A couple of weeks ago, while the high mountains were in less than ideal condition for skiing and the local trails were too soupy from snowmelt for mountain biking, I headed up into the network of gravel roads in the Arkansas Hills for some random exploring.
Continue reading
Ah, fall in Colorado. Seeing the days slowly getting shorter and feeling the nights gradually getting cooler. Saying goodbye to the hiking and biking of summer and anticipating the skiing of winter. Time to downshift, kick back, and take it slow while nature works on changing its pallet from green and gold to green and white.
Continue reading
I was doing a gravel ride the other day when I encountered a problem that I’ve only seen happen in the mountains. A first-world mountain problem, if you will. No one’s going to starve, get hurt, or die but it did sort of mess up my plans for the day.
Continue reading
So a couple of days ago I was JRA (just riding along) when I heard a loud bang from the back of my mountain bike.
Continue reading
And for the ten of you who occasionally glance at this blog, thank you for your patience.
Continue reading
Gravel riding is the zen of cycling. Mountain biking gives you that hyper-alert, most awake you’ve been in your life, double espresso chased with a Mountain Dew feeling. And road, while it can be meditative if you find a quiet stretch of pavement, generally ends up being done in traffic, which means staying constantly alert to the large metal boxes hurtling past you.
Continue reading
When I’ve mentioned to my new neighbors that I’ve been riding the dirt roads and trails in the Arkansas Hills a couple of them have asked, “Have you been to Turret?”
Huh? Where?
Continue reading
In riding, hiking, and skiing around Colorado one of the things that strikes me about the people here is the all-around level of fitness you see on any given day. No matter how strong you think you are, I guarantee you there’s someone in Colorado who can go faster or longer. I’ve met trail runners who can knock off a 10-mile 14er in under three hours. I’ve talked to unicyclists at the top of the Monarch Crest trail. I’ve chatted up hikers on month-long treks on the Colorado Trail. Colorado, the land of the FKT (Fastest Known Time). It’s very motivating and very humbling at the same time.
