We've had a streak of extra cold temps lately, with daytime highs in the 10-15 degree Fahrenheit range and lows at night regularly dipping below zero. In fact, I can't remember the last time it was above freezing. Before Christmas, I guess. When it comes to getting outside for my usual outdoor activities, the uber-freezing …
Slush day.
"Slush day" doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, but it was, surprisingly so. Last weekend we got 2 feet of snow. This past weekend, temperatures jumped into the 50s. We weren't too sure how conditions would be for riding, if there would just be deep slush everywhere that would make for a miserable, …
Powder day.
This past weekend, "Winter Storm Jonas" dumped almost 2 feet of snow on us. This meant the end of singletrack riding for a little while (or until we get some trails packed in) and the dawn of the age of snowmobile trail riding. Luckily, there are a number of options, and since the snowfall came …
Sleeping outside.
I woke up at dawn, on the ground in a sleeping bag, the warm down surrounding me like a fluffy cloud, the trees reaching for the sky above, the first rays of sun glinting through the branches. The evening before had seen the thrill of flying through the darkness on a bike, the peacefulness of …
A soggy day at Greenwood.
Greenwood Furnace State Park is 7 miles from our house. The park offers a network of trails which were originally designed for cross-country skiing (though most of them seem terrible for that activity), but have more lately fallen victim to neglect, as skiers are few and far between and there was never much of a push …
In the spirit of exploration.
Fall is just about here. My favorite season, for so many reasons---the crisp air and clear skies, warm days and cool nights, the turning of the leaves, and, probably most importantly, the end of the busiest season for those of us in the business of outdoor recreation. Fall means I get to go on adventures …
Berries, splashes, giggles.
The day was clear, sunny. Warm, but not too hot. Friends arrived just as I was finishing up my morning coffee. Brent, ready to go as usual, in all his cycling garb. Jake, still clad in the flannel that he slept in, the alpacas running down the hill to greet this strange-looking, long-bearded, plaid creature. …
Thanksgiving.
We woke up early on Thanksgiving morning, made coffee to take in the car, and drove to the trail to get a couple hours of riding in before the family festivities and gluttony that would commence later in the day. Though it was still rather wet and muddy, conditions were much better than the day …
If you can ride in this, you can ride in anything.
That's what Evan said right before giving me a quick surprise kiss at the trailhead, immediately following a miserably soggy commute from his parents house to the snowy woods that we were so excited to ride. It was still snowing---wet, slushy flakes that turned the highways into a nasty stew of water, salt, and road …
Continue reading "If you can ride in this, you can ride in anything."
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 …