather loosely since they really don't have much of our money....yet. moving north, but staying west. as it pieces together our expectations of a nice view of the foothills south of red rocks are coming to fruition. who's ready to schlep some furniture?

On the ropes

2010-05-16T20:56:00.003-05:00

We can't seem to win with the weather lately. Spring shows its face and then old man winter returns to remind us we're still in Colorado. We were planning on doing the Buena Vista century ride but waking up to this leaves little to guess about road conditions. I guess we should have expected it on Cottonwood Pass which isn't even open yet.

But a quick jaunt south towards Salida put is in some better conditions for a ride up to Poncha Pass with a spectacular view of the Sangre de Cristos.

Getting to the top is always the challenge

But then you have the trip down....

the big whiff

2010-05-10T08:14:00.003-05:00

plenty of pockets for the fish but they must've been on vacation because they were nowhere to be found. strange day on the south platte and it doesn't happen often. one of those days i wished i'd brought a 12'er to pass the time.

A Day @ the Park

2010-05-09T08:36:00.003-05:00

Estes Park that is and it was more like a roll-through with temps hovering around 40 and us on our bikes, there was no need to hang around. Unlike the lawn service crew. They looked fairly content mowing the yard.

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/co/lyons/361127341210877538"&amp;gt;Lyons/Lefthand/Estes/36/Lyons Loop&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/co/lyons"&amp;gt;Find more Bike Rides in Lyons, Colorado&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;
New job finally means that house purchase we've wanted to make happen. We looked and looked and looked and nothing seemed to fit what we were looking for until we stumbled upon a yet-to-be-built model exactly where we wanted to be. The next 5 months will be agonizing waiting for it to be completed.

can you smell it?

2010-05-06T13:40:00.002-05:00

I can. That's Rockies baseball going on and it's so close to the office I can nearly smell the dirt and spilled beer in the stands. No trip to France this week. Bummer, I was looking forward to some nice wine at dinner.

diversification

2010-04-20T13:51:00.002-05:00

did ya'll know i start a new role on monday? excited, but slightly intimidated to say the least. but still looking forward to it. and it's going to have me in some spots of the world i've never been. first trip 5/3.

10 mi

20 km

conceptualizing

2010-04-13T08:26:00.003-05:00

What would be sweeter than a Ti 29'er MTB?

who says winter is over?

2010-04-07T08:27:00.001-05:00

If only I could take a sick day.

VAIL SNOW REPORT

04/07/2010 at 05:30 AM


Last 24 hrs:	19 "
Last 48 hrs:	32 "
Last 7 days:	48 "

sick day?

2010-03-24T12:04:00.003-05:00

i can't figure out what's up with the weather these days. it was 70 degrees monday and then i wake up to this wednesday morning. sometimes i wish i was still unemployed so i could take advantage of days like this.

And no, that's not my shaggin' wagon. That belongs to the 75 year old neighbors downstairs.

POV

2010-03-23T23:29:00.004-05:00

Got a lot of work to do before I have credible video, but a good start was the Hero HD purchase. Now I just need the proper mounting gear and some help desk support on the pinkish video results in a couple cases. It's not the best, but then again the doctor wasn't recommending shooting video one handed through the trees with a fractured shoulder either so you get what you get. Don't worry, Mom, I trimmed out the part where I botched my line in the last scene and ultimately crashed a very small tree finding a final resting spot in a nice tree well. All is good.

A WISCO REUNION

2010-03-18T20:15:00.011-05:00

5 SKI RESORTS, 1 HOT SPRING AND A WHOLE LOTTA PBR'N.

1) BU-TAH - LIKE BUTTER, BUT WITH AN ACCENT, FOR SUPER SOFT SNOW THAT ISN'T YELLOW, BUT RIDES REALLY SMOOOOOTH.
2) BOMBER – A PRETTY GOOD RUN WHERE SAMIO FALLS LESS THAN 6 TIMES AND DOES NO CHEERLEADER STRETCHES.
3) SLAYED IT – A RUN WE TOTALLY DOMINATED AND LIKELY SENT ANYONE UNDER 12 OR OVER 50 RUNNING FOR COVER.
4) PO-PO – THE FUZZ, SMOKEY BEAR. SOMEONE YOU DON’T WANT FOLLOWING YOU OUT OF TOWN AFTER APRES.
5) YOU STINK – WHAT YOU SAY TO THE FUZZY FOREIGNER ON THE CHAIRLIFT WHEN HE THINKS HE OWNS THE RESORT.
6) TROUBLE – ANYONE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN WHEN YOU’RE RIDING THE LIFT AND THEY LOOK JUST ON THE VERGE OF A YARD SALE.
7) YARD SALE – A SOLID CRASH RESULTING IN SCATTERED GEAR WHICH PRETTY MUCH HALTS ALL TRAFFIC ON THE RUN.
8) FEATURE – A TERM TAKEN FROM JOE CURTES. REFERS TO ANY MANMADE OR NATURAL TERRAIN FEATURE USED TO DEFY GRAVITY AND COULD RESULT IN A YARD SALE (SEE PREVIOUS).

EDIT....

IZZONE - A FANATICAL MICHIGAN STATE FAN WHO THOUGHT TOM IZZO WAS THE BEST COACH ON THE PLANET, THAT BO RYAN SUCKED AND PLAYED BORING HOOPS, WINTER PARK WAS THE #2 SKI RESORT IN THE WORLD (PROBABLY JUST BEHIND NUBS KNOB) AND THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO RUN INTO AN ARTICULATE, EDUCATED AND WELL SPOKEN BROWN COLORED MAN IN THE MOUNTAINS. I THINK HE NEEDED TO STOP DRINKING MAD DOG 20/20. ANY TOOL WE CAME ACROSS GOING FORWARD WAS, THEREFOR, THE IZZONE.

VIDEOS COMING

gun show

2010-02-25T23:05:00.006-06:00

Looks like I won't be selling any tickets for a couple weeks. At least that's what the doc says. Apparently when I was stormin' the bumps at Breck on run number 2 last weekend, my spill resulted in some unneeded consequences, including:

One partially torn bicep

One fractured greater tuberosity

But it wouldn't keep me away from Vail the following day.

taste the sky

2010-02-16T21:36:00.006-06:00

celebrating my 40th i had a chance to regroup with a local who took me on my first 14'er. conversation about busy work schedules, the cycling season and the crap snow conditions eventually rolled into my recent expenditure at bent gate (fat skis), ultimately leading to another trip to the gate to prepare (avi beacon, shovel, probe) for a trip to mt. elbert.

i guess we go this way?

unknown to me, and probably most of you, it's the highest peak in the continental 48 at 14,433 feet. i didn't realize the goal for the 'team' was to summit the peak but the trip up is over 9 miles based on my recollection and somewhere near 13,000 feet we ran into rock fields so the skinned boards were of little use. my hip flexor was killing me after hauling heavy alpine boots, plus my skis and a 20# pack for hours and knowing i was going to have to come back through the rocks on the way down from the summit, i realized i was there for the skiing, not the rock climbing.

mike making his way up, fully loaded.

a rare moment above treeline when the wind wasn't blowing

aaahhhh...just what we were looking for. even if it took us to the most awful grove of aspen on the planet.

mike and i searched out some pow fields letting brian realize his summit goal by himself (yes, folks, it was safe...there was no snow for there to be an avalanche danger). the backcountry stuff is tough work and next trip i'm hoping to find more skiable terrain than we found at mt. elbert but the day was worth the effort and it didn't zap me enough to keep me from sucking up some freshies off the E Chair at Breck on Sunday. We weren't alone in the bumps it appears.

filling in they said? that's promo for ya. we were diggin' rocks by lunchtime.

139-108-127

2010-02-01T07:33:00.002-06:00

Like a piranha to blood in the water, it was only a matter time before I locked in my target and initiated the purchase. Best of all, I walked out with significantly less damage to the wallet with a pair demo'd a couple times. Not often you can pick up one of the hottest ski's of the year at shop cost. Now we need to snow to stop being so wank.

stuffin' the toybox

2010-01-29T21:32:00.002-06:00

for those not in the know, it's muh-low-low and it sucks down fresh pow like rosanne arnold does jelly doughnuts. i figure taking care of christine first opens the door for me to acquire some goods of my own. time to go shopping!

follow-up

2010-01-28T23:49:00.003-06:00

okay, we were hoping for a huge dump in steamboat but i'd like to win the lottery too so alas, 8+" is fine by me. i'll take westall and a prayer any day.

prayer

2010-01-28T07:35:00.003-06:00

I guess it's all we needed on a weekend escape to Steamboat. Sure, it wasn't the 50 inches Silverton got but it felt like heaven anyway.

Buzzkills, a rollover and a trip through the Whiteroom

2010-01-14T22:40:00.007-06:00

Buzzkills...

Things have been quiet because I've become the unfortunate recipient of something I've been complaining about not having - a job. Well, I think that was a mistake. It's so much easier being on vacation. Fortunately, before I entered the land of controlled mayhem, we got a chance to catch up with a pal as he was local for the Dew Tour which coincided with a small birthday celebration. It's always good to see familiar faces.

Rollovers...

Complaining about yet another thing, the lack of snow (although I don't know why I should care since I'm logging 60 hour weeks right now), sent us in search of something better than we'd been receiving at our Epic Pass resorts since the season started. We rolled into New Years Day we headed to Monarch headache free knowing it had to be better. Low on the traffic flow meant slow lifts were easy to deal with. Small place but big enough to find semi-fresh most of the day. We even did a little hiking to some seriously windblown lines. I've determined I really need some AT boots after that hike which amounted to a measly 10 minutes. I guess I'm getting old.

With a couple days to burn, we pointed the Quattro Yugo north on the 2nd enroute to the Beav knowing Kor man was in town along with JC. Once again, more familiar faces in different places. Phone battery dying, I had a hard time catching up with Kor since he dates the bionic woman and she wouldn't wait for us to take a pee break. Next time Kor, next time. We did the link up with JC and his cupcake and cruised a vacant resort whilst the snow accumulated to a nice 2 day total of maybe 10 inches? Either way, we bought into a nice offer to stick around the night to gobble up endless portions of sushi and wine followed by a prayer for more snow overnight. Oh yeah, you gotta visit the Ritz @ Bachelor Gulch, trip the waiter into spilling two glasses of wine all over so that you can get all your drinks comp'd and a free credit to the ski shop to buy replacements for your soaked gear. Actually, the waiter tripped on his own, but we took the free stuff anyway.

Enter the whiteroom...sort of. I'm learning quite rapidly that I'm at a huge deficit raging treed pow runs on my current planks meant for on-piste terrain. I make it work, but holding a short term major medical plan leaves a lot to be desired running in close proximity to the aspen and fir JC likes to haul us through. That J-O-B might not be so bad after all because I've got some new wood on the radar. Fat? It doesn't get much more. A day in the back bowls of Vail with, yet again, thin crowds and a few trips under the ropes lead us to the secret stuff we'd been looking for. Jojo get cred for the nice hero cam photos. Vid coming soon, I hope.

This weekend.....a 2day affair in Vail again. Christine's bro is in town with the fiance so we can't wait to show 'em around and see how their winter training has been going. I wonder if they've ever gone super aprés?

missing the boat

2009-12-17T22:33:00.004-06:00

did you make it? wish i could have made the trip down to the san juan range last week. that's one ticket line i would have enjoyed standing in.

i am specialized

2009-11-19T16:12:00.003-06:00

a not-yet-mentioned mechanical mishap put my trusty carbon road missile out of commission with a tweaked front der. mount some 8+ weeks ago. my good friends at ben's cycle worked out something with the warranty rep who sent me to a local shop i'd wanted to visit anyway - WRC - with hopes of fixing it in house. it ended up, however, in the mail to SLC for proper investigation. turns out, engineering found a crack in the BB shell so a new frame was coming back in return. i thought i was dreamin' since it wasn't going to cost a dime. today i picked it up and found out it got even better - new fork, headset and seatpost too. looks like i have some spare equip. or ebay material. still don't know how the BB got cracked. maybe this?

motivation

2009-11-18T20:12:00.003-06:00

i must be getting old. it's not even that cold out and we've got the bikes locked down in the tripod death machines. i think it would be more pleasant stepping into a random bear trap. nonetheless, i drag myself to the guest cave and with my motivational picture, manage my 30 minutes once, maybe twice a week.

cycles

2009-11-16T11:55:00.001-06:00

closed for now, but not for long.

fighting the system

2009-11-12T19:38:00.003-06:00

required:
1 tandem
1 light system
2 riders

it isn't over till we say it's over. i think drivers give us more room in the dark than they do during daylight anyway.

i also found out monday that fishing is still good here in mid november. the 'bows are bitin' big below the dillon reservoir.

famous sayings

2009-11-10T15:30:00.007-06:00

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

Most people believe this saying developed to protect the innocent (or not so innocent) after bachelor(ette) parties had on the Strip turned into random acts of stupidness and things better left unsaid. I don't think that's where it truly came from though. I think Vegas itself, not the tourists, coined the term to mean this:
What happens (gambling, eating, drinking) in Vegas, stays (your money, more money, and even more money) in Vegas.

Only the lucky come away even and luck probably doesn't come around that much. I guess I should feel lucky having come away with all my cash nearly intact, even after all the eating, drinking and Blackjack that was had in 3 days.

Some attractions from the trip:

At least Christine didn't have to tuck the buck in his pants.

I think the French messed up. Christine's arms are noticeably longer.

After coming back Saturday from a day cruising the Strip and drinking beers, we caught this happy couple who'd just shown up. We said we were doing a promo for the resort where we gave away casino vouchers for the best candid smooch shots. Suckers. Actually, these two are the reason we were there - it's Christine's brother (who turned 40) and G.F.

just about go time

2009-11-06T17:19:00.001-06:00

fingers crossed for 'winning' a couple more months of vacation.

hippies rejoice

2009-11-04T08:02:00.005-06:00

you now have a place you can go legally. not sure if it'll make it any safer on the mountain, but i bet it will help snack sales at the mid-mountain lodge. and, in the process, i think i found my calling: a tie-dye shop ought to go over well in town now.

privileges of the employed

2009-10-29T16:38:00.004-05:00

last winter, i had a lovely garage in trevortown to park in at night and underground parking at the office. this year, i'm finding out early that having one garage means those with a paycheck get preferred parking. when i get my job selling cell phones at the mall kiosk, i wonder if we'll resort to a coin toss or rochambeau in order to determine who gets the garage.

the heat is on

2009-10-28T12:54:00.002-05:00

or not. time already for some wax and a file.

Future Thoughts.

2009-10-19T21:21:00.001-05:00

Registration looms on the horizon. Is it worth it?

so i've been told

2009-10-15T12:29:00.008-05:00

my lack of posting is creating some worry out in the work force. apparently, folks are actually having to do some real work in the office due to the lack of content here. well, i shall delay you no further. here's 8 minutes of winter pleasure. grab a cup of coffee, hang the do-not-disturb sign on your door and put your feet up. yes, dave w., that mean's you.

when the clip is over, don't forget to take your two hour lunch.

seriously?

2009-10-07T09:44:00.002-05:00

I know it's always a race and, sure, there's been some snow flyin' around. But they might be stretching it just a bit.

These guys on the other hand.....not.

And because it's a good day for movies, here's another. See it here next week.

post cheq fat blues, taste testing and the goingbackberry

2009-10-02T18:00:00.004-05:00

Seems as though motivation for the bike these days has gone to zero. Fortunately I have a friend that won't let me sit still and drags me to the horrific group adventures, the purpose they serve I'm not quite sure of yet. Like this little trip last weekend. Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Golden Gate Canyon

I guess the one benefit is we got a taste (via a view) of what's been happening in the high country lately. Winter is just around the corner and they're blowing snow already. It can't get here soon enough.

I guess I did get to partake in some super-size margs at the Morrison Inn as a reward for 'toughing it out'. I'll probably put up a fuss in the morning tomorrow knowing if I cry hard enough I'll get more of 'em.

I managed to fish with Rich up at Cheesman Resevoir a couple Friday's ago but failed to take a camera. We had a double hookup on some monster rainbows but I was easily outwitted by mine and a couple large boulders. Rich got some shots but he didn't know digital cameras existed so we'll get those shots in 2 years after he finally burns up a 24 shot roll of film. Pretty sad, I know, but we're talking about a guy that doesn't even own a computer. How's a single guy in the city supposed to stalk chic's on the sly without access to the interweb?

In an effort to determine if a drive to Boulder was worth a bi-monthly paycheck, I made a cruise this week in that direction during the commute hours. It was everything I expected and said I wasn't going to have after doing the same for 10+ years. I did manage to find time to drive up to Big Thompson Canyon where I caught brownie after brownie. Sorry, no pics of those either.

My conclusion after making the drive and reviewing the offer was.....I need to stick with my plan. Does that mean I'll post more useless garbage here? Not likely.

On a positive note, I've managed to NOT lose my recently replaced phone. Too bad it's a nuisance. How can I vacation properly when I get random emails all day long and have this device beeping at me? I've opted for a more reasonable device that won't cost $300 to replace should I drop it in the water again. I've now tagged the current device the GoingBackBerry because Verizon is getting it back. Once my other phone arrives.

the end?

2009-09-25T09:39:00.003-05:00

temps are dropping and the snow is falling in the high country. summer is soon to be over and eventually my vacation will be too. it's a great time of year to see some rainbows, just a different variety from his.

s. platte at waterton canyon. red humpy with a caddis dropper. man the fish were mean today.

elevated

2009-09-21T18:02:00.004-05:00

photo courtesy of brett morgan

2nd mixed tandem
3rd tandem overall
202 overall placing
2 minutes off our estimated finish time

is everyone just getting faster? we've got a way to go in order to reach top 100.

proof

2009-09-03T22:49:00.006-05:00

i think rich believes i can't land a fish...that i'm too easy on them and won't set the hook. bu!!shit i say. i got a lot of money wrapped up in this hobby and last time i checked, i'm not making much these days to not be bringing home some dinner. christine is going to make me ebay all this stuff unless i start producing.

floating the 'rado

2009-09-02T13:04:00.007-05:00

it's prime time below gore canyon on the lower colorado river, so why not take another day off for some fly fishing. a 9 hour tour from state bridge to catamont covering 14 miles of mostly private land so the only way to access is via boat. stream flows were low but that didn't keep me from putting rich's boat into a stone pylon from an old crossing. i'd hate to see what things were like with the water flows a bit higher. i didn't realize fiberglass was that tough.

i'm looking pro here, but i don't think i hit the bridge yet so the frazzled state hasn't set in.

i think we noted this as the largest water wheel in colorado. somewhere near...heck if i know.

not sure if he had a fish or a snag. he did a nice job setting the hook on his bites but we had a helluva time landing fish in the boat. i must have missed 100 fish with poor hook setting technique. or just not paying attention. the water looked like this most of the time.

we did hit periodic riffles, but this was nothing.

rest period

2009-08-30T21:07:00.005-05:00

with fat tire not too far away, we're trying to scale back the hard miles in favor of more moderated intensity. so, this weekend we blew thru a nice loop out of lyons, past carter lake, up around estes and back. it was nice having only 4K of vertical to deal with vs the 6K+ on the normal routes.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/co/lyons/798125164224696604"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Lyons / Carter Lake / Big T Canyon / Estes Park&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/co/lyons"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Bike Rides in Lyons, Colorado&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

here's christine enjoying the views up big thompson canyon. i think i spotted a couple nice fishing holes.

when it was all over, oskar blues was the place to be. ten fidy, please. 10.5% ABV. BAM!

if ya burned gas to drive to lyons, what trip would be complete without a stop in boulder. sushi and buck 'n a quarter kirin's@ yaki maki. look 'em up on walnut st.

signs, the neighbors and filling up the toy box

2009-08-26T16:51:00.004-05:00

Paradise to the left. Paradise to the right. And no way out. Is this for real?

Sometimes they eat the corn out of the garden, but at least they turn down their country music by 9 PM.

What Colorado toy box would be complete without a locally produced fly rod? You know it's gotta be good with a name like Scott. Next on the acquisition list is a reel, flies and some wading gear.

thin air and tired legs

2009-08-23T09:55:00.003-05:00

I said I wanted to squeeze it in sometime before summer was gone and it turned out to be a great day for climbing. Even ran into some old faces unexpectedly @ the Echo Lake lodge. Now I've got another Cheq Fat training partner in one Mr. Donny Kay. Sweet.

THE race across the sky

2009-08-17T20:54:00.007-05:00

Tent....check
Fire wood....check
Dale's Pale Ale....check
Cold, rainy weather....check
Up front and center....check

Lance on Powerline on the return trip. The crazy Italian with the hat thought it was Alp 'd Huez.

Where'd the crowd go? Must've been tired from chasing Lance up the climb.

The Hirsch duo contemplating spending another $500 next year to invariably end up coughing up lungs. At least they were enjoying the Heiniken's I walked 4 miles to get.

2009 Leadville 100 from Scott Peterson on Vimeo.

There's nothing like video. Don't be fooled by the pitch, it's nearly 11% for 2.7 miles with 80 miles already under your belt. Where do we sign up?

go fish

2009-08-17T10:59:00.005-05:00

that's what she told me to do, and so i did. first experiment with a fly rod. i was fortunate enough to have access to rich's spare rod and enough flies in reserve to lose a few in the pines. it's not what's in front of you that will clean your leader of your favorite bait, but what's behind you surely will. the fish were finicky and i didn't manage to catch anything on the fly setup, unless you count some pine cones.

rich snagged this brownie pretty early on.

then we spotted a ton of eating going on by this large outcropping and he finally pulled out a nice rainbow.

i was getting stiffed, and ticked and thirsty so moved downstream to try some luck with my panther martin spinners and got a rainbow of my own.

man, office life is tough. when we got back to the lot (about a 30 minute hike) we found some commotion in the works. apparently a flatbed hauling sheet rock smoked the corner (it's about a 2 mile drop at 8%) and went up in a ball of dust and flames. flew the guy out but we never heard the chop of any rotors. i'm glad he didn't decided to test the traction on his rig by riding it out around the corner a bit more because 50 yards further and he would have been parked in my passenger seat. life on the slopes is always an adventure.

Hall Ranch, Dubuque'ers and the Cubs

2009-08-10T15:37:00.004-05:00

What do they all share in common? Pain. First, contrary to someone's either misguided recollection of the terrain or just a plain sick sense of fun, Hall Ranch is NOT tandem friendly. It was the weapon we brought and we decided to make the best of it. It wasn't a fair fight:

Crank Bros pedals - 0
Granite boulders - 1

Before we took off on our little journey of pain, I shook my head in disbelief for the attire these two yams donned. They're plain painful to look at, dontch think?

I think the conversation between these guys went something like this:

Jon: Hey, do I know you?
Mark: Dude, cool shirt.
Jon: I'm leaner than you.
Mark: You have more back hair than an ape.
Jon: Maybe so, but I have ties wider than you.
Mark: You can't even tie your shoes, let alone a real tie.
Jon: Are we riding today or just burning up good oxygen jabberin'?
Mark: blah...blah....blah...
Jon: blah...blah...blah...
Mark: I'm driving loser.
Jon: Sweet, I love drafting and eatin' donut holes.

And off we went into the sunset led by Jeb, a former Midwesterner that Jon managed to scare off from Indy to the fine state of CO.

Post ride recovery was had at the West End. Boulder, Pearl St. I can't afford to live there but I sure like to visit. Spent a little time here, and here, before getting paged by the Jacobucci clan who were taking in the Cubs/Rockies game. We loaded up the Yugo and blasted down to Jackson's for some post-game cheer. And cheer we did. This morning I realized that being non-employed wasn't such a bad thing. Pain is only two Advil away from disappearing.

This week's agenda: probably a little riding, maybe a stab at some fly fishing and then it's off to Leadville Friday for an event of epic proportion. Next year there might be another tandem entry.

What's better than going up?

2009-08-03T22:36:00.003-05:00

Coming down. Under the power of 2. Copper Triangle 2009 - Copper Mtn > Leadville > Vail > Copper Mtn.

Grab yourself a latte, or a bloody.....this one's kinda long.

2009 Copper Triangle from Scott Peterson on Vimeo.

Top speed - 55.1
Flat tires - 0
Riders passed - too many to count
Saddle time - 4:55

Poll of the Day

2009-07-24T11:05:00.005-05:00

Which is more bitter:

(A)(B)

(C)

I just can't seem to figure the guy out. How do you live life doubting everything? What happened to innocent until proven guilty? And speaking of dopers, look at those eyes. It looks like his crack buzz hadn't quite worn off yet.

Double Dip

2009-07-22T11:59:00.004-05:00

It was a MTB weekend. First, Eagle. Kinda like Fruita without the rock formations but all the heat. It was early, and it was still damn hot. Too hot for sticking around much past 2.

We had camping plans in Leadville anyway, and some $1 PBR taps to drink in town during happy hour. And yes, we decided that no booze talk for the next 60 days was about as stupid as Contador's attack on stage 17 where he dropped his own teammate (Kloden) there to help him and possibly take the stage win.

Then it was over to Breckenridge for some real singletrack at altitude. At least here we didn't feel like we were lost. Can't say that about Eagle.

And does this surprise anybody? I think the TDF has it's own wall of shame coming, it's only a matter of time.

Boulder and the Finson Challenge

2009-07-12T16:19:00.003-05:00

Met up with the RMCC group in Lyons for dispatch to Ward via Left Hand Canyon...a source of contention these days for motorists and cyclists alike.

Seems like it exists every where, even in bike one of the bike mecca's of the U.S. of A. The ride was incident free but rich in great views.

We opted for the short route so cut it off around 50 having plans to relax in the sun on Pearl St instead.

It was there where we indulged in some sushi, Avery Pale's and various street stunts. As the meter was running dry, we started discussing CFTF and weight. Not sure how we got on it, but we easily came to a conclusion that we drink too many beers during the regular course of business. In in hapless instance of misguided thinking that the Finson Challenge was born. We're 60 days from the event and we thought it appropriate to take this last 60 days to clean the system of alcohol in hopes it'll improve our well being and hopefully our result. I did point out that some of my better races on occurred after a night of vodka and cranberry, but alas, there was no bending the plan. We did, however, leave room in our summer agenda to indulge a little with some already pending obligations. I have a pretty sincere stick-to-it attitude, but I'll only go so far.

old face in town

2009-07-01T23:21:00.003-05:00

hey folks, i never said it'd be easy to look at. check out the hand. he thinks he's in cali but he only got half way there.

Triple Play

2009-06-23T16:53:00.003-05:00

The jobless routine has taken hold and goes with it is routine posting. Doesn't mean stuff ain't happening. Chillaxin is tough. Here's how you go about it though.

First, you take in some vibes at Red Rocks and follow it up with some knobbie trail time on the Colorado Trail. Cross paths with an angry sheep and search for a pot of gold on the way home.

Then you take some necessary time to meet new friends out east. And ruin the intestines with salt water fare us middle-of-the-country folk don't sample often.

And since the season is just getting rolling, why not venture down to the Royal Gorge to take in some whitewater. Rad. Cold.....but rad. Stop in Salida on the long way home to take in some ST and find ourselves in the middle of a race without having to pay $30. No, Christine isn't looking for a contact. Close it up at Amica's and some kayak stunts on the riverfront.

discovered

2009-06-18T13:04:00.003-05:00

CFTF training regimen revealed. I knew we should have attached the disguising body work on the tandem. It's apparent I can't trust those deer any more.

photo courtesy of Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

knockout punch

2009-05-31T15:07:00.004-05:00

i sat contemplating if it was a good idea to ride yesterday given the flu symptoms that had been building since wednesday. christine took off to meet the group and i lay depressed on the couch wondering how it was that i became betrayed by the health gods. i know how some of the group rides go, so figured i could ride an easy pace and not stress the system too much. i peeled my under-nourished and tired limbs off the sofa, filled bottles and took off in pursuit. with hardly 15 minutes head start, it didn't take long to catch the tail of the dog, only to find out those folks were doing the short route. i plug on. we'd not done this route before so i hoped that we'd be riding some flats. with a whole lot of descending off the top of pleasant view, i knew it was going to be an unnecessarily long day. and an understatement at that. the biggest climbing day we've done yet and myself being at maybe 60%. i thought the cold would run away scared, but it still lingers.

at times, it felt like a death march.

i'm sporting the race radio. i think beck was shouting in my ear when i took this shot. and i managed to miss some of the best scenery from any of the rides yet.

i could have handled the s.platte river basin all day. even if the road was dirt. at least it was flat.

we finally got to deckers and i promptly started looking for a cab service. at least they had a store where we purchased all we could with the measly $5 christine brought. and, outside the store was a feeder and these lil guys didn't seem too worried about all the traffic in and out of the front door.

today i'm taking a day off. next weekend we've got a show @ red rocks to attend and i gotta squash this bug before then.

bonus sleep hours

2009-05-29T23:00:00.003-05:00

not to mention, home made blueberry pancakes at the townhouse.

on the edge

2009-05-18T22:32:00.019-05:00

one wrong step could bring it all to an end. my first 14'er was a success and i came away with a heightened sense of what i've been missing for years. what i seem to be lacking is any real soreness from the hike which is a good thing. what i need now is some AT gear so i can ski down rather than walk.

sorry mom

2009-05-13T10:10:00.001-05:00

christine made me go.

the path less traveled

2009-05-08T08:44:00.004-05:00

(photo courtesy of 14ers.com)

a little more risk taking while i still have insurance. the last time i tried a 14'er i nearly puked my a$$ off (about 5 years ago). it had nothing to do with a night clouded by billards and seagram 7. it's a class 3 route so i hope my man brian knows what the hell he's doing (i know this isn't his first).