Freezing cold temperatures makes for blue skies and beautiful outdoor experiences. The first part of this week has been pretty much below zero and I have to say I am happy. The commute conditions are perfect, my bike doesn’t get all messed up, and everything is just pretty. Winter would be pretty cool if it…

The group stuck together and the topics dancing in the air had nothing to do with cross country skiing. There was theories on proper traction, screwing shoes, taxes, jewelry, Alden’s crashes, and other light hearted stuff. Lydia gave us a rendition of WalMart counter people and their complete outdoor ignorance.For me it was the highlight…

I forgot how long I was out there. Out there on a trail in the dark. I turned on my head lamp to see if I could still make out her foot prints and the telltale sign that she was dragging a sled. The ever so slightly and faint tracks. Like a lightly weighted set…

The ride home was yucky. The morning snow had turned to slush. The cars on my extended commute took shots at splashing me and driving as close as they could get. With all that I enjoyed my ride home. It is the only workout I would get except for a regeneration routine I am about…

Sunday I headed out for my first road ride of 2011. As I rode along and visited all the roads in and around Missoula I thought back. Back to what I was doing in past years on this weekend in January. In 2010 I was up on University Mountain riding my newly made screw tires.…

Norman suggested it and I immediately thought it was a good idea.  When recreating by myself I rarely have great idea. But when I get together with friends we always come up one. The expedition included plans to hike up Welcome Creek Drainage. So the next day we planned to meet at City Brew. I…

Tales from the Shoulders of I-90 Missoula might as well be the I-90 terminus of Serendipity. Everything rolls in on that artery, dreams and dust devils alike. And for me, it’s been a two-way street. This asphalt ribbon has ferried me out to chase rainbows in New England, tucked me in at rest stops on…

“Wanna ride tonight”, Chad asked me after a titillating description of snow biking conditions at Lolo Pass. My immediate gut reaction was disbelief. After all this was a “school night”. There was one thing that could temp me to go. I immediately emailed my friend Jill to see if she wanted to go.  It would…

Lessons from the Trail Hey there, fellow mountain bikers and philosophers of the trail! Today, I want to share with you a little nugget of wisdom I’ve coined as the “Hug-Hold Test.” It’s a simple, yet profound concept that hit me like a gust of wind on a downhill sprint. It’s about understanding the depth…

I love waking up at my friends house in Bozeman. Sten is up early and has coffee brewing and is the only friend I have that wakes up in my universe. Usually I am faking sleep and just waiting around for everyone. This morning I slept until 7:30 which is sleeping in for me. What…

I am looking out the window of City Brew towards Blue Mountain here in Missoula Montana. The big warm up has started and all things white are turning grey and lumpy. Soon the bare ground may appear. No big adventure awaits me today and I must save my injury story for another blog. This blog…

Movie Night and Mountain Biking: A Day of Contrasts Today was a tale of two very different halves. The evening was all about relaxation – hosting a casual movie night with friends, whipping up some delicious, calorie-rich treats, and just kicking back. It was the perfect antidote to a day that, let’s just say, had…

As 2011 unfolds, I find myself reflecting on the past year – a rollercoaster of fitness highs and lows. It’s like opening a report card: some areas bringing a smile, others… not so much. Waking up each morning, my heart rate monitor greeted me. In 2010, my resting heart rate hovered around 40.18 bpm, slightly…

When Life Throws Curveballs: Finding Strength in the Struggle Life can hit hard, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Imagine being so sick that the thought of going to the hospital crosses your mind. That’s a tough start, but sometimes, it gets tougher. You recover, only to face a new challenge – your home floods…