Well, we did it---the around-the-lake ride we'd been planning and anticipating for weeks. On Sunday, six of us ended up partaking in the day of grueling climbs, leaf-strewn descents, and all-around good times. It couldn't have been a better group---a fun and tight-knit bunch of like-minded individuals. For some, it was a harder ride than …
First snow.
I awoke to a slightly different light coming through our bedroom window, and I had a hunch. I sat up, peering into the outside world. My hunch was right---a thin layer of white powder covered the ground. We had received the first snow of the season, the first snow in our new house. Evan and …
Around the lake…almost.
This was written in June 2013, but never posted. I just found it in my drafts and thought it would be timely to share, as I am planning my second around-the-lake ride for next weekend. Riding a bicycle all the way around Raystown Lake seems like no small feat. To go all the way around …
Bicycle Times Photo Shoot.
This is old news by now, as I've been a little bit backlogged on some bloggage, but oh well. A few weeks ago I spent a few days camping, riding, and hanging out with folks from Bicycle Times magazine, who were in the area to do recon and gather promo footage for Adventure Fest, another cool …
Hawkwatch to Greenwood.
For a while now, ever since we moved into our new house, Evan and I had been talking about hiking a stretch of the Standing Stone Trail (SST) on Stone Mountain, the ridge we look at every day from our porch. The section of trail we'd been discussing starts at a hawk watch just off the …
Pike 2 Bike — Riding the Abandoned PA Turnpike.
I have a certain love for exploring abandoned man-made things. I think they are fascinating---rusty metal, crumbling concrete, smashed windows. The ruin, the decay, and most importantly, nature once again taking over. One of the coolest "abandoned stuff" experiences I've had occurred yesterday, when my friend Jeff and I rode our bikes along a section …
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Ride guide.
Yesterday, I did my first "ride guide" gig for Rothrock Outfitters. Though I've been riding mountain bikes regularly for a couple years now, I know most of the trails in the area, and I've done plenty of river guiding and have helped lead group rides a few times in the past, I was nervous. I …
Leaves and woodsmoke.
It's that time of year. Mornings are chilly, and smell like leaves and woodsmoke. I can see my breath as I sip coffee on the porch, hands and feet numbing in the cold air but myself unable to step back inside. It is too crisp and beautiful, and that smell of leaves and woodsmoke---it's my …
Chaco Fantasia sandals.
Despite their popularity amongst the various young outdoor enthusiast communities that I've been a part of, I hadn't ever been the biggest fan of Chacos. They always seemed clunky and heavy, and I don't like heavy shoes. But I also had never discovered a pair of sandals that really impressed me, and so, I decided …
Riding new trails around Jim Thorpe.
The weekend began with a driving excursion east, mountain bikes spilling out the back of my Ford Ranger, and an eclectic musical mix that included Adele and Barry White spilling from my speakers. I took us the "fun route"---one that minimized highway time and maximized miles on back roads---my general road trip MO. At the …
helena kotala 