Grand Canyon X-Mas

We STILL cannot imagine why our family has not visited us! We certainly do not think Michigan is all that great this time of the year. Arizona has much to offer and plenty to do. I guess our friends will be the only ones to reap the rewards. Too bad our family will only see it in pictures....

National Trail

more loose goose

Gooseberry Mesa

Vegas and the death of my soul

Bikes are pretty much the only thing that would bring me to Vegas.

Other than the two wheeled wonder, Vegas has little to offer me. I just am not to into

wading around in shit, and celebrating excess. ( unless it has to do with bikes...excess that is, not shit.)

I am going to go ahead and just state something here.

Four years ago Slingshot had dirty bikes in their booth.

I know because they were my responsibility to get them there.

This year I saw a few. I heard exclamations of genius.

Really?

Well in that case, the only cool as hell dirty bike was Salsa's. (not pictured)

Why?

A friend of mine designed and rode it along the continental divide.

Sorry, but that is badass and takes the cake.

Vegas.

A vacant waste of humanity.

A black hole where so many dreams come to die and wither.

That is if you are fortunate.

Whilst having drinks with Scott and Danielle I was witness to the life suck.

These coin operated devils would literally suck life from souls right in front of us.

I would have tried to stop it but I was enjoying a margarita.

Speaking to real live human beings about our real lives.

Who would have thought that alcohol could save?

Vegas is an abomination.

I have never ever found reason for its existence.

The fact that an inanimate object which brings so much joy to so many people all over the globe

binds us yearly to this place makes me wonder if all hope is not lost.

In no uncertain terms the bike is the antithesis of the hell of Vegas.

And yet, like the apple in the garden, it draws us yearly to the abyss.

Eff Vegas.

The end....

That's it the end.

I have officially retired from living in yellow hotel rooms,

doing coin operated laundry,

living in a chevy,

and most importantly...

I have retired from having an iChat only relationship with my wife.

I am not going to come off like it was all bad.

I had a good job. I was able to ride singletrack all over this country.

I met some super cool people.

I also was able to have midget join me for a few bucklist trips.

One of the trips involved the greatest place on earth.

Colorado.

I have often dreamed about moving there. I love it.

It has great riding, uncanny views, and much to do and or see.

I like the front range and the western slop and everything in the middle.

It just suits me and the midget agrees with it as well.

I am desperately seeking work there. Opportunity is around, it just needs to land.

Our trip seemed to coincide with the spring thaw in the upper elevation.

This was awesome and quickly turned out trip into the " waterfall tour".

We set out to Pagosa Hot Springs for a surprise lifestyles of the rich and famous weekend.

It was rad just sitting in the Springs over looking the San Juan river in all its deathly beauty.

The runoff was ripping and we literally watched the banks swell and envelope the lower portions of the resort.

After a tooooo long time apart she came back out and saw me again. We drove.

A lot.

We left Salt Lake City and drove to Portland.

And then we drove some more.

To the great Redwoods.

It was surreal.

I am going to just finish this up with stellar scenery.

Enjoy.

I have no idea the future direction of this blog. Hell I am not sure people even

know its out there.

Perhaps I will get into food again and do that.

seven springs pa

A ride on the legendary Mackenzie River Trail

Gone Riding

My wife hates the Earth?!?!?!?

Homage to the Banana Slug

work

Yup this is work alright!

End of the Colorado experience for a bit

Funny how living on the road for the past year or so has really exposed me to a ton of new things. My favorite is Colorado and the riding that is so abundant in this state.

I say this having barely scratched the surface of the tasty single track that runs amuck, the exception being BOULDER ( home of IMBA ).

Irony?????

Colorado is not all about the off road experience. When I have to work, I sneak in a few mile son the road. By far and away you can really see life on a road bike...or maybe its the near death experience while suffering from oxygen deprivation.

In Leadville I enjoyed the vast expanse of the sky surrounded by

expansive mountain ranges.

Salida was all about a quick blast of single track before work. Exceptionally well built single track.

The above shot fails the Colorado title. However, with all the flowers blooming on top of Hazard -- I felt it qualified. Hazard down to UPS to LPS in Moab is the best ride on the planet ( that I have experienced. )

Above video was our ride up to Maroon Bells.

Simply a place to behold!

GR meets CO; a ride with Jill

I travelled up to FT. Collins to ride and see and old teammate and co-worker, Jill N.

I had never ridden in the FT. and was really looking forward to it.

Jill did not disappoint.

But I failed.

I forgot to bring her a demo bike. DUH.

We started our ride in a rainstorm.

Not really the way I planned but I was told we had a 45 minute road climb.

UH, What?

Maybe 45 Minutes for Jill but I was weak sauce!

My WTB seat caused some painful issues that you only know about if you have had them!

It was awesome after we hit single track.

The trail was already pretty dry and it was nice to know we were not alone

in enjoying the day.

Jill shredding some insane single track!

Fat guy on a road bike

Went up a big hill. Felt like a donkey.

Having travelled around the country now for quite a bit, I realized some things.

Everywhere is like everywhere else except,

some places have more crappy people.

I like the fact that I left Michigan, again.

I had a seriously cool crew of people I hung out with.

All of them great people,

I just felt it was a crappy place for me.

I wanted to be free from the oppressive midwest "it's a great place to raise a family".

Really???

Why?

Maybe for you.

I have become quite saddened by people's general lack of

compassion and tolerance.

Gays cannot marry.

What difference does it make to you?

You have to believe this religion or I will kill you.

^ I will never comprehend that^

I also am not really comprehending hotel type coffee.

Or the slamming of hotel doors as you come and go.

Why? Do you slam your doors at home?

I went and saw a movie last night.

I was the first person in the theater, so I chose my best seat.

Three mouth breathers come in and sit right behind me, in an otherwise vacant theater.

So I was miffed.

I realized my intolerance and stifled it.

I was going to learn from my wife and just relax.

After 15 kicks to the back of my chair from a grown person, I was not

going to just stifle it.

I turned and gave the WTF A HOLE look.

Kicking stopped.

For ten whole minutes.

In the past I would have said something.

Something that included not nice words.

I did not.

I gave the you ass hole look,

and moved seats.

I could go on about the person being black, jewish, mexican or heaven forbid

just plain white.

But really what does that accomplish?

The guy was just a douche bag.

Simple as that.

Funny thing about the story is that I let it go.

the angry buddhist

let it go.

You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Thanks wife.

And with that I am learning to become tolerant.

I urge you to become more tolerant.

Unless your driving, because I need to figure that one out still ;)

traveling along with Midget