Somewhere on the descente of the Teva Games

Colin shot me this link: http://www.tevamountaingames.com/ev_cycle_xc.cfm for the Teva Games, it seems they found my face not too offensive and put it up on their webpage for this years edition of the cycling events in Vail. It is a sweet shot on a very small sliver of good single track on the course, I wasn't too impressed with the rest...

The Tour of California has turned out to be a great event, artly because of the great VS. coverage, and due in part to the great riding! I have three good friends out there, Jason Donald who had that great Prologue and has since slipped down the rankings, but is still getting he face and name on the coverage everyday; then there is Jason MCCartney, my old highschool friend from Burlington, he has done awesome moving up to thrid! Man I am stoked for him, he has worked hard for a long time, and it could not be happening to a nicer guy. And my good friend Dan the Mavic Man, driving around in one of the Mavic yellow cars providing tech support.

Tried a fish taco dish tonight, Baja style slaw, and seared Halibut, yummy.

California Dreaming

Watching the Tour of California, it is hard to believe that it is so green and warm elswhere in the world, but I guess that is just me walking around with my blinders on. Not that i think we have it bad, I mean Fruita is still unridable, the front range has a much harder winter than us. This weekend I did a sweet ski with KT up in Mill Creek, and then a nice 2hr road ride with Sandi on sunday. In fact I have logged more days up here riding than last year driving to Montrose to ride (which we have yet to do). On the traininer I have like four or five days, from the sounds of Nat Ross's blog, he has many more than that. We have had it pretty good up here in the high country- well except for the fact I have been on my snowboard only once - but it was a powder day. The nordic skiing has been killer, in fact, I think I will hit it again today, but you can't help to be California Dreaming with those beautiful pics on VS. coverage. Hope Sea Otter will be that nice...

Kicking the habit

This is not a 'new' album, first released in 2004, but it is for me. After hours of soaking my ears in the fresh, edgy sounds of XMU, I have discovered some new tunes to listen to, Grand National is one of these groups. The album "Kicking the National Habit" is a rebirth of the classic punk sound, but with a mix of European eletronica for an up-beat lively sound. I first heard Grand National on Sasch'a "Involver" album, featuring the track "Talk Amongst Yourselves", and loved it from the first listen. In fact "Kicking the National Habit" offers up Sacha's remix as a bonus track. Never dule, nor repetitive, I found myself eagerly awaiting the next track, and not wanting to fast forward or skip a song. It is on my iPod now, and prbably will be there for awhile.

www.grand-national.net

first rides

Gunnison has not been Gunnison this winter, only a few days of -0 temps, and it already feels like spring. after a day of the coffee trade, I hopped on the cross bike for a road ride, along with several others in Durango. Travis had told me he had been riding so I brought the cross bike figuring if the trails were dry (they weren't) I had options. It felt great to get out, Sandi & I had ridden last sunday following the alley loop. it is so figgin' cool to mix it up this time of the year, my weeks look like this:

Mon - 45min - 1hr run or 1 to 1 1/2 hrnordic ski + 1hr yoga
Tue - 1hr spin/ ride or run
Wed - 1 1/2 to 2hr skate ski hard
Thu - 1hr run
Fri - 2 hr spin/ride
Sat - skate ski race/ or 2 hr skate ski hard
Sun - classic tour or 2 hr road ride and 3 hrs snowboarding

all the way into april we can go to telluride for snowboarding or go skate skiing up in cb, then follow it up with road rides or mtbing in fruita. sounds like Colin is heading to AZ soon to ride, he'll be hooking up w/ Dejay...sounds like trouble to me.

I am building up my new IF hardtail and will have some reports on some new products soon.

remember, enjoy the process.

all things nordic

the winter has been great, despite the illusion by everyone else in the country that Colorado has a ton of snow (sorry, just denver), nordic skiing has been awesome. having hit the Grand Mesa nearly 10 times this season, and several other worthy locals, my skiing has come a long ways. proof is back in december I finished 3rd in the master's 10k in crested butte to some fast skiers, guys who burried me in the past by several minutes. then at a sprint race on western state's campus (it was fun to throw down on skis around the same places we have our cyclo-cross events) I pulled out a 2nd against a bunch of younger and more experienced skiers. then over the past weekend I won the master's class in the 21k in the alley loop in cb taking 3rd overall. Traveis Brown was in attendance doing the 42k and took an impressive 4th overall, he has mad skills on the skis just like the bike, wow.

skate skiing to me is much like single speeding, hard efforts on the climbs, ripping the descents and especially at areas like aspen, frisco, leadville (tennessee pass) and the grand mesa, it is so much fun. your out there, flying down trails, through trees and some great scenery, just epic. next year i will be having clinics specifically for cyclists looking for a great winter training programs to boost their summer performances along with picking something up that is so much fun.

Salomon has me on their '08 Equipe 10's and they are sweet. new construction, more 3D shape, nmex core mean lighter overall weight, but more so verylow swing weight, more snap on the kick means more power transfer, and they are fast. I have been loving breaking these guys in.

I glued up some semi-slicks on the 'cross bike as I am slowly mixing in some riding for the coming season. Fruita is in bad shape, snow mud, and long ways before there will be riding down there.