After a day of frolicking up Hyalite it was time to vacate the cabin and head back down to the “normals”. Society waiting for us to come and pay the dues. To work and pay our masters. So that we can return on another day. We vowed to make it soon.
The snow started to warm as we got back to the cabin. It seems like it was a mad rush to get out of there before we would be forced to push out. It would be much easier to ride the crust.
Funny thing, ice. When frozen we can skate on it, play hockey on it, and even ice fish. When it melts I fall into water. Eeek … Freaking horrible. I hate water. So I guess in a way I have a fragile relationship with winter. And as spring hits its a mad scramble to get off the ice.
All packed up we started to to “bomb down the hill”, a 10 mile journey of mostly downhill. But the first 3 miles would be snow, the first 1/4 on a compacted 4 feet of snow. I mean, pushing a quarter mile is not that bad. But after a morning of riding crust we wanted to milk that feeling.
That feeling of gliding effortlessly along. The feeling one gets on a super flowie single-track in the summer. Ah yes summer. Lets ride down to summer.
Coming soon to a theater near you. Their legendary story about adventure and triumph. Against a lynch mob of blogger bounty hunters the two adventurers found and survived in a hideout located among the towering cliffs of Hyalite Canyon. Everyday was a new adventure. The new flick is about a day in the life. And what a day it was.
Bill Martin and his partner are a couple steeped in eccentricity and irregularity but are very much into adventure. So when they both are finally awake on a cold and frosty morning they seem to be taking it in stride.
Mo is enjoying her coffee, Bill is already practicing skill that he believes a good adventurer should have, and they both riding fat bikes, Abba and Ruby, so that their prospective day can have possibilities.
However, things are shaken up when Bill and Mo go outside at Window Rock, as snow conditions reveal a surprising piece of news.
The snow has crusted and could support the fat biking couple, scuppering Bill and Mo’s plans to hang out in the cabin all day.
Because Mo lost her outside motivation when they had to “walk in” due to warmer soft conditions, she finds this news very exciting, and so the resilient couple quickly find a way to turn it in to a day.
It becomes obvious that this is what the pair needed, as they embarked on a search for the right place for them to ride, which became the trail to Hyalite Lake.
They go to every place they can think of, meeting open meadows and creek-banks along the way, with laughter and abandon, this is a ride the couple will never forget.
I recently got a headlamp that has a red light so as to not bother others at night. It actually helps me sleep as well because it is void of the blue light that is harmful for sleep. This morning I had it on so as to not wake my partner. I was gathering supplies to make coffee. As a side job I was trying to get the fire going in the stove. I went outside to gather more wood.
On the way back to the cabin I accidentally stepped out of the little snow trail we had to the firewood shed. And I almost twisted my ankle. My god, the top layer of snow was hard as cement. Then a light went on and I dropped the wood and ran to the cabin.
I scrambled around and got my riding gear together and headed out the door. I jumped on my fat bike and tested the nearest un trampled section of snow. Which, I might add, is like 3 to 6 feet deep in places. Spring has not arrived up here just yet.
It held firm and I was gliding across the surface as if it were sandstone. I rode a couple laps around the cabin and stopped to pick up the firewood. I went inside and stocked the fire and left. My partner still asleep. I was on a mission.
The first step in the mission was to see where I could ride. Turns out everywhere except next to trees. The trees must keep the ten feet around them a little more warmer. My existence out here was dependent on the temperature. I looked at my GPS … 23 degrees. Perfect.
Next I wanted to see where I could ride. At first I was tentative but found myself testing new things like riding down near the stream. To see how close I could get to the edge. As close as I wanted. Such cool terrain. I even just crossed the creek. And tried new snow bridges across the creek.
Another mission was to see what I could climb. Turns out everything. I was climbing up a slope and doing turns down it like a skier. Excited I bolted back to the cabin. I had to wake my partner. She had to experience this.
We have been to Window Rock Cabin twice now. The first time was last year when we biked up with our mountain bikes. And the second with my friend Paul. This time we left a month early and took our fat bikes. And it was a good thing because we encountered what we had hoped for … snow.
Push
After a fabulous ride to the familiar cabin I leaned my bike against the porch rail and went inside. I immediately smelled smoke and thought, “good, someone was just here and there are coals in the stove.” I couldn’t of been more wrong. And later I would realize that the previous “evacuation” was the reason for the strong smoke smell. But that never dawned on my right away and I started a fire.
Smoke billowed out of the wood door and I closed it and opened the ash tray. Usually this works with the signature sound of a blow torch as the oxygen fuels the fire above. No sounds and the smoke continued to billow out of the door around the seems. I held the door in to no avail. Finally we bailed and took the burning wood outside then went back in to access the problem.
My partner discovered that the horizontal portion of the stove pipe was full of ash so we dis-assembled it and emptied it outside into a pail. Excited that we solved the problem I started a new “test” fire. Still the stove smoked and it seemed as though there was no air flow to the outside. Investigating why I discovered that someone had broken the flu in the stove top. I quickly repaired it and tried again. Nothing, the stove smoked excessively. So then we figured there was a air leak and discovered that the fiberglass rope that is usually cemented into place on the door was gone.
After re-using a piece from the oven door we were able to seal the door and the fire started again and that seemed to help. But after returning to the cabin from chopping wood my partner was inside busily trying to put out the fire. Smoke billowed out of the cabin. I went in and opened the windows and almost succumb to smoke inhalation.
It seemed like a good time to just give up and do what the previous cabin renters have done and bolted for home. But I wanted to see one last time what could be wrong. I used my hand and ran it up near where the smoke was supposed to go and felt no draft. Then I went and did the same thing above where the pipe exited the stove and felt a significant breeze. That is when I noticed a second flu that controlled the amount of air flow between the stove and the main wood compartment. Someone, when discovering the main flu being broke, tried to burn a fire in the stove and had switched it over to that side. I switched it to the main log compartment and the breeze returned. We started a new fire and wholla … it worked.
Playing crosswords at Window Rock Cabin
Later while we were doing crosswords reaping the benefits of our new heat source I felt very good that we stuck it out and figured a way to make the stove work. Sure, it was broken due to neglect and the Forest Service needs to go up there and fix it. But we stuck it out and devised a fix. My partner with the resourcefulness to go out and harvest tree sap and stick in the make shift seals and my curiosity to find all the tiny things that in the end added up to a very smoky situation. It is going to be a good weekend.
Yea, OK! It is Friday and I have to get to work to finish off the work week. This weeks journey has been interesting. We have been trying to confirm that we will not get screwed by our old rental company and can move one. Why is it so hard to deal with rental companies these days? But it is Friday and I am thankful for that.
by Mo Mislivets
by Mo Mislivets
by Mo Mislivets
I just realized that I work from home today so yea for me. Gives me a bit more time to blog. But nothing to blog about really. Monday the journey started and now it ends. Along the way I encountered some great stuff like all the great bikes after work. I also encountered some weather like the performance reviews at work. Another great ride. See you down the trail.
A friend just sent me some photos from back in 1999. It brought back some memories. Some memories that I can jot down and release myself from my self imposed pressure to put out a blog post every morning.
by Paul Bardis
If I can recall correctly, I probably can’t, it was a weekend that my friend and I planned. Let me clarify that indeed I can not remember so I will go off of what information I received in the email and make stuff up.
It was the best of times and the worst. I learning new technologies and in school and my friend Paul hooked to a beeper. If it went off he had to go. We brought Marcy and that kind of meant we had to do dog friendly stuff. What better to start the adventure off with a kayak near a place called Floodwood Pond.
We proceeded to paddle around the lakes with Marcy at the helm. That is until we got close enough to shore that she decided to jump for it. Problem was there was no footing like she had thought. She panicked and from that moment on would never be pressured to go near water again. She probably thought she was a goner.
by Paul Bardis
Then on day 2 we hiked to a waterfall called Mossy Cascade. It was beautiful and so green. We were messing around trying to get a closer look at it when Marcy bolted up the rocky ledge. She loved to climb things and probably thought we were headed up the cliff.
When I saw her bolt I knew it was a mistake but surprisingly she almost made it. That is until she fell backwards tumbling down to the creek below. I knew instantly she was a goner.
by Paul Bardis
Paul was probably wishing his beeper would go off. It must of been hard to be around when a friend losses his faithful companion. But Marcy did not die. She made it through. She was a little banged up and had a cut lip. But she did make it through.
by Paul Bardis
Later on at camp I sat in my new hammock and played on my laptop. Not that I was doing anything productive by today’s standards. I had no email and probably did not know what a that even was. Blogging, forget it … I didn’t even know what “online” meant. I didn’t even have or believe in taking photos. No I was probably working on a 3d program I used to like called Bryce.
Nowadays Marcy is not around any more so I guess in a way she is a goner. And I don’t fancy being on my computer without a internet connection. But I still have my friend which plans a adventure with me every so often. And look at all the cool stuff we can do on the internet.
I am thankful that I have a flexible job to allow me to et my work day hours. I have been going into work at 7 lately for the specific reason to get out early. The theory goes that I would have more time to play after work. So that is what I have been doing. And I have pulled off the getting to work early part. But have failed at the play part. I know … insane.
I have been going home with the complete understanding that once there I would launch into a feirce core workout. And then the next day amybe get out on the bike for some burst training. And the next day maybe run a mountain. But when I get there I am greeted with Mr. couch. and Mrs. dinner. And Dr. relaxation.
The best part of life is that you can change things and that is the part I am most grateful. So today I plan to get out on the bike and even do some core when I get home. Today’s carrot project is the continuing effort to find gravel.
The bitch is that life must end and it is up to us to do shit before it does. So I need to plan to do stuff. I have to do stuff. I must do stuff.
Hmmm … what to do on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon. I know. Lets go down to World market and buy all the brands that have 80% or better cacao content. Then eat it all. A dark chocolate shootout.
Lindt
Chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa powder processed with alkali, sugar, and bourbon vanilla beans
Mo – second favorite bar of the race and tastes like “sticky vanilla”. The texture a 2.5 out of 5.
Bill – favorite bar of the shootout and is bitter in a “good way”. This bar has a porter like taste that is buttery and silky. “What I want a dark bar to taste like”. The texture a 4.5 out of 5.
Score (out of 5): Texture – 3.5 Taste – 4.5 Ingredients – (almost healthy) One of the only to NOT contain soy lecithin it IS processed with alkali. Bummer because it would of been the healthiest of the contest.
Mo – Tastes “lemony” and “bitter citrus”. The texture a 4 out of 5.
Bill – Third favorite bar of the shootout. Taste is “a flavorful fruity sweet” and “has a familiar berry like fruity taste”. The texture a 4.5 out of 5.
Score (out of 5): Texture – 4.25 Taste – 2.5 Ingredients – (unhealthy) The unhealthiest of the bunch. Contains dairy, soy lecithin, and a mysterious “natural flavor” which should be a real big flag.
Mo – The favorite bar of the contest. Tastes “hint of raspberry” and “fruity”. The texture a 4 out of 5.
Bill – Second favorite bar of the shootout. Taste is “a balanced chocolate” and “has a fudge like quality that holds up to the bite” and “dense good structure while being very smooth”. The texture a 4 out of 5.
Score (out of 5): Texture – 4 Taste – 4.5 Ingredients – (almost healthy) Lots of chocolate in this bar with the only caveat soy lecithin.
Godiva
Unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin
Mo – Third favorite bar of the contest. Tastes “coffee bitter cacao”. The texture a 3.5 out of 5.
Bill – Not favorite bar of the contest, but not the worse. Tastes “sour sharp”. The texture a 2 out of 5.
Score (out of 5): Texture – 2.75 Taste – 2.5 Ingredients – (almost healthy) Lots of chocolate in this bar with the only caveats are more sugar and soy lecithin.
Conclusion
The winner of the bunch has to go to Divine because it had the highest texture score and tied for best flavor. It was also Mo’s favorite bar. But it’s easy to win when you have the highest sugar content … right?
The runner up and my favorite bar of the bunch goes to Lindt just barely edged out by Divine. And if you look at it from the fact that it is 90% you have to say that this bar is pretty amazing.
The healthiest bar is the World Market bar. And that is because it was the darkest at 99%. This is it’s downfall as well because it was the yuckiest one in the race.
Special mention goes out to Godiva for being an OK bar. It is kind of healthy but has no stand out qualities. Just another good dark chocolate bar.
Ghirardelli was a big disappointment because it’s brand name is synonymous with quality. Also it is way to hard to spell and is the unhealthiest bar of the night.
The forecast called for a rainy mix. Kind of miserable for riding the cross bike and way to mucky for the fat bike. The trails around these parts are no where near open yet for mountain biking. I hit the zoom link on the weather site and zoomed out. Ah ha!
Pipestone was sunny and 60. Perfect. So we loaded up the bikes and headed out. Within 30 minutes we were parked and I was charging up trail 9.
Soon my partner charged by me beating me to the top. She on her really light mountain bike and I on my “fatty”. Still though I almost caught her. After taking in the view we rode to the Ringing Rocks and off the other side of the ridge. I took the lead and showed off some of Pipestone’s gems and then stopped at a old cabin to enjoy some sunshine. Near the end of the ride I gave a pretty bad school on broken chain repair but all attendees got the gist.
So after a such a great time what would any great ride planner try to squeeze in? A soak in some natural hot springs, of course. After some long dirt road adventures we found a secluded spot along the Jefferson River. And then caught the sunset before returning back home.
I was sick on my birthday so the entire event was rescheduled. And since I was sick I did not get the email about when it was rescheduled to. Then one day I got ambushed by the entire clan. I knew something was up when an art project irrupted in the spare bedroom in which I was banned from.
Mr Bear presented me with a round gift which was wrapped in a custom gift wrap. My total haul was a sweet Kali bike helmet and a very cool custom picture frame with all our memories in it. Very sweet of all our gang to put all this effort into a day in which I turn 48 … or is it 49. I cant remember.
I found a Gravel Roads Needing Pavement document online and it sparked my fancy. Now I cant stop thinking about “gravel projects“. My goal is to put together gravel loops here at home for this time of year, spring. Or at the very least a quick reference for after work as I put together that night’s “long way home”. Which, if I may add, is my favorite thing to do. What better way to de-stress from work then to go on a adventure … right?
It’s Friday and still have not read my performance evaluation that I received a week ago. Last week I was “bitching” about my job so we are all up to date with my situation. This part of work life seems like fat biking in deep snow after a blizzard. The terrain is undulating and sweeps from crusty hard snow banks to knee deep powder. All pushing a heavy bike.
So why am I bitching about fat biking? I do it all the time. To clairify I am not griping, at least I don’t think I am. Even though it is tough it is also enduring in a moderately extreme environment. It’s pretty tough at times. But in the end you make it to the destination. Along the way you learn, adapt, and grow. Otherwise you wouldn’t of made it to the end. You are forced to hit the obstacles head on and push through.
My performance review said “Meets Standards”. Hard to believe even after working in the extreme. Like being hired for one thing and then told to do something totally uncomfortable and new. I must of adapted. Or I have learned “the system”? I don’t know. Just trying to spin it positive. Problem is that I don’t feel I meet standards. I feel like a total failure. Others have adapted and now are productive. I still just sit there and say, “Duh???”.
So where does this leave me? It is like I set out in a blizzard anticipating a fun and challenging time. Then the sun comes out and I end up doing a road ride or something easy. I a TOTALLY uncomfortable with it being to easy.
The weekend is closely approaching and I lay in bed starring at the ceiling. I can not help but feel like a failure. My thoughts keep me awake. Kind of like a skyscraper in the sunset. I know that when the sun sets then the lights will just come on. I prefer to recharge at night. So I have to get to sleep. I haven’t yet brushed my teeth or done any bedtime chores tonight. This entire week I have slacked. I have not done cores this week at all. I have not even done my EMWave or N-Back training. I start to think, “what’s the point”. I am, or was, at a dangerous juncture.
Tomorrow is a new day and I make some promises to myself. I fall asleep.
Morning now I think back to the derailment last night. Like canoes out of water. I am not accustom to resolving or even thinking for that matter after 6. Bottom line, don’t think at night. Just go to bed.
I am waking up on a hump day, stuck in between societal obligations and the blissful weekend. I sure wish Boz Angeles was different in two ways.
#1 – A tram. And then we could get rid of all our cars. Right? There would be a law stating that no motorized vehicles are allowed in city limits. Then our green spaces would be peaceful and our hoods green and happy. And also maybe push through a law stating that diesel pickups are not allowed inside Gallatin County. Ah yes ….
#2 – Allow big wheels. Right? Allow fat bikes on all our trails in Gallatin County. All trails. Wilderness and groomed ski trails. And this would make Bozeman a true pleasure to live in. I think I will live within my dreams today. Screw the real world. See ya all later … suckas.
Continued from our previous post entitled “Discovering a new place“. We are on a scouting trip to our new land. It is not easy to get to paradise. First you must overcome some difficulties.
This visit we must ford numerous natural waterways and traverse deep caverns. But this part is fun. No … the real difficult part is to break free from the evil Fukar. The evil leader of the land in which we live now. In our recent attempt to scout Fukar has “conveniently overlooked” the bandits with weapons patrolling the grounds. And now new taxes are being put into place to keep us from planning any escape.
But we did it. We avoided the dragon poop mines in the compound and made the move while the bandits were sleeping off a drunken night of pillaging. Yes, we are taxed but saved enough to pay the crossing troll at the edge of the compound. And now we are gleefully hopping water and natural elements. Happiness is on the horizon.
It’s one thing to subject ourselves to EMFs, sugar, carbohydrates, garbage, polluted air, and bad water. But what about the animals? Yea, it’s cool to go to the Flamingo to hang out with them and drink beer. What a paradise to have the wild right there and a place to gamble just ten yards away. How cool, right? Not! Super fail. I sat down with the big stars of the strip to get the low-down of living in Vegas.
Fred Flamingo was the first I interviewed. It was hard to get him to answer organically and spoke mostly off-record. Probably wanted to protect his job. It is my opinion that his bracelet was given to him and was enough bling to entice him into this life on the strip. I am also guessing he is OK with the hazards of his job. He makes big cash and has a plush pad in the Trump Towers. So mark up one for “does not care”.
Not really a carp Suzanne tried to convince me that she was. I got nothing about her background and genome. Something to hide? Perhaps. After a short time I realized she must be suffering from some kind of bi-polar condition and living in a abstract world. Probably from all the carbs she had in her diet. When asked about her favorite part of living on the strip she replied that all the free popcorn was the coolest. That’s a vote for “all for it”.
Prince Downey is a beautiful white bird that has a distinctive red comb. We shared a glass of wine and talked about arts and movies. Clearly the snob of the strip this bird prefers to run with the rich and famous. As of this writing “Dowers” as his friends call him was set to sing backup for Elton John. Mark Dowers down for “I’m to fancy for my hood”.
Buck is the ugly duckling of the strip. He seems to have identity issues and is always trying to impress others. From winning the annual Vegas Duck Run Ultra to setting records for holding his breath Buck was a hard interview. He only agreed to be interviewed during one of his workouts. Mark him down for “I’m moving to Durango”.
Steve “The Statue” is a strip performer. Today he is performing his live rendition of what he calls “Inner Soul”. Off camera we sat down where he revealed his inner most desire to be a mountain climber. He has plans to save money and move to the high country. I left a twenty in his bucket.
And thats it folks right from the inner city animals. Even though they are destine for the same fate as us humans they seem to adapt just fine. For me, this animal is getting out town.
I am still sick so today it is a lot of bed and no biking. I feel like a week ago when stuck in Rome I did what the Romans do. Drink and rest.
I have a pounding headache but the vertigo has subsided. I suspect I have a sinus infection but that is speculation. A week ago I looked out over Caesars Palace courtyard. At first glance spectacular. But the second I noticed all the discrepancies. No fine details were available like the Colosseum arches. They were filled in by painted grey wall it seems. This is not what it seemed to be.
But no matter, the sun was out and I had a dark beer sitting in front of me. Like so many college kids out there on the strip, right? Today I am drinking soup and tea. Instead of beer. I am laying down to keep from puking. Instead of relaxing in the sunshine. I must rest.
There are a lot of people visiting Las Vegas. In the middle of the day near Caesars Palace, it was so crowded that getting something to eat for our band of weary adventurers seemed impossible. Everyone was about to give up and head back to the hotel room. We needed a respite from all the people. As a group, we felt overwhelmed, just like when I woke up that morning. It seemed like a hopeless spiral towards more hopelessness.
I looked up and noticed a balcony with deck umbrellas. I suggested that we investigate. No one had the energy to oppose the idea.
Tonight, my vertigo is finally allowing me to get online and post a blog. Things are not so hopeless anymore. When we finally found our way to the third floor, we were whisked away to a balcony all alone. The meal was perfect, and the view was more than we could have asked for. After that, we had a new perspective on how to find places of tranquility. The rest of the day, we spent laying around at the Flamingo, and the vertigo turned to bliss.
Boneshakerbike 