JB Stevens Racing

Snowshoing Instead of Riding

2012-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

I was all set to go out into the winter on my bike, but the snow started falling to hard, so I opted for the snowshoes.

There were many places bare. Here I turned around.

I think in some places with the right tires, riding would be possible. Funny, I got here and the sun came out. I could see the snow clouds go right over the City of Gunnison. I hope at least one day on the weekend will be ridable on the road.

Nice Day for a Wintry Ride

2012-01-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

Actually got to ride beyond the end of pavement today on Ohio Creek.
The snow scenes on the way were stark and wintry.

There is still quite a bit less snow than last year at this time. I am not complaining.

If it doesn't snow for 2 more weeks the road will likely dry out enough back here to go further with no mud.

Mud is not that bad, except when the temp is 20 degrees and the wind is at 5mph. Getting wet and still having to ride over an hour is not the best things to combine. This is why I opted to turn back at this point. It is good to get out and feel the cold freeze your face pedaling along, knowing it will not be long until the trails reopen.....hopefully.

Warm Winter Ride to Freezing

2012-01-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

It was amazing how warm the ride was the snow was disappearing right before my eyes.
Even on the way back the road was more clear than when I went up to the edge of the dirt and back.

Yesterday, was a completely different story. The roads were clear up to Crested Butte South, but the humidity and the slight wind was torturous. My fingers and toes were nearly frostbitten. I had to wrap my hands in towels until the pain, stinging and cold went down enough to move them freely. As I finished putting away the gear I looked out the front window and it started snowing. I love when I get to ride before it snows, it is so satisfying.

Another Great Day!

2012-01-05T17:57:00.000-08:00

I opted to go for a longer warm-up and it was just that. The temperature warmed as well and had to switch gloves after 45 minutes.

The day was perfect for riding more of the technical trails. Though I still don't ride the whole thing, it is a far cry from where I started just 18 months ago.

Who would have thought we would have temperatures reaching forty in January in Gunnison? Yeah, so I still haven't sent in my fork for repair on the Yeti. I have been getting more used to riding the 29er hardtail and doing pretty well.

Beautiful Day

2012-01-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

What can be wrong with sunny, blue skies in January in a place like Gunnison, CO? Absolutely nothing!
The trails were quite and mostly dry. I would say that most of the trails are ridable. I hit kill hill again and it
once again kicked my butt. My excuse is that it is still early season. The hamstrings took their time to recover. It even took it's toll later in the ride when going up Enchanted Forest. There was only one other time I didn't make it up this trail and that was because I tried to pass someone in a race that I hadn't trained for and lost my legs and lungs before the top.

Today I opted to rest a bit in the beginning and ride the roads to Back-In. There wasn't a sole in sight while the clear blue skies starred down and the sun warmed fast. I 29er is great on these type of trails, but not on my back. I am feeling the after affect as I sit here typing. The dirt and the crisp air made for one beautiful day.

New Years Day MTB

2012-01-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Wow! I cannot believe that I am riding the trails on January 1, 2012. The temperature was around 21 degrees F with the wind at 4mph when I left the house. I don't think it varied much the whole ride though climbing up the hills helped warm me up and get the circulation going. Most of the trails were dry and those weren't were still very ridable. I will bet that we still get some snow and colder temps, but I am will take these special riding days as a gift and cherish them when they are there. The road rides have definitely helped the power on the trails for little bit I have done today. I had a great ride with warm hands and feet for the first time. I tried out my glacier gloves with liners and the Diadoria Winter MTB shoes with padded ski socks. These are the most recognized issues with winter cycling and they were with me until today. I can still put more socks into the boots but the gloves are it. I don't think I could ride in much colder and still have the hands warm, especially on the road were the speeds are faster and more constant. Perhaps an outer layer over those gloves, but then bike handling issues would present most certainly.
This whole week we are supposed to have descent weather until next weekend when snow is forecasted. I will hope for a fast melt and continued winter riding.

End of Todays Ride

2011-12-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

Took a few photos at the turn around point. The SUV's were blazing buy though few there were.
I wanted to see how far I could go, but decided that was enough for today.

The "Ruffle" Mountain looks so majestic covered in snow. The pavement was clear all the way to the dirt road. There were a few places of slush and mud and the temps were not conducive to being wet all the way back home. The temps all this week are abnormally high, but I am loving it so far.

Winter Road Ride

2011-12-18T19:36:00.000-08:00

A few Christmas trees left here at this lot. It would be nice to have a tree again. For now I will look at the trees and appreciate them as they stand on the hillsides.

It was chilly when I left, but soon warmed up for Gunnison standards. I had to remove the turtle fur to cool off some.

The road was clear, the skies were solid blue and the snow capped mountains were inviting and picturesque.

I'm not certain but from the weather outlook this might be one of the last days to ride on the road.The snow is expected and the temperatures are supposed to dip down another ten degrees for the high. It will soon be too cold to ride, but I will keep trying.

If I had some warmer cycling shoes, I could ride longer. I hope this year we will get lucky and be able to ride more. Last year my first ride of the year was in mid-February. Took a moment to take a Cherry-Lime Roctane and wash it down with First Endurance Orange Splash. Good Stuff!

I nearly had frost bite on some of those first rides. I have warmer gloves this year, but still the toes get numb fast in the upper teens with a slight breeze. I will run some, but my ankle will take nearly a year to heal properly and my SI joint still does not cooperate, but I run when I can.

Fantastic Day

2011-12-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

When I left the house I was sure what to expect from my back and ankle, but once I got to the trail and started up the stiffness lifted enough. I only had to walk 3x's up Jacks which is far better than it's been in some time.
I didn't have the camera, but what stuck out in my mind as I ran was probably better than the camera would have caputured.
The snow was like multi-colored glitter that cushion my steps. I focused on trying not to push off the foot too hard so I could keep running. Today this method worked for quite some time. I even went on a snowy trail and trudged up and down and around. It felt so great to be able to move about without the shooting pain in my ankle the stiffness in my back. It was not completely gone, but it was so much better.
Once I reached the main road I felt like I had accomplished something and took that back down under the sunny skies. The clouds were circling the area, but the first ring was up past Crested Butte. I wanted to keep running to keep that feeling. I knew better though. I headed back down the trail to the car with the chance to complete an entire run with no major pain and a big smile on my face.
As I drove home the pictures from the run ran through my head and warmed my face.
This is the only way I can share that great feeling as it is better shared than kept inside.

People are Mean Here

2011-11-29T12:25:00.001-08:00

Evidently it is cool to treat people like crap here.

Luckily I had a great ride before the assholes hit. 5 cars turned in front of me and one idiot rode on the wrong side of the road straight at me. People here must really feel bad about themselves in order to have treat other badly to feel better.

Getting Colder

2011-11-26T13:15:00.001-08:00

Decided to take my frozen self down a crazy trail I would normally never go on.

OK, so the trail is not crazy to most mountain bikers, but to me it was. The wind was 10-20mph and the temp was 21 degrees F when I left. It felt a little warmer here at Hartman's. The park was nearly empty. Saw a walker and some cars, but that was it. My trusty root beer float 29er spun through the kitty litter and over the rocks.

Not sure where I lost the trail in here, but somewhere soon after this picture I was looking over rocks and could not see a trail. I went down a big slab and then walked over sandy, ledgey rock. I didn't see the trail, so I walked up a step rocky section.

And out past the trailhead. I guess next time I will have to go down from the other trailhead to see where I missed the trail. Maybe. The rest of the ride was smooth and fun. The ride home was really cold. I guess this is really the first ride where my face was stinging on the way out. I know there are many more to come before we see warm here in Gunny.

Big Wheels, Great Fun

2011-11-17T15:52:00.001-08:00

Checked out some new areas. Most of the trails were passable.

I love the rocks here at Hartman's. I was surprised that the trails were in such great shape. Had a great time for most of the ride.

I love each day that I get to go on the trails. I know soon it will snow and then riding on the trails will be over until next Spring. I am starting to feel more comfortable on the 29er hardtail, but my back can't wait for the full suspension to come back.

Storm Approaching

2011-11-12T12:47:00.001-08:00

On one side the dark clouds were building fast. Had a great ride on the dirt roads.

There were a few trails passable with little to no mud. It was nice to ride the trails versus the same stretch of pavement.

This direction the sky was clear for awhile with the sun shinning bright.

This is what makes dress appropriately for the weather very tricky. The weather report was 30 and wind at 6mph when I left and when I arrived it was more like 40. I immediately began changing gloves and unzipping the wind jersey to avoid over sweating. Over sweating can be a deal breaker when climbing up hills and zooming down fast. I seemed to do the trick for today.

On the way home the clouds surrounded the sun and soon covered. The winds picked up to a steady 20 mph with gusts higher. The snow will soon fall.

the River Reflecting

2011-11-11T17:25:00.001-08:00

Went down a little further at the turnaround than usual to get a scope of the landscape.

Watched and listened to the river below. The sound was lower from up here, but running river still spoke. I thought back to last winter and the scenes ran through my head like a slide show.

I wasn't looking forward to the bitter cold and missing the sounds of Summer hushed by the layers of snow and ice, but waiting for the Spring and Summer is worth the scenery.

Soon this road will be muddy, too muddy and then covered by snow and more and more snow. It will be nearly impassable, expect by four wheel drive or snowmobile. For now I will count the days I can ride my bike and be glad for the opportunity.

I thought about how lucky I was to get another riding day in on the way home.

Mud

2011-11-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

Tried to go to Mountain Biking at Hartman's. Temp was 31 degrees F and the wind was 10-15mph.
The snow and ice was melting creating MUD. Made it up tugs and jacks with some slipper slid maneuvers and then up Kill Hill on the 29er. Went down Main Street a bit, but it was too muddy. Didn't want to ruin the trails, so turned around and came back home.

Checking Out the New Stem

2011-11-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

The air was a warmish cool day, as far as cold goes. It was around 25 degrees F with the wind at 10mph. Felt farely warm on the bike, except my toes. Still haven't figured how to make my feet warmer. More to come on that.

At the turn around point, just past were the chipseal, or rather just packed chip turns to a dirt road.

Had a nice ride on the road. Tried an alternate 100mm stem for size. Seems like this one works better than the 115. The new stem I ordered has a different rise than this one, so I will have try that on for size next ride. The bike seems to handle better than before and no hand problems. Yeah!!

The sky was blue highlighted the browning landscape. The mountains were dusted with snow. The closer to gunnison the more snow there was on the hillsides.

Yellow Trees and Cows

2011-10-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

The ride didn't start off so great, but I got stronger as the ride went along.

Once I found my legs I felt great and got over a few rocky areas that I normally don't make it.

After heading up Dave Moe's, which I had never done, I made my way down to enchanted forest.

Today it really lived up to it's name. There were some great glowing yellow trees and few orange and red bush's in the midst of the forest. Only saw one person up until this point.

Took a few minutes to enjoy the yellow.

The bright yellow was such a sight after staring at brown dirt and rocks for an hour.

This is the view looking the opposite direction. So you can see how the enchanted forest is so inviting.

After hitting the trails clockwise, I made my way around to a small cattle stampede.

The last few cows hustle down the to the feeding area. There was one lone cow off in the distance. Perhaps he didn't get the memo.

Few Fall Colors Still There

2011-10-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

I thought the dirt road would be muddy, but it wasn't.

The packed dirt was actually softer and less bumpy than the chipseal road.

The phone camera doesn't do the color justice. But really it was colorful.

This was the turn around point. There was some aspens still closer to the road with color.

Many of the trees have lost their leaves the closer to the road.

On the brisk ride back down the dirt road there was a spot on top of the mound in the distance that was just glowing yellow, orange and a tinge of red.

The brief period of sunlight hitting the tops of few trees with leaves. The storms were moving in, though I thought it was supposed to by nice today? Hmmm.

Made it back before the snow,rain and wind took over.

A few things I've noticed the last few days

2011-10-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

A few things I've noticed the last few days out on the trails.
Tuesday was a cold, humid day when I burst out of the door to head to the trail head.
The clouds were dark and heavy with the wind intermittent.
I hit a few patches of wind and rain on the way to Hartman's, but I was determined to get a ride in before it snowed.
When I hit the top of the trail the wind was turning cold. It was the first day I left my knee warmers, arm warmer and vest on for the whole ride.
My legs weren't feeling to good so I decided that a solid constant pedalling route was best. I got to the highest point in the ride and could see out towards Crested Butte, but could only see hanging dark clouds and a few peaks with a dusting of snow. The rain was sparse and I headed for the area under lighter skies. Here the wind and rain were less. I stayed around this area. As I headed down a trail and thinking about random things, I noticed a rainbow ahead. It looked closed enough that I could ride to the end, but I stuck to my plan and followed the lighter spot in the clouds until my time was up.
I headed back towards the trail head as the light spot closed in with the darker clouds.
The rain spit and wind blew, but as I headed out of the recreation area the rain stopped and the wind blew from behind. What more can you ask for with tired legs and time limit to get home. A little push from behind was just perfect.

Today I tired to hike/run/walk. My ankle is healing nicely, but patience is low sometimes.
I wore the typical ankle brace for support. My run portion is more like fast walking but I feel good that I can call it running and it resembles something like running. I like mountain biking, but I will always be a runner at heart. When I reached the top of the trail and could see the mountains in nearly all directions one thing stuck with me. Under the rain like clouds I could see a nearby mountain. The landscape was like a layer cake. There was the silvery sage on the bottom with bits of yellow here and there. Then there was another distinct layer of dark blue mountain mixed with traditional fall colors in patches. The top layer was white, like thick powered sugar. I like the scenery from here as there are so many different looks to the landscape depending on the season and the day. That is what I like about here.

Last Few Days of Fall Colors

2011-10-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

There were some dark clouds start out from home, but managed to dodge most of them.
The sun came out a few times and it was a great morning to pedal through the sand and sage.

The views were amazing, light shining through on the hill tops.

Heading into the darker clouds, but only for a moment.

Take the last look at the fall colors.

A cool breeze and some spiting rain flanked me along the hills.

Many of the trees have lost their yellow leaves. More rain is expected throughout the day.

Warm up Ride in the Fall Colors

2011-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

The breeze was slight as my Fuji zhushed along the road past the fantastic colors. This made the warm up ride seem less effortless and before I knew it was back are ready for tomorrows race.

Gunnison Start of USA ProCycling Challenge-Queen Stage

2011-08-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

Took a short ride before heading to the start of the USA ProCycling Challenge.

The start was exciting and the all the fans were hyped. This should be a great stage.

The top riders from yesterdays stage are leading out the fast start.

Beat the Storm

2011-07-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

Got going as soon as I could. I had to sleep some after all the times the dog had to get up to potty due to eating something bad. And not to mention breakfast at 2:30am. Needed to sleep a bit longer and loved it.

Many of the flowers have since faded into the sea of green, only to be replace by new blooms.

The best place to see them is all along the paved road and dirt road up Ohio Creek.

At the turn around I noticed the clouds building quickly. And from my past experience things can turn ugly fast, so headed back quickly.
Had a steady head breeze which aided in my engine room burn. I was hoping to be able to push the big wheels fast and feel the exhilarating of pushing a big gear and seeing the high speed output, but to no avail the speed was lacking and I had to fight the road, the breeze and my body. Didn't feel good all afternoon. I tried to just remember the great views and take the fact that I fought through this one to next weeks riding.

Where Eagles Dare.

2011-07-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

views from halfway point back towards signal peak and Gunnsion


Views toward Crested Butte half way up the climb


Views into the Fossil Ridge wilderness at the top of climb at 10700'

A nice hard dirt road climb out of Gunnison is Lost Canyon. When ever I do that ride, the Iron Maiden song "where eagles dare" always sticks in my mind.

Popular Place

2011-07-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

There were many more autos this day on the road to Ohio Creek Pass.
I opted to turn back instead of continuing in the car parade over the top.

I managed to get a photo with no cars, hikers, motorcycles, horses, horse trailers, or other bikes.
It was a good solid ride.

Some popular flowers along the way.

Things that Make the Ride

2011-07-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Wasn't sure how far I would get before the rain came down. Made it tot he dirt road before the sprinkles started.

Back on Ohio Creek just missed the rain storm as the clouds were dark and the road was wet and muddy.

The body was stiff and sore today, so took it easy and took in the beautiful sights on the way.

Lost Canyon to Rd 586

2011-06-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

Early Summer Beauty

The sun was warm upon leaving the house today. But at over 10,000 ft in elevation it is a bit cooler.

On this road from the Gunnison side of the road all the snow is now gone. There are still a few water crossing in the midst of the aspen trees on rd 586.

From Lost Canyon Road this is one marsh with tons of dandelions, sage and lupine that shine amongst the brilliant green backdrop.

This is another view from the same spot. It was starting to get breezy at this point.

A couple of close ups of wild flowers that are very common on the side of the back road.

On look up the hill as I decided to turn around versus head down the road further that is supposed to hit Taylor Canyon and Almont at some point.

A look off the side of road 586 as it narrowed.

Ohio Pass

2011-06-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

Took a trip to see how far up Ohio Creek Road was passable.

View over towards castle mountain from Ohio Pass. The valley is beautiful and green.
The rivers below are voluminous and roaring.

Made it up pretty close to the top of the pass.
The snow fields closed in closer and closer to the drop off. Eventually it closed in all the way across and was impassable.
Headed back down the road and back to Gunnison.
It was a nice warm, breezy day which added to the fun ride.

Nice view from Ten Thousand Feet

2011-06-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

The roads up here are crazy. No wonder it is called Lost Canyon. Half the time you really aren't sure what road you are on.

The biggest clue was when I made a big loop and ended up at the overlook at 8900 ft.

Still not sure where the road I was looking for actually was. Hmmm.

Check'n the Dirt Road

2011-06-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

The snow has melted enough to make it to the trail head and beyond. I didn't have enough food to keep going past the gate, but I really wanted to.

Took some GU chomps-Peach Tea, which by the way are really good, if you like peach tea.
I think I will come back and go check out the road beyond the gate next time.
Took a fast cruise home.

I Have No Words for Todays Ride

2011-05-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for New Legs

2011-05-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

Wasn't sure how long I would last today on the trails. I tried to be patient and at about 90min I found something that resembled legs.
This led me to some climbs to use what I had. When I got home I once again had nothing, but twitching hamstrings.
I hope next week the legs come back from vacation, because I can really use them.

Hartmans All Open

2011-05-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day this year to mountain bike thee back side of Hartman's, Trails like 9-0, Back-In, Outback were open after a closure to accommodate the mating Grouse.
I went in the side we dubbed Tinkers Climb and took a spin around some trails on the front side, like Gateway, before making my way to the backside.

There are many ground covers blooming on the sides of the trail like this one.

There are many cows grazing along the fenced trails.

This is one view from Outback where I stomped to eat some GU chomps. The legs were burning from the get go today, but managed to keep it going for a solid three hour ride.

Breaking in the Shoes

2011-05-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Good Day for a Mountain bike ride.

Hartman's was quiet when I entered the climb from the North side. The Sky was clear blue and cloudless. The wind was quiet. The only sound was the crunching of sand under my tires and the sucking of air as I started the steepest part of the climb. The legs were tired as was my mind. I was planning an easier route in my head until I saw the climb up to gateway trail head and opted for that instead.

This choice lead to Water Treatment. As I started this trail the scenery was different than most of the other trails. There were many woop-di-doos at the beginning along with sand and lose dirt and rocks.

I took a spill around one turn which took an uphill and caught me off balance. I tried to unclip with no luck and took a hard fall on my hand and wrist. The swollen bruised hand made it hard to hold on to the bike. This allowed me to opt for easier trails as I had originally thought of doing for the rest of the ride.

Happy to be Mountain Biking

2011-05-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to see that the trails were dry. Had a great time today on Skyline, Buddy Bear, Dirty Sock, and Dave Moe's along with the many connector roads, like this one.

Road Ride to CB

2011-04-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

Took the 29er up the hwy for what I hoped to be an easy long ride.

Didn't quite work that way. Back and legs were spent from yesterdays ride into the wind and snow. This made for some tough times into the wind both directions.

It is still a winder wonderland in CB. I tried to find things to take my mind off the pain in my back, but it wasn't working. I did however, make the whole ride. Normally I wouldn't have done such a long ride after a hard workout, but I was trying to get my longish ride done in case the weather man is correct and we get snow and rain all weekend.

Saw many road riders out and many who were either over the top or not very friendly. Don't like this place much.

Winter was Lurking in the Shadows

2011-04-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

Winter was lurking in the shadows and saw a chance

In the morning it advanced

It combined with Wind and started to show it's White power.
The snow began to accumulate and the hopes of sunny days faded.

Engine Sputter

2011-04-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Today was a big test day on the trails. It was my first long Mountain bike ride of the season. I rode trails I would have never even tried in the past. While I am not a technical rider, I was pleased with the effort I put out trying more technical portions of trails. I still clipped out numerous times and opted to walk over somethings, but Hartman's seems to be a great place to learn to ride more technically and make challenges each time.

My legs were sore to start, but I finished the 5 hour ride with the engine sputtering and the legs wishing to stop.

Took 3 GU Roctanes and 1 GU Chomp on the ride for fuel along with 4 bottles of First Endurance Sports Drink.

As the ride ended I was glad to be heading home pleased with the accomplishments of the day.

Hartman Rocks is Open

2011-04-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Happy Joy Joy off to ride the trails we go!

In Search of Spring

2011-04-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

In the midst of my search for dirt road to ride on, I found a butterfly which flew off too quick to snap a picture. Several blue birds skirted the fences as I pasted by the numerous herds of cattle.
While in one of my many mind cave thinking moments, a skunk who was as surprised as I perked it's head up and fanned it's tail as we both froze and screamed in surprise in each of our heads and then headed in the opposite direction.

In my four hours search the turn around ended here as did the road.

I walked through this to get the pictures of the snow and then headed back in this direction to the paved road and home.

Fun on the Dirt

2011-03-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

Nice Saturday Ride

2011-03-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

The wind had nearly stopped near the end of the pavement on Ohio Creek.

Today was just a nice steady ride.

The temps are increasing slowly here in the valley, showing signs of spring.

One of Many Roads Traveled

2011-03-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Out on the hardtail 29er. The temps are supposed to hit near 50 degrees F today. Very Nice!
Headed up several different roads to complete my ride today. I was excited to see that the Lost Canyon Road was most dry, and opted to head up to the locked gate. Unfortunately it wasn't very far to the gate.
It won't be too much longer before we will be riding up the dirt roads and trails.
It is taunting to see some dry dirt and warrants trying out as long as you don't go beyond closed gates.

Birthday Ride

2011-03-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

It was a Butte of a day.

Today was the warmest day of the season so far. The temps were cool on the way out, but quickly warmed. The wind at the turn around made it chilly, so kept the warm gloves on to stay toasty on the way home.

I saw several rides on the way home. Good to see more people out and about on the bike.

A long ride was a nice way to start and finish my birthday. Here's to a great day overall.

Didn't Freeze

2011-03-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

The sun was out and there was no wind. To top it off it was above freezing. The cows were happy as the snow melts around the dry paved road.

The snow is slowly melting off the dirt road up Ohio Creek. Under sunny, blue skies.

Had to stop to take in a gel as my big gloves won't fit into my back pockets. After the gel, one big swig of EFS tropical punch and a 40 minute tempo ride back to town.

Still Winter

2011-03-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

I keep hoping that each week it will be more like Spring, but today it was acting like Winter.

It was however a bit warmer so the 20 mph winds and snow weren't such an issue.

Got to the mud road and opted to turn back and find more paved roads.
It seems like it will be months before the trails are ride-able, but people keep tell me April. I really hope so.

A Toodle Here and There

2011-03-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

Took a trip on the bike past the cows. The road was dry until I reached the dirt, then it was mud and more mud. Tried to get past it to the snow, but gave in pretty fast. My husband was a little peeved at all the mud on the bike. I liked riding in it.
I went back the way I cam until the frontage road, to a trip down the road until it met with the highway and then about face and home. Not much mileage today, but at least something. The clouds look like it could start snowing at any moment. It was good week of riding, hopefully it will continue for next week.

Fwozen Ride

2011-03-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

I went out on the 29er geared bike with hopes that it would warm up. Instead the wind picked up a bit and it never warmed. In fact the sun disappeared completely. There were ice cycles hanging on my neck fleece and my sports drink was sports slushy. The slushy didn't matter much because my hands were so cold I couldn't feel the bottle to pick it up. I gave up trying to make a 2.5 hour ride and opted to keep my fingers and toes.
This time I thought I was ahead of the game. I had put plastic between my shoes and toaster booties to help keep my toes warmer. It didn't do a whole bunch, but kept the frost bite away. I tried wrapping plastic grocery sacks around my gloves on the way back. While moving through the air it didn't feel like it was helping, but I think in the end it might have done just enough.
I debated whether to fly back as fast as possible and spend less time in the cold air or take some of the speed off to not get quite as cold. This time I opted for not pushing the biggest gear, but backed off a bit to not feel the unbearable cold pain.
I am still not sure which way is better. My hands were barely able to work the brakes, but enough to get me home safely.
Now I wait for the next viable day for riding and what the weather will bring.

Trip up the Highway

2011-03-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

The RB Float and I went up the highway a bit.

It was much warmer today, started out at 35degrees F with a slight wind and went through Almont at 28 degrees F with the wind at 6mph. Didn't vary much after that.

I wasn't sure how far to go out, so I went out for a bit over an hour and came back 15min. faster. I guess next time I will go out further.
It was nice to get a solid effort out on the road. The roads were clear except for the splash back near Almont. It would have been nice to go out earlier and spend a longer day on the bike, but that is not possible due to schedules and legs. Soon the time on the bike will increase as long as the weather cooperates.

Inagural Ride on the RootBeer Float

2011-03-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

The weather is starting to show small signs of Spring. The sun was bright, the sky was blue and the temp's reached up to 30 degrees F. I took my road bike replacement, a 29er geared hard tail. This bike will go just about anywhere which is the plan. The position on this bike is far better than the uncomfortable position on the road bike. I will miss my fast moving, thin tired bike, but I will not miss the back, neck and hand issues.

The first ride on this bike was a success. The big wheels get rolling and they go nearly as fast as the road bike. This bike fast and responsive. When you stomp on the pedals it takes off and builds up to the limit. The big wheels along with the front shock soak up the chip seal roads along with the rocks and dirt.

I can't wait for the snow to melt and take it out on the dirt roads and trails.

First Longer Ride of the Season

2011-02-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

I was excited to get out on a longish ride. The temps were in the 30's here, but colder up Ohio Creek Road. It wasn't too bad on the way out, but on the way back things got much colder.

The landscape is still blanketed by a thick layer of snow. The road was clear most of the way with the exception of the several ice spots covering the bike path.

It was very peaceful on the way up the road, hardly anyone except a few heards of cows near the fence by the road.

Almost no cars and the ones that passed all gave plenty of room. A few people gave a friendly wave.

I actually saw two other brave soles out on the road as well. The temps on the way back were frightfully painful. My fingers burned from the cold air. I was quickly looking for the whambulance, but figured the faster I got back the faster the pain would go away. It is tough to go faster on the single speed, but I tried to keep it going at max speed for the gear I had.
Next time I think I will find some sort of lining to wear under the gloves to avoid that pain again. Surprisingly my toes weren't too bad and definitely not to the point of pain like my fingers. I had plenty of layers on elsewhere which worked great.
It will take a few times to get my cycling legs back after 3 months off, but it was great to get out an pedal for 2.5 hours. We are expecting snow tonight, but not much accumulation expected.

Trading in the Road Bike

2011-02-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

The time has come. My Italian built road bike, Gios, (aluminum and carbon version) with 9 speed Campy has been sitting in the box for over a year. The year before it was only used on the trainer. The time has come for it to be replaced by something I can ride. The back issues just cannot be relieved enough to ride it for any purpose. It is such a great bike, but it doesn't do any good in a cardboard box.
My husband recently bid on a 29er frame and is currently building it up as a hard tail. The position on the mountain bike is much more doable than the road bike. The good thing is that I can ride this bike nearly everywhere, road, dirt, and trails. It's a cross bike with mountain bike benefits and the benefit of all......the position on the bike.
I am definitely looking forward to trying it out. Hopefully in the next few weeks.
The new bike already has an identity...Root Beer Float...nickname: The Float.
I will post a picture when it is complete and in working order. In the meantime, I will get new tires for the road bike to sell on eBay.

2010, what a year!

2010-12-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

The year began cold and snowy with rides mostly on the dirt roads and then on to the paved roads around Fort Collins.

As the year progressed into spring the trails began to dry out. Blue Sky, Horsetooth and Lory state park trails were the place to be....

As the year moved into summer the mountain trails a roads west of the Fort became rideable, like this section of Old Flowers Road. However, farther west was on the near horizon.....

The big Move to Gunnison in July so I could finish my degree at Western State College of Colorado.

Moving to Gunnison for college also had one big side bennefit, mountain biking at Hartman rocks!

Josho's trail

Rocky Ridge Trail

Overlooking Gunnison from Hatman Rocks area and its many trails.

Even the road riding here is scenic and uncrowded, This is Carbon peak on the way up to Ohio pass.

In September we got to celebrate the one year aniversary of Adopting Callie our Great Dane.

October brought in the opening of the Arbedeen loop of Hartman Rocks area, more uncrowded trails !

Towards Crested Butte are more trails and Big Mountains all the way to the continental divide.
This is overlook is from Docktor's Park trail.

A great year with new adventures and new friends!

The Twelve Days I Sat on My Ass

2010-11-21T13:50:00.000-08:00

On the First day I sat on my ass my husband gave me, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Second day I sat on my ass my husband gave me, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Third day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Forth Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Four Soothing hard candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Fifth Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Sixth Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and One blanket to stay warm.

On the Seventh Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Seven ounces of Bath Salts, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Eight Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Eight "bless you's", Seven ounces of Bath Salts, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Ninth Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Nine "aren't you feeling better yet's", Eight "bless you's", Seven ounces of Bath Salts, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Tenth Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Ten ounces of chicken soup, Nine "aren't you feeling better yet's", Eight"bless you's", Seven ounces of Bath Salts, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Eleventh Day I sat on my ass my husband gave to me, Eleven antibacterial wipes, Ten ounces of chicken soup, Nine "aren't you feeling better yet's", Eight "bless you's" Seven ounces of Bath Salts, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's and, One blanket to stay warm.

On the Twelfth Day I sat on my ass, it was getting sore so my husband gave to me, Twelve excuses why I shouldn't go out running, Eleven antibacterial wipes, Ten ounces of chicken soup, Nine "aren't you feeling better yet's", Eight "bless you's, Seven ounces of Bath Salts, Six boxes of tissues, Five temperature checks, Four soothing hard Candies, Three cups of hot spice tea, Two OCM's, and, One blanket to stay warm.

Ruffle Mountain

2010-10-30T19:27:00.001-07:00

To Lt. Dan and his happy new tires to the Ruffle Mountain. Bright white under glossy blue skies the Ruffle stood proud.
It was a cool, breezy 40 mile ride. My legs didn't enjoy pushing too much today, but I managed.

Not a Fan

2010-10-16T18:30:00.001-07:00

I decided to try the Doctors Park Loop before it snows in the trail for the season.

Parked at the North Bank parking lot and headed for rd. 744, which is also known as Spring Creek Road.

The road is paved for awhile and has a slow uphill grade all the way. It soon turns to dirt and has many washboard sections. The scenery on the way up the road is amazing high hills some tree lined and others rock. A stream meanders along the road.

At about 9.5 miles from the parking area is Deadmans gulch on the left. Go another 1/2 mile and there is a windy short down down hill to the stream crossing.

Once on the other side a trail marker confirms 554. The double track trail heads up hill from here to a junction 550. You can choose either trail, but for the Doctors park loop stay right on 554 and head uphill further. The grade steepens more from here until the top is reached.

A nice short downhill to a very dark forested area. The forest is fun, full of rocks, roots, ruts, and sandy bridges. Today the forest was full of many puddles and muddy areas that I had to maneuver by foot mostly so as not to destroy the trail.

Once out the forested area there is a vista to the left.

But the 424 doctors park trail is straight down from here. First I headed off through a meadow and very fast single track. The track quickly can get out of control at the edge of the meadow. The roots and rocks become more and more as the trail turns steeper.

There is another small forested area where the light and dark create shadows on the trail making it hard to see the obstacles. At the bottom of a few switchbacks there is a turn which takes you out on a ledge with narrow single track trail. The ledge is a good mile, when the ledge goes away, but the rocks don't. If you hand on a bit more the trail turns to a fast luge like trail windy about the trees and hills.

The last section turns steep, then very steep, loose, and rocky. The last mile has switchbacks added into the mix. Once down the trail runs through the North Bank Campground and then back to the parking area. I was not a fan of this loop. I think doing a shuttle so a ride further up the road and some other trails would be more enjoyable.

A Few New Trails

2010-10-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Even though I am still feeling the respiratory affects from last weeks illness, I managed to get out and try some new trails.

The legs were feeling crappy today, but kept trudging through the sandy and rocks.

The air was quite brisk at 27 degrees F early on, but warmed to a cool 49 and breezy.

I tried another trail at the end, which was not a good idea, but at least I tried-Skull Pass.

Headed home after that as there was nothing left in the tank, except a call for the Wabulance.

Exploring Lost Canyon

2010-10-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

The wind stopped up here near 9000 feet, but the dark clouds were rolling in fast.

Took out the single speed and headed towards lost canyon.

Getting to the dirt road is a bit anti-climatic but it is the only option.

Then it was back down the dirt road and into the wind. Next time I will go further and see where the road goes.

Peak Fall Colors

2010-10-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Didn't have much in body today from the past week of flu. I decided to focus on trying a new trail and taking a look at the fall colors.

This worked for a while. I have run this trail before, but have never ridden it. It was not as hard as I was expecting. Perhaps it was because I had to keep stopping to breath. My lungs are still congested and any long hard efforts are quickly stopped due to lack of Oxygen. My heart rate was about 5-8 bpm higher than normal at the same speed. However, putting out too much was not an option. A view of fall from "Top of the World" Too bad the phone camera does get the far away as well. The colors are gorgeous, even from a place that does not have much in the way of turning trees.

Confidence Gained

2010-09-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

The trails were prime today after the rain we just had. They have dried enough to still be a bit tacky instead of excessively sandy.

I went up and down several trails that I love to ride and then opted for 2 that I have done, in the opposite direction. So going this new direction they will seem new and different.

It was a great ride and I managed to ride the technical parts of the trail fairly well. There are still parts that I need to work on, but I gained more confidence in the ride today.

Fall Moves In

2010-09-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

The leaves on the aspens turn gold and fly free.

The sage changes from green to silver and then brown.

Sure there aren't many golden treasures here. There are a few clusters and some lone orange and red scrub oak. So ride hard have fun and take in the few changes here and there.

Checking Out Aberdeen Loop

2010-09-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

This trail was the furthest out from the entrance. I headed up Jacks to the road nearest the rocks and skirted the rocks up a little steep climb next to Sea of Sage where I headed South to the trail. Got to the gate and proceeded over the cattle grate. It was downhill past Skull Pass Trail and then up a steep climb by the Quarry.

Then down another steep hill up again and down over a partially dried up creek.

Finally to the trail head....

The trail was rooty, rocky and narrow. My legs were trying to find their place and it was making staying the center of the trough that much harder. It was a good thing this trail was not technical or steep.

The issue with the trail was that it is hardly used and the sage, grasses and flowers are overgrowing it in many places making finding the trail sometimes difficult.

The trail winds and goes from single track to double track near the corner where you turn to go around the loop. It gets confusing here, because the road is straight ahead, but the trail continues at a 120 degree turn on double track. It climbs up and then down following a fence and then turns again. This where keeping the trail gets tricky.

It goes down and down like a giant bobsled track, but then stops and starts in several places.

Once spot I hit a row of logs blocking the trail. I have no idea how I got on the wrong spot. But five steps over the trail continued.

It goes down several short steep areas and even on some ledges. Some spots are nice a wide and have been maintained making progress down the trail fun. But not for long, then you are back bush whacking it and then the trail ends.

I am not sure I will do this trail much, compared to the others in the area it is not as fun.

First Colligate Race for WSC

2010-09-04T11:59:00.001-07:00

I decided yesterday evening that I would give XC racing a try. I have never raced XC before collegiately. Once I decided to do it, I started having serious doubts. What the heck was I thinking. This year I have started doing more technical trails than I ever thought of trying previously. Plus, this is our home race and I know most of the trails. This was the key for me today. I knew I could do it once I saw the map of the trails. They were all trails I knew I had ridden pretty successfully. I think I could have gotten through the Women's A course, but not very well. So this was a big boost for me. I ended up finishing 3rd in Women's B and that is after running a 7mile fartlek run yesterday, so my legs were pretty sore today.

Overall it was a great day and it was fun trying something new. It is even better trying something new at Hartman Rocks!!

Ohio Pass Ride

2010-08-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

A few Flowers blooming along the way.

There were many purples, yellows, batches of berries mixed with evergreen.
The sun was out and shining bright.

Huffed up the hill will what little power was left in my legs. Reaching the top was pertinent. There was no real sign at the top, so went down and found a sign that read Panonia one way and Crested Butte the other. I opted for Crested Butte then back to Gunni.

Scouting BLM Roads

2010-08-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Headed out with Lt. Dan to explore the hills or rather the BLM roads near Hartman rocks.
Turns out there are many roads. The roads have off shoots of roads. So don't forget which fork you took on the way back.

This was one of the many forks in the road. Lt. Dan wanted to go straight. I opted for going right as the road looked it went a bit further.

There were many ups and downs which lead you to the top of some great views.

You can see here there are many ridges to cross. It seems to go on for quite a while.

Another long sloping downhill. There was nothing really steep, some rocky, some overgrown with various grasses. While others were rutted, and sandy washed.

Here is one of the many off shoots that came to an overlook. You can see the road just goes and goes. When I have a longer ride, perhaps I will go on as well.

The view after turning 90 degrees to the right. This place is great, so many places to explore.

There was even a little forest of Aspens at the bottom of this climb.

Single Speed Saturday

2010-08-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Took The Bus out for a spin up past Hartman rocks to see how far I could go...well made it to the top, so I kept going.

Just a spin through the park. Couldn't do much with a wrapped thumb as far controlling the bike.

Went out near the Motorcycle park to see where that road went. I ended up winding along the road and out onto hwy 50. That part was not so good, but it was a fun recon ride. Hopefully I will be able to ride the trails again soon.

Look Out from the Top

2010-08-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

A nice 700 ft. Climb to this 8700 ft point at Hartman rocks. Today I took the roads and a few trails on the furthest outer most edge. Tried to spin the legs out until I decided to be lazy and walk up a hill that literally wen straight up. Hmmm, could have back tracked an went up a way easier road, but noooo, had to up the hill. Whew. It was fun once over the top though.

An Amusement Park

2010-08-04T12:02:00.001-07:00

The sun shone bright for the first time in several days. The trails should be dry enough to ride.

Out the door and on the bike...I chose Lt. Dan, as he is my fav for most trails.

I was looking for my legs when I arrived at the park. I thought I might have left them at home.

However, when I looked down, there they were. Drats! It was going to be a long day.

The dirt roads were perfect to warm up on. Got some good efforts going before hitting the trails. Today I started with an old favorite, Sky line. There were no line here, in fact there were no lines any where. The rides were free. You could control how fast or slow the ride went and which direction. What more could you want at an amusement park. Fruit punch EFS to drink every now and again along with some Blueberry/Pomegranate Gu gel to keep the body going.

Tried some new rides today, Enchanted Forest, 9-0, Outback and Back-In. This added to the fun and adventure. Towards the last the brakes were not working properly, though could still stop the bike. I opted for the easier way down to the road to be sure. Three hours of fun, wish I could have stayed longer. 2900 ft. of elevation gain. Great Day!

The Keeper of Hopes and Dreams

2010-07-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today I took the hopes and dreams as represented in a physical form, of one of my classmates and put it in a safe place out of the elements, up high to see ahead and be free to go out into the world.

It is near the rocks to keep the stories from the past. It is guarded by birds of prey and distracted by the beauty of butterfly and sage.

In honor of its’ placing I rode a trail that I had been on before for the journey already taken. I rode several that were new for the experiences that await. Best Wishes and be safe.

Trail 17

2010-07-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

The day started out cloudy, humid and warm. The sun staying behind the clouds losing it's intensity. I did not have much in my legs, but managed to still have fun playing on the trails.

As I was deciding how to wrap up the day, when I saw before me a sign glowing in the sun which parted the clouds. "Trail 17" I did not bring the map, so did not know what it was or where it went. I felt a bit adventurous, for me and pedaled past the sign down the trail.

It was a great discovery, parts I had to walk, but many that were fun. I saw a deer peering out of the trees. She waited a moment and then turned and disappeared. This was a great way to finish the day.

Sunday Sun and Shifty Sand

2010-07-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

It was a Sunny Sunday morning. The clouds were only few and high above. Took Lt. Dan to Hartman Rocks for some fun trails. The previous days rain drops were fading in the sun. Turning the packed sand to more fluid like sand.

There are so many options, but I have taken a liking to the some of the middle trails and then pushing back up the road for more.

I wanted another option from either going back down Jacks, Kill Hill or Power Line. So I opted to try my pedal at Bambi's. The first part of the trail is just a sea of sage, and not the trail. Then from out of nowhere rocks crop out of the earth.

The scenery changes to big rocks and boulders to a nice little hidden forest below.

There are some tricky spots, but most of it is manageable at least heading down from the top.

The trail narrows significantly at the bottom winding around a mound and then ends in tall grass.

The rest is back on the road to home.

There are a few interesting rock features along the road back to the entrance of the park. Then it is back to town.

Rock'n the Rocks in the Rain

2010-07-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

A sea of sage with storm clouds threatening

A trail in the sea of sage

The luge !

Rocks !

Crossroads

Rock formations back near the entrance

An oasis of Mountain biking Bliss !

Ohio Creek Rd

2010-07-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

This morning I went out on the "The Bus" to recon Ohio Creek Rd. The views from the road are amazing. Many times I forgot I was pedalling on my bike, I was so busy looking at the beautiful mountain views, ranch lands and wild flowers.

The big wheels on The Bus were great on the varied road surfaces.

It would be great to have all day to explore the dirt road, but had to turn back after only a mile or two as I haven't ridden much this year and that was the limit.

It was definately hard to turn around as the scenery kept calling me to come see it. This will just leave more time to explore on the next ride.

My legs are feeling much better now. I think next time I will take the mountain bike so the ride back won't be so slow and tiresome, just spinning and coasting. Perhaps there is a way to park on the dirt road somewhere and just head up to explore it soley.

Hartman Rocks-Recon

2010-07-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

Went out on the Yeti to explore Hartman Rocks. Legs were feeling dead so went easy.
This place is truely a hidden gem. There are so many trails it is mind boggling when you look around at all the trails.

I saw some people, but never on the same trail. It was ridding bliss just cruzin on the double track making notes of the different off shoots, so that next time I can gadge time and trails to try.

Yes, Deer

2010-07-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

The deer were out roaming all around the reservoir today. I gave the nod for this one to cross, as if to say, "yes, deer go on across." I'm sure he was listening to what I was saying.

The deer bounded out of the picture as I took it climbing up the hill. But there were many more to be seen today. Even a mama deer and her baby crossing the road as I crested the last hill around the reservoir. It was a fun short little spin today. Haven't been on the bike in over a month.

Callie our Great Dane

2010-06-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

A great sunday with a nice mountain bike ride on the trails west of Fort Collins.

Always nice to come home to our cute girl Callie

-Brian

Buckhorn Canyon and Old Flowers Road

2010-06-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

One nice thing about working retail is that I get a weekday off so I can go ride the trails that are normally crowded on the weekend. I love to ride this loop once we get into summer and the closer local trails in Fort Collins are getting too familiar and it is getting HOT.

The begining of the ride is only a 35 minute drive away but the route has a real back contry feel to it, lots of green Meadows and Aspen trees.

This leeds to,

this

and this

All make for a great 3 hour ride in the hills,

Brian

Run-Bike

2010-06-08T18:00:00.001-07:00

It was a day to juggle schedules to be sure and have adequate doggy coverage.
I took off early in the AM for an hour run. It was nice and starting to warm up. The sky was clear and the sun rose in the sky like it was on a mission. The run went well, took it easy most of the way. Just a few instances of inhaling bugs that were hovering over the trail. I returned home to a very excited doggy who needed to go out for her morning walk right away.
Callie the Great Dane took us on a walk, pulling and sniffing with all the will and might she could muster. She had many sniffing spells and went about her morning business. Forty minutes later we returned home unscathed in time for Brian to head out on the road bike for a nice 2 plus hour ride up the canyon. The day was heating up. When he returned, it was my turn to head out on the mountain bike for 90 minutes. Nothing to spectacular about this ride, just tried to keep turning the pedals in something similar to circles. My legs were good until I realized I had gone out a bit too hard. Once at the turn around I just tried to maintain a good pace home into the wind. It was fun being out on the bike for a bit, but I really enjoy the running much more for the time being.

Huff and Puff

2010-05-31T15:49:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day back on the bike after 2 weeks of no riding.

I was not riding much before that anyway, but that just made it much harder to just do a simple little ride through some dirt roads and on the paved ones as well.

There were many people out and about today enjoying BBQ, hiking, biking, driving and much more I am sure. Opted to stay on the road as there were quite a few hiking families on the trails. It did not matter much, though as I was only going for 2 hours. It went fast, but I did not.

It is not like I was just sitting on the couch for two weeks, I began adding in more running to my training as that is more my thing. However, I am not sure that my body will let it last. I will not give up until I am sure that there is no other options to get my body to accept the running. If not then I will add in 2-3 days of cycling and be satisfied.

While I was huffing and puffing to get through what should be an easy 2 hour ride, my husband was at home recovering from the half growler mountain bike race in Gunnison this past weekend. I was proud that he did as well as he did on such little training, though he is paying for it today. I guess a little huffing and puffing is not so bad.

Nice Spring Day

2010-05-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Just went out on the mountain bike for a fun ride. Nothing out of the ordinary or extravagant, just ride. There has been a greening affect from all the snow and rain the last few weeks. The last time I was here it was still brown. Now it is definitely more green than brown. The smell of blooming trees and flowers gilded the air in certain spots. It was very quiet on the trails and a nice day to be out on the bike for a change.

Came back around the reservoir over the dam hill. Winds were calm and the views are always nice from here.

My right quad started to cramp as I crested the hill. I pulled over and took a few pictures and stretched out the quad. It seemed to be OK after, just not much left in the legs. At least there was enough to make it home.

Another Spring Day in Colorado

2010-05-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the clouds, it looks like it could rain any time. Well it did. Fortunately for me it was just a few intermittent light rain showers. Just enjoyed the time on the bike and made it back for the windy picked up significantly.

Funny, 10 min from this point it was sunny and warm for a bit. When I returned to the house, the clouds were getting much darker and it was starting to spit rain again.

I think it will be this way for the rest of the day. Brian opted to wait until Monday to go out for a ride instead. Hopefully it doesn't thunder and lightening other wise we will be consoling the dog the rest of the day.

Cold, Wet and Windy

2010-04-23T11:27:00.001-07:00

One thing can be said about today's run. Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
The wind was out of the North gusting 15-20mph while pouring rain. The wind chill was around 30 degrees F according to weather underground. I headed out straight into the viscous wind. After 10 minutes I began to think in my head, why am I doing this. Oh, yeah, it is fun.
I wound around the path most of the dirt path was under water. There were numerous puddles and people and animals were scarce. Turning east or west was fine and running south was fantastic. The rain was much heavier in some spots and others it was just a sprinkle. About mile 8 I turned west and the windy and the rain picked up. This was the only time I was thinking I wanted to get home into dry clothes as I was starting to get cold. To add to the misery, I hit two more stop lights just after they had turned. It seemed an eternity with the wind blowing the fat rain drops through my clothes. It was a small victory as this is the furthest I have been able to run in a very long time. So Happy!!
9.13 miles and counting.

The Nose Wins!

2010-04-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

Out for a cruise on some dirt. Though this ride is mostly pavement, this dirt is fun for something different. This area is a nice natural area. It has burned down trees up high, but a few trees lining the trail down below. Not a very technical trail. Though there is a section that goes up the side of the hill that is more technical. I definitely did not have the legs for this ride today. When I started out on the ride my nose started out running and went faster, I could never really keep up with it the whole way. The faster I went the faster it went. And even when I was struggling up the climb it still went faster; completely relentless. It did however, manage to hang around and taunt me by running the entire ride, even when I stopped to take the photos.

Since I haven't ridden much this season, it still takes some getting used to riding the mountain bike on the trails. I was shocked at how my handling had suffered from being off the bike for so long. I felt pretty strong today, given that I only ride one other day during the week, right now. We still have to have dogie coverage because Callie cannot be left alone. Oh, what we do for our pets.

Back to the bike. One the way home I could feel the lack of riding in my legs, but kept pushing. And what do I notice, my nose. It is still there laughing hysterically at my efforts, while it just kept going and going.

Came down the last paved hill and headed home. As I pulled into the house, I came to the conclusion that my nose won. Perhaps it won, by a nose, who really knows.

Thrown for a Loop

2010-04-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

This was going to be a great day for a ride, I noted when taking the dog on the morning walk. It was sunny with a slight breeze and it was supposed to warm up to near 70 degrees F. I was so excited I had all my gear set out first thing this morning. Since I have only 2 days to ride outside now each one is that more precious.

I tried to get out as early as possible. It was upper thirties when I left. I was out on the Yeti today, so exciting. I haven't gotten to ride on the yeti for quite some time. I decided to head out through the park and ran into a 5k running race. There wasn't too many runs at this point, so I just waited and dodged in and out of the clear spots. From here I swung off into Pine Ridge and got a little dirt and pedal power started before hitting the Stadium hill. This is where power matters. I discovered that yes cutting down the riding to 2 days takes a toll on the power. I huffed and puffed and made it to the top then zoomed over Centennial and up to Lory State Park. It was such a different feeling to ride the full suspension bike, versus the fully ridge single speed. I had to practice maneuvering the bike a bit. Right now you cannot use the Lory Trails to connect to Blue Sky as the Lory side is closed off from the Horsetooth side due to Butterfly mating.

It is kind of a bummer. I like the last part of the trail to really put the pedal to the metal, so to speak and jump over the rocks, but instead I made a big circle around the park and headed back home over the dam hill. Going around the park is sort of anti-climatic, but fun for some endurance miles as long as you are not looking for a lot of miles. Being able to connect the two trails makes for a nice long ride on the dirt, plus Blue Sky is a bit more fun for mountain biking. Next week I will look for some other mountain biking trails to ride.

Snow Globe Day

2010-04-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a strange day on the trail. I started off running and it was 38 degrees F. You could see the dark hanging clouds adorning the Western sky. As I looked up the hill, I could see mist and what looked like a snow curtain. The wind was picking up. The trails were mostly empty with just a few stragglers leaving the parking area. Then all of a sudden it was like someone shook a snow globe and turned it over, Snow!!! It was neat. The wind actually died a bit. I enjoyed the snow and the trail. The upper trails were mostly dry, but in spots still snow, ice and standing water. I was really trying to test my body to see if it could handle the downhill. As I made my way to the halfway point the snow stopped as fast as it started and the sun pushed the clouds away. It quickly warmed back up and the wind picked up a bit as well. Now the downhill, I took it easy and could feel it about half way down. I stopped and stretched a bit. It felt better and kept and easy even pace the rest of the way down. The question is when I hit the flatter section and try to pick up the pace, will my body reject it and cramp up in a rebellious ball? Not today. It was a great day. The body felt good on the bottom section and did fine picking up the pace a bit. I kept the time and distance to minimum to see if I could handle this torture. It was now warming a bit more to upper 40's. I definitely had too much clothes on, but not far to go, so I could just keep going. When I finished was stretching by the car a whole heard of dear came charging in front of the car...."Oh, crap! It's People! "Run, save yourselves!"

Short and Intense

2010-04-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

This morning I had only one hour to get a ride done. I wanted to go outside before the weather turned instead of riding the trainer. So off I went on the Single Speed (the Bus) to find some hills. The dog was confused, as to why I was going out on my bike so early.

The air was brisk, but not bad...upper 30's and lower 40's. I could see that the rain/snow clouds were moving in. I still had plenty of time to get a great hour ride done.

Headed up the stadium hill. I was focusing on keep the cadence up as long as I could. Once I hit the bend in the road, up I went and I knew the work was gonna hurt. The heart rate shot up, but not too high. It was mostly the lack of power that prevented me from going over 5 mph, but I kept it going. When I finally crested the hill, I could feel the struggle in my upper body. The legs were burning, but I could still go. Now, I had to think about the next hill.

This one, the road to the sky, is longer, but not as steep. It is one that you will feel after hitting the stadium hill first though.

After a short little down and flat section, I start up the climb. The steepest part is just a short pitch up around the corner. I stood up and gave it a good effort. Then just grinding it out for the remainder of the hill. Once I hit the crest and over the top, it felt good. I was not actually sure I could make those two hills. I have never done them on the single speed. Now it was a nice cruise down with a few little ups. The last up was to the far North Dam parking area where I decided to turn around.

Back is much easier and most of the climbs can be seated. Then nice little zoom down, through the park and home. The clouds are looking darker by the minute, but still no rain, snow or wind. Callie the Great Dane was very happy when I returned home, but she gave the bike a glare.."I don't like those things, mama." But she quickly forgot the bike as I changed and went with Brian to take Callie on her morning walk. Oh, Happy day!

What a Difference a Week Makes

2010-03-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

I wish there were more hours in the day....to clarify, that is to ride and run!!

It was such a nice day out...45 when I went running and 55 when I finally headed out on the bike...Single Speed of course.

Last week most things were covered in snow. This week sunny and nearly 60 degrees F. That is one reason to love Colorado!

There were so many people out, I forgot until now how many people like to be outdoors. It was great to see so many people doing what they love outside and enjoying the day.

This morning I was actually in shirt sleeves for an easy 7.5 mile run. Then after a few hours of recovery and Brian returning home from his ride of the day. I headed out to spin my legs for a short 45 minutes. That is the least amount of clothes I have worn on the bike since last year. If there were more hours in the day, I could have kept going for a nice 2 hour ride, but had to get home to start dinner and feed the dog.

If she does not get fed on time this is what you have to see..

Whew, made it back just in time!

Frozen Fingers and Toes

2010-03-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

Oh the difference of week.

Left the house it was sunny and 13 degrees F. I checked the temps and they were all over the place here in Fort Collins 13-25 degrees F. We got much less snow here in Fort Collins than most of the rest of the front range. So the roads were dry and waiting for bike tires to go rolling over the cold frozen pavement.

Took the single speed to go out on the dirt road...except it was a bit muddy, but not too bad.

The sky was bright blue and a wind started 7-10mph, when I hit the turn around, which made for frozen toes and fingers on the way back. This was however, a way better option than sitting on the trainer for 2 hours and since I have been on the trainer every other day this week.

Still Winter on the Trails

2010-03-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

Could not wait any longer. Had to go check out some trails for running. The trail conditions were just about anything that could possibly be dry, muddy, frozen, snowy, spongy, wet, and water logged. This made for a very interesting run. Started out in some mud, but soon disappeared and the trail was completely dry. The wind was from the North at 5-10 mph. When I was running the running was good, but unfortunately there was lots of slowing down through puddles, and half ice covered trails. I ran as much as I could. Oh, did I mention I don't have trail shoes and that the shoes I have are like putting slicks on your mountain bike...no tread. This was good and bad. The good was that I did not get any clumps of mud built up on my shoes, the bad was that in the mud I had to walk or slide...kind of like skiing. Mentally it was great to be on the trails as I have not run on the trails since last spring. Still trying to get my back and hips working right. The back was very stiff at the end, but no other problems. I will keep building slowly and cautiously and use the bike to keep up fitness until I can run 6 days..though it is tough now as I love riding too, but not nearly as much as running. When and if that bridge ever comes I will make the decision as to what I will do.

Spring Climb up the Canyon

2010-03-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

You know Spring is near when you have to where shorts out on the flats and up the climb, but when you get ready to head down you need full winter gear. This is what I noticed about today's ride. The air was still when I reached the climb. I took off some gear and tucked in my back pocket. Then started up the climb. It was much warmer than I anticipated and my glasses were fogging up most of the way to the turn around point. About half way up there was a noticeable 10 degree temp drop, but it felt good. The air was still and the sun shone down..still foggy glasses and sweating pretty good.

Made it to the turn around and put back on the clothes that I took off at the bottom of the climb and stuffed into my pocket. Now a huge gust of wind blasted. Isn't that nice. So now I am sweaty and get to plow down the hill in the cold and wind...fun. NOT!

Tried to get going to get to the bottom as quickly as possible, so I could warm up soon rather than later.

Only a few spots were the snow is still melting across the roads. For now it is water. Still a lot of sand on the side of the road though. The wind picked up all the way down the hill. It was chilly, but not freezing. Tried to keep up the effort at the bottom to stay warm.
"Captain the engine room is on fire. We're cutting power." The legs just tried to pedal home. They were not happy. Never really warmed up, but felt good to finish my longest ride of the year. Now it is time to recover, so I can run tomorrow.

A Spring Day

2010-03-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

Took an easy ride on the Single Speed to Bobcat. The trail was closed temporarily, so I turned around here. On the way here I checked out the trails by Lory St. Park and Blue Sky. They were super muddy, icy, and snow packed with areas of big puddles. I hope it is not much longer before we can ride the trails without tarring them up.

You can see the road here is still pretty muddy, but doable, but the trails are closed for the time being. You can see the grasses are starting to show green. A sure sign of Spring.

It was so nice to not freeze and see blue sky. The legs were still sore from yesterdays run, but still managed to the hills.

Feelin Good

2010-02-28T15:06:00.000-08:00

Today is a long run. The long part is relative. It has been years since I have been able to train running wise. I am still not at the training part, but I am running now 4 days a week and riding 3 days. The legs and hips were stiff upon starting the run. I stopped to stretch at the 20 minute mart which helped immensely. I still felt the effects of this weeks training and kept the pace slow and the heart rate down and even. Felt pretty good for a few miles. At mile 6 started feeling the hip flexors and piriformis tightening. I stopped at a park to stretch them and continued finishing the run with 7.25 miles. Came home with a smile on my face with some sort of feeling of victory. It is still a long way from running 26.2, but still trying to get back there and at least to some consistent training. I will be glad tomorrow is a recovery day. Recovering has been the hardest part. Doesn't seem like I recover much before the next day. This is why I have to keep cycling. Need to keep up the fitness, but monitor the recovery and most of all keep the pain away.
Did 45 min of stretching and core had a bit O lunch. Encouraged Brian to get out for at least an hour on his Single Speed. He just made it in before the snow started getting heavy. Looking forward to next weeks training.

Got Some Riding

2010-02-27T18:11:00.000-08:00

Wasn't planning on doing much riding today. Thursday we got a few more inches of snow, which luckily melted yesterday and today. I had ran 6.66 miles yesterday and was still feeling the leadness in my legs today. So I went to my favorite ride on the Single Speed. This ride has mostly road with some dirt road. It has some small hills, so you have to work no matter what. The temperature was nice compared to what it has been. We opted for a relay of sorts to maintain the doggie coverage. The temperature was around 28 with the windchill and warming a bit. I had to fight the lead leg feeling for the whole ride, but was much worse on the way back into the South East wind. Hopefully the forecast will be wrong for tomorrow and we can ride a bit. Otherwise back to the running shoes. Can't wait for the Spring weather and then Summer for more riding and running. Brian headed out on his single speed as soon as I came home.

Better Ride on Sunday

2010-01-31T15:38:00.001-08:00

Today went out and did the same route as yesterday. The body felt better, but legs were a bit sore. With that said, I was 2 mph faster on the way back.

The temperature was similar to yesterday, but there was a cold breeze lurking from the North.

After the turn around the wind began to shift from the West. Glad I took the warmest gloves.

Took a Roctane Gu-Blueberry/Pomegranate at the turnaround....tasty. Then cruised back on the Single Speed. I like the Big Wheels!

Recovery Ride

2010-01-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

Had a tough ride today. Body still feeling yesterdays run. The run went well, but got really stiff afterwards. Tried to just ride an easier route on the Single Speed. Legs weren't bad, but body felt tired and stiff.

Went to the dirt road to enjoy the sights and sounds.

The road was a bit wet, but not too muddy, just tacky. The temp was warming up from the 28 degrees when I started, but now there was a slight breeze, which made it a bit numbing on the fingers. The wind side had was frozen, but the other had was fine. Had a latte, teff crackers with PB and and apple. It has been a few hours and the crashing is starting, better go find some more food.

Not the Trainer

2010-01-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

It was nice to get outside on the bike today. Took the SS29er to get more of a rest. My legs are still recovering from the running and cycling on the trainer all week. This is the first time in a long time I made 3 full days of running with little to no pain in one week. I have been working on core and strength to get back all that I have lost over the last 4 years. I am not sure that I will ever be a marathoner again, but being able to run at all starts to look really appeal ling. I will keep trying. Now I am torn between running an mountain biking. Not sure where to go from here. I definitely need to bike to get more fitness for running. But if I cannot race half marathon or more then do I just stop and concentrate on cycling. Hmmmm. I will still keep trying to run more for now. If it just does not work then I will revisit the, to switch or not to switch sports.

Yesterday, I went further and faster than I have gone in a very long time, not pain at all. So, today my legs were feeling it on the hills especially. The single speed is nice on the small rollers as you really get more of a rest than you would on the road bike or mountain bike as it spins out at 17mph. That means there is no way to push a big gear, and you coast quite a bit on the flats and rollers. This keep the heart rate down as well. However, the more hills you do the harder it gets. If you have power then it can be a great advantage.

Wee, dirt road are fun!

It is funny how the dirt roads were dryer than the streets. The street by our house has now nearly melted off, just a few ice fields and bumps. Looks like we might get more this week though.

more later

2010-01-10T14:02:00.000-08:00

Weekend Single Speeding

2010-01-03T15:24:00.001-08:00

Needed the big wheels of the single speed to get down the street full of mashed potato snow and ice. The temperature was around 30 when I headed out. Needed a runway to get some speed to make it through the snow, but managed anyway. Once out on the open road it was easy going. Headed out towards the State Park and the dirt roads. Saturdays ride seemed much easier as my legs and back felt better. Sunday was a struggle. Saturday there were a few cars and more people in the park. Sunday not much going on. Once on the dirt roads it started snowing and there was a slight breeze which was a bit chilling added on to the 30 degree temperature. I had enough layers to stay plenty warm, but my face and lips were numb and chapped. It was fun, but a short zoom on the dirt. Turned around the snow stopped momentarily. Then the zoom back...
The descent from the park road was chilly. Lucky it isn't miles and miles long. Then the legs just turned to solid lead and had to get home. Over the little evil hill. That one seems to get in the way more often then not. Back home into the breeze, Burr on the face; lips cracked and bleeding. Saturdays ride back was much faster and easier. Today...just making it. As one might say..boom boom out went the lights. Tried to conserve something to power back through the snow. Luckily today I got the big wheels going and was able to make it through the snow with no issues. Lots of sideways, left and right and just coasting over the shiny solid ice to parking lot of our home. Whew, another week of training down. Right now it is more of just finding time to be able to get some sort of consistent training to keep up the fitness. Took the dog out with my husband for a walk when I got back. Now everyone is happy.
It is really starting to snow now, big, wet flakes. It is still winter.

Chill in the Air

2009-12-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

Headed on on the SS29er down the snow covered street. Got to practice lots of bike handling in the snow and ice today. Still some drifts across the road, but can easily be managed with some power.

Headed up to the park and some more snow.

Went to the end of the dirt road. Took a GU Roctane orange/vanilla which as just so satisfying at this moment. Sad to have to turn around, but the breeze was getting chilly and the splash back was freezing on my rear. Burr. Then it was downhill enough to freeze even more. Back on the splash back roads and more fun in the park and our street. Our street on the way home was much more mash potatoes than when I left. Still managed to control the slides and make it home safely.

Saturday Morning Chill

2009-12-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

Headed out on the Single Speed.

The windchill was around 10 degrees F. The Single Speed is great in the chillin air as it spins out at around 16-17 mph. Obviously, when going downhill it can still pick up some speed and the air gets mighty cold, but I will avoid big hills so there aren't any long downhills. It is nice to find some hills to warm up on though. Just not too long. There are some great roads with some snow pack which are great on this bike. The tires are like glue and roll along freely.

Many of the shoulders on the paved road still have ice and snow piled in them, so some spots are still tricky. The good thing is that the traffic was low and could go around most of the dicey spots.
Headed back home after a short 1 hour ride. The return route went slightly faster, so the total time was just under 2 hours. I think tomorrow will be a day on the trainer as it is supposed to be a high of 15 degrees F and 3 inches of snow expected.