Spring?

It's late February and the snow is mostly gone. I'm in a weird place as I'm not sure I really had my fill of winter yet, but at the same time I'm not sure there is enough base out in the mountains to make more snow a worth while thing. Of course I also have to realize that I have very little say in the matter, other than how I react to any future storms.

Normally I get very excited for spring snow. It means great back country trips, good spring bumps, a few powder days, plenty of sun and snow. It's a good time. But right now I'm starting to think that riding in the woods could be very fun, but that requires a bit more melting and drying. So the mess with this whole thing is that the trails will not be clear anytime soon, and any snow we get won't do a whole lot for the BC skiing. Hmmmmm.

Of course I also just tore my back up again so I'm not skiing or riding at this moment, so maybe this is my chance to put in a few quality weeks in the gym getting my core into some semblance of shape.

Who knows.

In other news the Big Mama will arrive into the quiver at some point in the coming weeks/months. For that I am excited. I am looking at either selling the El Mariachi as a SS or converting into a Fargo wannabe. The challenge with that is that I have hydraulic disc brakes on the bike and would like to run a drop bar, like the Woodchipper, but not sure if I want to set up a cable actuated brake or run the hydro levers up on the flats- hmmmm.

If I did this I would do it because I could, not because I need this bike- but it could be a fun rig to have. The other option is to sell it. So if anyone is looking for a fully rigid 29er SS let me know and I can get you the details and we can talk price.

The other bike that may find a new home is my Surly Cross-check. Currently set up as a flip flop wheel so it can run either as a fixie or a SS. I love this bike, but I don't ride it very often and that makes me feel bad as it (and the El Mariachi) seem happiest when they are out on the trails or dirt roads. If anyone is looking for a 58cm steel cross frame that can be built up into any configuration you can think of let me know, if I know it'll get ridden I'm sure I could find a reasonable price to let it go at.

One other bike in the quiver that needs a new home is my wife's road bike. A Trek WSD 1.2 road bike. Since I built her a cross bike she really has no need for a regular road bike considering how often she rides. Meaning another bike that may need to find a new home.

That's about it in my world. Now get out and ride.

DEA

Getting out for a ride with Chris

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Snuck out for a ride this afternoon with Chris and we hit up some of the local snowmobile trails. It was great to get out and made me realize I've been missing the boat this winter when I get out on the cross bike- the snowmobile trails are the place to be!

We ended up riding about 1/3 of the TWAFHGGPT route, and Chris finished much stronger than his last time out on some of these trails. We both hit the deck a couple times trying to make it across glaze ice, but no damage was done. The 29'er with Rampages was the tool- the only other bike I would have wanted would have been a pugsley. We even took a short spin out on the lake, just to say we did.


When we got back we did a quick wash down of the bikes and then I noticed that a package was on the front steps, it was my SRAM order. Sweet! The funny part was I couldn't remember what I had ordered- but then it dawned on me- a bunch of stems to keep working on fit, chains and cassettes and a new crank for K's cross bike.


In the end- a great day, started with a skin up and ski down over at Shawnee Peak where I ran into another skier I know on his first trip skinning up. A good day at work followed by a great "lunch" ride. Hmmmm how to cap the day off....

ride on,

DEA

Utah trip

The NorthEast has been suffering through a very tough stretch of no new snow. We had a nice base but a few weeks ago we had a terrible day of warmer temps combined with 3 inches of rain. It decimated the snow cover to the point where it is looking more like April then February. To add insult to injury we have to watch the news and see places like Virginia getting storm after storm. They don't want the snow nor do they even have the capability to deal with the 3+ feet they have gotten and the next dump they are supposed to get later this week.

We want it and can't get it. (sounds like we have an issue)

With the snow drought I have made an escape from the iceball that is Hew Hampshire and head to Park City Utah for the week. So far we have skied/snowboarded three days.

The first day we spent at Solitude which is located about 13 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. We had gotten about 8" of fresh the night before so the riding was spectacular.




The next day we went to The Canyons. Only an inch of new snow but there was still some untracked pow in the trees, so that's where we went.





Yesterday we made the trek over to Snowbasin, the host of the alpine speed events for the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is an amazing place with really impressive views as well as top notch skiing. We were blessed with a bluebird day and skied from opening til close. Nothing like top to bottom skiing on 3,000 vert.




Today is an off-day for some recovery. Tomorrow we'll be back on the snow. Hope we get some fresh.

JJ

It Takes A Lot of Clothing

I wanted to get out for a ride yesterday. No big deal. The temps weren't crazy cold- upper teens lower 20's, but the wind was pretty strong. I didn't feel like being cold so I bundled up. It was a good ride, out for 75 minutes with a good chunk of climbing.

When I got back I started to strip down and as I did I started laughing. Take a look at this pic and you'll understand why. All this for one ride!