RR: Fresh Tracks



R

Ride-A-Lot

Guest
[Inline version at: http://tinyurl.com/85qkq]


I woke up to this:

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3170.jpg

Looks like a snow ride today, but that's fine because Wharton State
Forest was the ride anyway. It was only about an inch but just enough
to make things fun, so I packed the car, loaded the bike, and had the
roads all to myself. Good! I didn't have to deal with the idiots who
don't know how to drive in snow. Once at the parking area (which is
actually the first picture), I was soon met by Hoss, Kurt, and Steve.
Wow, I thought others would love to do a snow ride. Oh well.

We head off down the dirt road to the singletrack and so far, so good.
Things are not quite frozen over as I would have hoped, but the snow is
keeping the sand down, somewhat. However, I look down at the drive
train and the snow is already caked up pretty good. I should have
brought the single speed, but my legs needed a litle rest.

We hit the singletrack and lay down fresh tracks.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3171.jpg

Hoss bails out a little early, but we head on.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3173.jpg

It's a little tougher than one might think. The snow is wet, so the
resistance on the wheels is giving us a good workout.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3174.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3177.jpg

We ride the new trail to the purple trail. The purple trail is a good
one, and it will be even better once it gets a little more use. Then
it's onto the Red Hat trail. This is actually a trail that goes up and
down Mount Devious (all 40ft of it). It's actually not too bad although
it is still a little sandy because the freeze has not set it. My camera
battery dies at this point (don't by generic batteries - stick with
canon brand) and so I can' show you the "Red Hat". Our little way of
turning this into our own American Standard (no comparison - AS is the
bomb). Then it's down in between the tight pines, which is a great
feature to add some challenge to a non-technical trail. We finish off
with a long boring rail ride back to the car. At this point things are
melting, I am wet, and I can't feel my toes.

Another fun day!

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws
 
MattB wrote:
> Ride-A-Lot wrote:
> > [Inline version at: http://tinyurl.com/85qkq]
> >
> >
> > I woke up to this:
> >
> > http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3170.jpg
> >
> > Looks like a snow ride today

>
> Cool.
> Me too. But it's too deep for the bike right now.
> We got a couple of feet in town and 45" at Monarch. It's been snowing
> since Tuesday.
> MrsB:
> <http://mattb.net/images/galleries/2005-12-03%20(Winter's%20back)/DSC02221.JPG>



I was just saying to a friend last night that I'm going to miss xc
skiing on the Grand Mesa. Then again, the ride I went on today blew
away any xc skiing.

JD
 
JD wrote:
> MattB wrote:
>
>>Ride-A-Lot wrote:
>>
>>>[Inline version at: http://tinyurl.com/85qkq]
>>>
>>>
>>>I woke up to this:
>>>
>>>http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3170.jpg
>>>
>>>Looks like a snow ride today

>>
>>Cool.
>>Me too. But it's too deep for the bike right now.
>>We got a couple of feet in town and 45" at Monarch. It's been snowing
>>since Tuesday.
>>MrsB:
>><http://mattb.net/images/galleries/2005-12-03%20(Winter's%20back)/DSC02221.JPG>

>
>
>
> I was just saying to a friend last night that I'm going to miss xc
> skiing on the Grand Mesa. Then again, the ride I went on today blew
> away any xc skiing.
>
> JD
>


I could trade XC for mountain biking, but I'm not so sure about telemark
(or Alpine before I switched). It's such a euphoric feeling to be
bouncing down the mountain in deep powder. Nothing can quite match it
(although some other activities do come pretty close).

Remember, I moved to Co to ski and discovered mountain biking as a way
to pass the time between ski seasons. Of course it's grown into a
passion almost matching my feelings for skiing, but I think it will
always be a close second.

Matt (shameless powder ****)
 
MattB wrote:

>
> I could trade XC for mountain biking, but I'm not so sure about telemark
> (or Alpine before I switched). It's such a euphoric feeling to be
> bouncing down the mountain in deep powder. Nothing can quite match it
> (although some other activities do come pretty close).
>
> Remember, I moved to Co to ski and discovered mountain biking as a way
> to pass the time between ski seasons. Of course it's grown into a
> passion almost matching my feelings for skiing, but I think it will
> always be a close second.
>
> Matt (shameless powder ****)


Been ****tin' around at Monarch or CB this weekend (probably a dumb
question)? It tears me up. Sometimes I'm dying to go and then my knee
twinges and I think about the first five days post surgery (think pain).
My orthopod says no skiing till February, so I still have time to
think about it. :-(

Shawn
 
Shawn wrote:
> MattB wrote:
>
>>
>> I could trade XC for mountain biking, but I'm not so sure about
>> telemark (or Alpine before I switched). It's such a euphoric feeling
>> to be bouncing down the mountain in deep powder. Nothing can quite
>> match it (although some other activities do come pretty close).
>>
>> Remember, I moved to Co to ski and discovered mountain biking as a way
>> to pass the time between ski seasons. Of course it's grown into a
>> passion almost matching my feelings for skiing, but I think it will
>> always be a close second.
>>
>> Matt (shameless powder ****)

>
>
> Been ****tin' around at Monarch or CB this weekend (probably a dumb
> question)? It tears me up. Sometimes I'm dying to go and then my knee
> twinges and I think about the first five days post surgery (think pain).
> My orthopod says no skiing till February, so I still have time to think
> about it. :-(
>
> Shawn


I skied the last three days. Snow all last week (Tuesday onward).
Friday was 6" new and pretty nice. Got some nice fresh track in some of
my favorite stashes, but could feel the stumps and rocks not far below.
Saturday we got a sitter and MrsB and I went together. 16" new and
snowing like a mofo all day. We were the third and fourth people down
Gunbarrel for full-on freshies. So good we did it twice more - the hike
helped keep us warm. Then I went back yesterday for another 10" fresh
but it was so brutally cold (3 degrees and gusty and still snowing) that
I only took four runs before I had to stop because my nose was freezing
up. Still great, but I like it to be at least 10 degrees so the
extremities (and nose) can stay thawed.
Check out:
<http://mattb.net/pics.aspx?gal=2005-12-03%20(Winter's%20back)>

We'll have to hook up for some turns when your knee is ready!

Matt
 
MattB wrote:
> Ride-A-Lot wrote:
>
>> [Inline version at: http://tinyurl.com/85qkq]
>>
>>
>> I woke up to this:
>>
>> http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3170.jpg
>>
>> Looks like a snow ride today

>
>
> Cool.
> Me too. But it's too deep for the bike right now.
> We got a couple of feet in town and 45" at Monarch. It's been snowing
> since Tuesday.
> MrsB:
> <http://mattb.net/images/galleries/2005-12-03%20(Winter's%20back)/DSC02221.JPG>
>
>
> Matt


Not down here, I've ridden 4 of the last 5 days on dirt. We don't have
any snow around town, but it has been plenty cold.


--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

Owner/Operator of the Pekingnese Ranch.
 
"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Shawn wrote:
>> MattB wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I could trade XC for mountain biking, but I'm not so sure about telemark
>>> (or Alpine before I switched). It's such a euphoric feeling to be
>>> bouncing down the mountain in deep powder. Nothing can quite match it
>>> (although some other activities do come pretty close).
>>>
>>> Remember, I moved to Co to ski and discovered mountain biking as a way
>>> to pass the time between ski seasons. Of course it's grown into a
>>> passion almost matching my feelings for skiing, but I think it will
>>> always be a close second.
>>>
>>> Matt (shameless powder ****)

>>
>>
>> Been ****tin' around at Monarch or CB this weekend (probably a dumb
>> question)? It tears me up. Sometimes I'm dying to go and then my knee
>> twinges and I think about the first five days post surgery (think pain).
>> My orthopod says no skiing till February, so I still have time to think
>> about it. :-(
>>
>> Shawn

>
> I skied the last three days. Snow all last week (Tuesday onward).
> Friday was 6" new and pretty nice. Got some nice fresh track in some of my
> favorite stashes, but could feel the stumps and rocks not far below.
> Saturday we got a sitter and MrsB and I went together. 16" new and snowing
> like a mofo all day. We were the third and fourth people down Gunbarrel
> for full-on freshies. So good we did it twice more - the hike helped keep
> us warm. Then I went back yesterday for another 10" fresh but it was so
> brutally cold (3 degrees and gusty and still snowing) that I only took
> four runs before I had to stop because my nose was freezing up. Still
> great, but I like it to be at least 10 degrees so the extremities (and
> nose) can stay thawed.
> Check out:
> <http://mattb.net/pics.aspx?gal=2005-12-03%20(Winter's%20back)>
>
> We'll have to hook up for some turns when your knee is ready!
>
> Matt


Gawd I'm glad I don't have to deal with that....
 
Craig Brossman wrote:
> MattB wrote:
> > Ride-A-Lot wrote:
> >
> >> [Inline version at: http://tinyurl.com/85qkq]
> >>
> >>
> >> I woke up to this:
> >>
> >> http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/stories/img_3170.jpg
> >>
> >> Looks like a snow ride today

> >
> >
> > Cool.
> > Me too. But it's too deep for the bike right now.
> > We got a couple of feet in town and 45" at Monarch. It's been snowing
> > since Tuesday.
> > MrsB:
> > <http://mattb.net/images/galleries/2005-12-03%20(Winter's%20back)/DSC02221.JPG>
> >
> >
> > Matt

>
> Not down here, I've ridden 4 of the last 5 days on dirt. We don't have
> any snow around town, but it has been plenty cold.



I didn't think it was possible, but my toes went numb on a ride here
yesterday. The windchill was a factor, but high up wasn't warm either.
Words later...

JD