For those attending, it lasted 3 days. For those of us helping to make it happen, it was more than a week of concentrated effort, of thinking only of Dirt Fest, and of making sure that the event went as smoothly as it could possibly go. The houseboat arrived on Monday, and we had one …
The calm before the storm.
The next week of my life is going to be nuts. This coming weekend, Dirt Rag's Dirt Fest happens at the Allegrippis Trails, and a couple thousand mountain bike enthusiasts from all over the county will be traveling to our backyard. It's a truly wonderful and exciting event to see and help make happen, but …
Easter.
Following in the tradition of last year, on this particular Sunday, which is to us just a Sunday like any other, Evan and I headed outside for a day on the water and in the woods, paddleboarding from the Petersburg hydroelectric dam to the 4th Street Bridge in Huntingdon (which is conveniently located behind the …
Staycation.
We were supposed to be on vacation this week. We were supposed to load up bikes with touring gear and hit the road, going somewhere we'd never been, exploring unfamiliar territory. First the plan was somewhere in West Virginia, then northern Pennsylvania's Elk Country, then the burning ghost-town of Centralia, a place we have both …
After work.
It's pouring as I leave work, drive to the store, get gas, load paddling gear. By the time I'm done Evan is almost ready, and we load the canoe together, the rain down to a drizzle now. It's chilly and wet---the weather perhaps not ideal conditions for a paddle, but the creek is running high---perfect …
Swatara in the snow.
Early this past Friday morning, fueled by coffee and bagels, Evan and I loaded the last of the gear in the car and the bikes on the new roof rack, and set off eastbound, ready for a weekend of exploring new territory, outdoor adventures, and an evening of great live music with our friends Steve …
The ice commute.
It was early, just after dawn. I glanced at the thermometer on the porch. 3 degrees Fahrenheit. Which meant that away from the protected alcove of our cabin, it was even colder. It was just cold enough to make me second guess my decision to commute to town by bicycle this morning. I thought about …
A colliding of seasons.
A light drizzle falls as we say our temporary goodbyes and mount our bicycles, briskly pedaling up the lane, then coasting down the ice-and-snow-coated gravel to the hard road. It feels warm---with temps in the 40s reminiscent of the spring thaw, especially compared to last week's single digits and below-zeros. It's warm enough that I …
Riding on ice.
In the past year since I tried a fat bike for the first time, my definition of mountain biking has been completely redefined, and my conceptions of what can be done on a bicycle have been reshaped time and time again. I've gone places I never would have thought to go---in the snow, along the …
Frozen Fat, Day 2.
After a more leisurely start on Sunday and a change of venue from Rothrock State Forest to Lake Raystown, riders gathered in the Bakers Hollow Lot, ready to begin a second day of fat-biking. Today's ride was a bit different than Saturday---more casual, but punctuated by various "stages" or mini-events that riders could compete in …
helena kotala 