Fall Foliage Tour

Ahh. Finally a few minutes to sit down in the comfy chair and write. I had an excellent Fall Foliage Tour. If you follow my reflections on all things Western Slope you've seen pics from previous hut trips. The same group of folks from the hut trip get together every year to rendevous in Crested Butte for what we've dubbed the Fall Foliage Tour. Call us creatures of habit, but rituals develop for a reason. Several things that the FFT involves year after year: intermittent rain, laps on Upper Loop (gets better every lap even after I've done it several dozen times), hobo stew, campfires, meaningful conversation, old friends, new friends, aspen, single track, smoothies, and a new trail (The Dyke Trail this year; maybe Reno/Flag/Bear next year? ) Usually we throw in an epic ride one day but this year we had some walking wounded and took it pretty easy...but I have to feel pretty bad not to ride a bike. It seems like when I talk about all my favorite things around P-Towne it always involves bikes (or food). One thing I knew when I was thinking about moving here was that I'd be within 1.5 hours of epic dirt in CB and 1.5 hours of epic dirt in Fruita. The local singletrack was a complete surprise. Anyway, the point is that knowing that you're moving somewhere that is equidistant and accessible to two of the best places to ride on the planet, and then actually living it out - it's pretty cool.

Uncompahgre

I've been falling behind on the posts. This is from a rainy day on the Uncompahgre Pateau. The UP is a high plateau that stretches from Grand Junction to Telluride and is bisected by trails, dotted with aspen groves, and is another world. You can ride single and double track from the Geej to Montrose. I was fortunate enough to go on a market research trip to Telluride to talk with a focus group about some new winter boots (some days I write spec sheets and slave away at calendars, some days I talk to hot women in Telluride). On the way back we detoured up to the Plateau to rip the Aspen trail and what Brian calls one of the best downhill sections in CO. We set out under cracking thunder to squeeze in a hot lap before the boys had to be home to wives and babies. Got muddy and left smiling.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Rest in peace my friend. I'll see you on the other side.

Monday Morning Commute

My normal morning commuting routine usually involves pedalling my San Jose down a tree lined street, next to the coffee shop's flower beds, past the pear orchards. It's one of the very best things about living in P-towne. This morning I started the commute from Crested Butte. I scraped the first frost of fall off of my windshield, loaded up some Built To Spill on the ipod and busted back to P-Towne. Arrived in time to park my car at home, grab my work laptop, throw a leg over the San Jose and finish the commute in Single Speed Satisfaction. The perfect augmented commute.

This weekend was autumnal perfection. Went to see Toni race Imogene Pass (17 miles, 5000 uninterrupted feet up, 4000 uninterrupted feet down). After being duly inspired, I pointed the Subi out of Ouray Saturday night toward Crested Butte. Spent Sunday with the kind of friends who remind you of who you are....more inspiration. Not only did I get dog-piled by love this weekend, I got to wring out every last second before plopping down in front of my desk at 9:05am.

Dark Canyon

You could spend a lifetime exploring the area between Redstone, Aspen, and Crested Butte.

Don't Cry Baby, It's Only a Low Head Dam

Don't freak out. It's a gravel dam with a low water slot. I was a little nervous to go on the river with two infants, but it is the Western Slope afterall. We had a low flow, low key time...the kind of float where you use your PFD to sit on. This section of the Gunnison is stunning; the put in is 20 minutes from P-towne. Nice day to snap photos, eat a few snacks, and completely relax. Sadly it was a send-off for Austin and Erynn as they are heading for parts unknown, infant in tow.

Third World Nation? Nope, Just GJ

Cutting weeds with a machete, fixing mopeds in a muddy alley, and riding in the back of trucks. Guatemala? Cambodia? Kazakhstan? Nope, just GJ. Made a trip over to visit the Cope girls (and Honorary Cope, Austin). Engaged in all things Western Slope such as shooting the Red Rider in the back yard (you'll put your eye out), listening to bad pop radio, and mowing the lawn with a rotary push mower...had a ridiculous amount of fun by not doing much of anything. August feels more like September. It hasn't broken 80 degrees in three weeks. Thunderstorms every night. Peaches are coming in. They haven't peaked and are slightly acidic...but still righteous. The local orchards start picking pears August 23. Saw a Granny Smith fall off a tree and nearly clock a guy in the head today. The whole valley is buzzing with life and growth. The energy is palpable. Enjoying the last weeks of summer. All will be gold up high within a month.

Trung's Grand Canyon permit came up. I think he's been waiting 8 years. We put on October 27. I've been wanting this for 15 years. Trip of a life time.