The one that worked

Well with all the great weather we have been having here in Utah has been absolutely great but like every year the snow will fall and trails will not be ridable. I have been lucky this year ad really got a lot of good rides in, and just like every year I felt like I only scratched the surface. But I am extremely grateful to my wife for making time on some of those days I urged to get out release pent up energy. I knew of a storm of impending doom that was on the horizon so I was to get out just once this week to ride dirt before it hit. Luckily I was able to get in on daylight and rode into the night. I was enjoying the ride, the trails were good despite a lot of rain the day before. There were only a few trails open so I did to laps on Rattler/Ghost Falls and then rode shoreline. I forget that Shoreline is actually pretty good in South Valley and was a good mix up into the night. The night was beautiful, there was a sliver of a moon and the air was so so so clear! I could see very little house lit in christmas lights and the moutnains around me despite little moon. The temperatures dropped while I was riding and the ground froze solid and while I wished I had more time I got about 90 minutes in and called it a night. One heck of a year, lots of Utah riding but like I said I have barely scratched the surface but have many good years ahead of me to do so many adventures I have planned.

The sneak attack

The weather was tough last week and Friday offered a good day to ride but I was not bale to make it happen since I chose to ski that day instead of bike which is a tough decision. So I needed to make it happen on Saturday before the rain rolled in, but with some bad luck the rain came early but that was not enough for me to go out and try. Unloading the bike it was raining lightly and I found trail and it was not bad at all. I spotted a few groups of bikers out as well and I just rode Rattler and Ghost and shoreline since they are all weather trails. I was happy to feel no guilt in riding that day since conditions were not bad, glad to have got one. Looks like the next two days are looking like I can squeeze rides lets hope before christmas day I will be knocked out for the season mostly with 4-8" expected in the valley.

Night ride w Bentley

Been too long since I have gotten my dog on the trail, wanted to see how he could keep up, he has not been a good bike dog the last few years and not much has changed, well he is a great trail dog its just he does not run fast enough on the DH and slows to a jog really. I have no idea if its just what he wants to do or all he can do, either way I absolutely love to bring him if it weren't for that issue of waiting for him. I went out after I put my son to sleep in an act of desperation to ride at least twice this week so there I was at 8:30 riding with no one else but my doggy. Bentley was alert not he trail but followed me perfectly and loved being right at my side so we shared the trail on the way up with him on my left or right. After a long up we were ready to go down and then I lost distance on my dog. He slowed to a trot halfway down and I had nothing to do but wait for him which was not a big deal. It was awesome getting a ride in and could of been my last if we got enough snow on Saturday which we did't! Hope to get rides this week with confusing conditions but worth trying.

A monday rippa

Enjoyed ab absolutely beautiful day on the trail last monday, it was warm man, 50's warm! I went out on  a mission to hit my two favorite DH runs in Corner Canyon, Maple Dh and Ghost Falls. If I had more time it sure would have been nice to add in Jacobs ladder but I was more than happy with what I got. The trails were perfect after melting snow it was absolute hero. So happy to be getting ride in December!

Friday Morning

Me and my good friend Brent finally lined up the schedules and got on a ride. I definitely hoped to have more rides this year with him and I think we have been on 4-5 rides which is good enough but next year I hope we can do better. We chose to start at the zoo and see how far we could get in two hours. Starting in the dark my light was the only one leading the way since he does not have one, but with a full moon and the city lights it did well lighting the first 20 minutes of the ride as the sun rose. Going up dry creek was a snap and once we got to the overlook I had to make the tough decision to head down and would not be able to make bobsled. Still had a blast going down a steep loose trail mown as lime Kilhn or something like that. Making back to the car was sucky, was not ready to end that ride but was glad it happened in December!

December Bliss

The weather here has been warm, I absolutely love it, I don"t care one bit that winter is not here yet cause that means more bike rides! I waited for the trails to dry after a little rain and had a very tough 2 year old that woke me up at 5:40am and had not napped all day so I put him down early for bed at 7pm and set out into the night to decompress. Coner Canyon was the place since it dries well and is crazy close. I knew almost all the trails are technically closed but the fact was that trails were in good shape and were closed for the season cause mostly this time of year the trails are in fact muddy. I rode on a plan for a loop on Ann's, it was not long before I ducked my first chain. I would never do anything like this but feeling there were no consequences from doing so I rode all that I intended on riding. As I got higher things never changed, it was a good ride over to Corner Canyon and over to Rattler. While I was just minding my business a bird kicked up right in front of me and bitch slapped me in the face, the amount of shock form what happened made my brain skip a beat. Was happy to not have any damage to my beautiful mug. I rode on and to the car so stoked to have gotten a ride in. Looks like the weather is solid and there are more to come in the next 5 days.

20 years of Snowboarding

It is close to 20 years I have been sliding on a board. This winter I wanted to try something different, like getting on a pair of skis and brining some spice back into the mountains. So I found a great place called Utahskigear.com and got set up with cheap gear that cost me only 108$ I got boots skis w bindings and poles, I opted for twin tip since I would like to ride park once I can get comfy and like the twin twip look of them. I realized this is a very used setup that I would upgrade one day but for now it gets me going. I was anxious for Monday to arrive so I could get to the ski hill and give them a try. I arrived to Park City Resort to use my season pass on my first day out. I booted up and carried the skis to the lift where I wondered if I should try them before taking the lift. I opted for the lift an said it can't be that hard right. They felt weird and I hated looking like a beater but I did all my best to make it look smooth. I got on the lift and wondered what the heck am I doing but I was also very very excited. Got off the lift clean and said here goes nothing down a green run. No doubt it was awkward and I avoided the silly snow plow and went straight for linking turns. It felt incredibly awkward but I made it down my first run without falling. After a few runs I learned how to really use the iside edge on the turning ski and that helped so much once I learned that. Took a lift up higher and took a blue which had some sections I was not ready for. I lost control a few times but never crashed or got out hand. I was catching quick and found a really great green run that was perfect for the next 10 runs and every one of them I got more comfortable and began to really get into carving. The experience was great, it was nice to be challenged in the mountain since I rarely am. I had to leave after 3 hours since I had only an allowed time to ride but can't wait to get back! I took a blue down the mountain and reminded me how I still have a way to go.

Friday Morning Schweetness!

The snow is melting, the weather has been outstanding, full of 50s and 60s. This one morning I got out had me up at 5:20 but had me riding none the less! I decided it was time for some adventure and would ride shoreline north to the Rose trails. From a trail map it seemed straight forward and I could get a 2-3 hour spin. Arrived to the start and got to climbing at a decent pace, I have not been on this trail is probably 7 years so I remembered it being brutal but just how much? Well the switchbacks began and I got out of the creepy woods without running into a homeless person and got the a stiff climb. It was not too much for me but I felt it for sure as I rose above and got a great view of the city lights.
    I was so happy to be out riding, the trail was perfect, it was a nice 40f and I was riding my bike in late November! Some light was shining through the top of the wasatch which was the beginning of a very very scenic sun rise. Sadly when I hit the radio towers I had to round the corner where I would lose sight of the sun rise until I came back the same way. I did take in what I had and continued on unfamiliar trail down to a unique part of the mountain. It was quite flat and the cool sun rise illuminated the trail to the neighborhood where I met pavement and found my way to the Rose trails.     The Rose trails are a small trail system located in Bountiful to the north and turns out are pretty sweet. I climbed up a comfortable trail and then had the option to do the Dh or continue, but unfortunately I was out of time and had to drop down. In the mean time the sky was stunning. I met a fork on the Dh trail and should have stayed on the DH but found myself climbing on another trail to make a better loop but had to drop down double track to the pavement since I was not wanting to run late. It was straight forward on the way back, a much longer climb than expected but a good workout for sure. Not a bad way to start the weekend!