Dude!  I went snowboarding yesterday.  And I'm going again today, too.  Face-plants, cart-wheels, and pain, oh my.  Bike ride, you ask?  It should be above 50 tomorrow.  I'm planning a long dirt (mud) road fixed gear cyclocross ride.

New Snow

I think I may take up snowboarding.  Dude.  We have another fresh dump on the ground this morning, at least a half-foot.  I may just give up bicycling all together.  I remember the day in the winter of 1991, my training partner Dave Parker asked "Why do we do this?  We could just buy a cheap pair of running shoes.  You put them on and go.  No expensive parts and constant dicking around."  I think we were in the middle of winter bicycle maintenance because it had been cold and wet, and all of our recent rides had involved booties and gloves.  If I'd only known then I would someday be living in the Intermountain West, where warm weather riding begins in late May.  What would Dave have thought if he could have seen my future, full of winter gloves, thick neoprene socks, shoes one size too big to fit the thick neoprene socks, polypro tights and shirts, balaclavas (none for me thanks, I'm allergic to nuts), wool socks, wool shirts, polypro socks, chemical hand and toe warmers, and two or three different jackets for every condition of cold?



Well.  I could just get rid of all that stuff.  Just like the basketball shoes.  But, the sun is out.  I could go for a cold-wet ride.  With my booties on.

Blue Sky

The clouds have moved out for a bit, so I am going to come out of my funk.  I'm going to do the dishes, go for a ride, do Fun-Friday with Lupine's class, analyze Montana data, and finish some repair work in the garage/shop.  Really.

P.T.

Dr. J.B. hooked me up with a physical therapist today.  Thank you, John.  My hips are tight.  I'm going to get all better really fast.

My Back

It hurts.  Last week before I went to Montana, I took my basketball shoes to Sombody's Attic.  But, I don't want to talk about it.

Today's Ride

I don't want to talk about it.

I'm Back In Utah

I don't want to talk about it.

Back In The Bitterroot

Well, I finally made it to Montana.  The Lost Trail Pass was a bit snow covered but not so bad.  Here are the rules for driving over Lost Trail Pass in the winter:

1. realize that there are 10 foot snow banks on each side of the road, so if you lose control you will not really go over the edge
2. test your brakes well before the turns so you know how slick it really is
3. once you know how slick it is, slow down a little
4. on the climb, goose it a little until you drift, just so you know, then,
5. slow down a little more

Here is a current picture:

See?  How bad could it it be.  Any idiot could successfully drive over this pass.

Right now I'm sitting in the Bitter Root Brewery, sipping an IPA and having a burger.  I've been stomping through the snow all day and my belly is grumbling, my piriformis really hurts, and my feet are wet and cold.  So, here I am.  I have 15 more cameras to check, 6 cameras to remove, and 2 cameras to install.  Looks like I'll be here until Wednesday.  It really is going to get warmer here this week.  Not dry, but warm.  The bottom line is warm wet feet are better than cold wet feet.  The glass is half-full.  So is my IPA.

No, I did not bring a bike.  When I get back to Cache Valley, I'm going for a ride.  Really.

Montana?

I really need to go to Montana.  But,...

Winter Driving

I'm getting ready to head up to Montana.  I checked the road conditions in Idaho.  Ice and cows!  I better not hit the brakes.  Frozen manure.

Or, I could go over the Gilmore Summit.  Nice conditions, no?

I think I'll stay home until Monday.

Tour Of The Wellsville Mountains

I pedalled up and over to Brigham City yesterday.  I went north through Honeyville and Deweyville, and then headed back to Logan.  the mountains were absolutely beautiful, and I went really slow.  It took me all of four hours.  We will get rain and snow tonight so there will be no bike rides for the next two days.


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Snow Bike

I've had my Snow Cat wheel set for about 10 years now.  But, I haven't had a 26" frame to put them on for 5 years.  So, I put 'em on the 29er.  Yeah the bottom bracket is quite low but the bike sure is stable.  The fixed gear cog is loctited on.  Don't do this unless you are only going to ride in the snow with a really low gear.  Again, the purpose of the Snow Cat rims is to make the tire profile look like a "U" not an "O" where it contacts the ground and the rim so that it can really spread out.  More fun than a pair of skis (for me).

Blue Sky...

...and a warm day.  It looks like mid 40s today.  I really am going for a ride.  Really.  Those are the Wellsville Mountains below.  I may go do a loop all the way around them.

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I played basketball today, brief moments of brilliance followed by extended periods of ineptitude.  My lungs hurt, but I think it's time to go for a bicycle ride.

Back In Utah...

...and it is much colder than it was in Florida.  Here is a picture of a black cherry tree in the back yard leafing out.  I took it just before leaving, proof that Spring was well under way.  Here in Utah I'll have to wait until May.  I'm still sick, but I hope to be back on the bike by the end of the week.



When we landed in Jacksonville in late December, it was still Fall.  Here is a picture of the leaves in Bonnie's back yard before Christmas.

And just a few more.  These are the bikepacking set up.  I plan to do some more of this as soon as it warms up.  I may really do the Grand Loop this year.

Spiders And Cranes

Walking to the lake
No moon, I wear a head-lamp
Under the pine trees

Bright glowing blue dots
Reflect from the pine needles
Spider eyes, thousands

Clear blue sky, trumpets
Each morning the cranes descend
In noisy spirals

Like flying monkeys
An Oz-like cacophony
Jazz fusion gone wild

Oh Yeah...

...I forgot to mention I did the big ride at San Felasco with Patty.  We did about 30 to the lunch spot and then the short cut back to the car.  Fun fun.

My Last Ride...

...was from the Santos Trailhead to the end of the FT near the Dunnellon Airport.  And back.  I love the Cross Florida Greenway Trails.  Just as long as they are west of I-75 and at least 10 miles from the Vortex.  You would think the Vortex would just suck all the idiots up.  "Dude, did you see me stack it on the table top...I need a cigarette and a Mountain Dew...I've been on the bike for at least 10 minutes."

Post?

Who me?  I'm just real busy.  Sorry.  I've been driving around, paddling the canoe, working, putting in flooring, and riding the bike.  It's Florida.  And, I'll have to leave in just a few more weeks.  So, I'll post when I get back to Utah while stuck in the house because it's only 11 degrees.

I did do a fun bike packing trip from the shack to Malabar.  It was about 300 miles in 3 days.  I camped two nights, one at Salt Springs and the next at Seminole State Forest.  I want to do another trip before we leave, perhaps right after the yard is mowed, the floor is done, and the Annual Report for the Montana project is done.