Here I sit doing my laundry and finding that I can get a wireless signal. It's a Friday afternoon after a beautiful sunset. I have opted out of going to Bernices Bakery so I thought I would be productive. Please don't mind the spelling and grammar as I am typing this out on my PDA.
This weekend promises to be good one with a ski party on Sunday. Well I must see if this will post. Have a great weekend everyone.
The snow has arrived, and with it, the end of mountain biking in and around Missoula. I still cycle to work, but hitting the trails on a bike? Not a great idea right now. The silver lining? There’s enough snow for skiing.
This Thursday’s Starry Night Ski in the Rattlesnake Recreation Area was sparsely attended, but that didn’t dampen my spirits. I had an absolute blast.
The route began up Spring Creek, veering onto Curry Cabin Trail. After reaching the ridge, it descended into Saw Mill Gulch and returned to the trailhead via the Mandatory Single Track. It was so exhilarating that I’m contemplating organizing a back-country Ski Series at the Snake.
Next week, Starry Night will explore the trails of Pattee Canyon. I’m also eager to ski the University Mountain South Ridge. Hope to see you there!
I am tinkering around the house this morning and just got reading the Missoula Indy. I blogged a while ago about how safe it was to stroll downtown Missoula at night. As I read the article entitled “Pattern of violence” I get even more concerned.
Missoula police say they haven’t noted a spike in the number of assaults in Missoula-which average 15 to 25 a week-and are not investigating the fights as gang activity. Detective Guy Baker, who oversees the gang unit for the police, says he’s aware of the boxing connections, but doesn’t regard the fact as relevant.
“Unfortunately, sometimes people like to fight in our society,” he says.
15 to 25 people getting assaulted a week, what the hell is going on! Turn your heads people, it isnt happening to us. That is a shocking statistic and followed by a shocking statement. Just kids being kids … right.
Sam Riddle, a former University of Montana basketball player, was beaten up at a Lewis and Clark Village apartment after celebrating his 25th birthday with his sister and her boyfriend at Stockman’s Bar. Three of the five men charged in the burglary and assault, which broke Riddle’s jaw in four places, held boxing licenses and boxed at the Wilma last year.
…
Then, Sept. 18, Mila Gergen and Ryan Knight, both 17, allegedly attacked Ben Corbett, 25, breaking his skull and causing brain damage, at the corner of Broadway and Ryman Street. Corbett’s friend Tyler Drake, of Seeley, was beaten unconscious when he tried to help
…
Oct. 15 beating of University of Montana students Wally Catton and Marcus Chebul, both 21, on Higgins Avenue left Catton with a broken jaw, a tripod fracture to his cheekbone and a mild concussion.
And what is the opinion of some people involved?
“That’s part of life, people fight in the street and then they go to jail,” says Russ Hansen
My conclusion … it is safe in Missoula as long as your tooling around your house. Go out and your in danger! Man, I better get home before it gets dark.
Good morning from The Break Espresso, where I am chomping on a Snickerdoodle and sipping some coffee. It seems life is outpacing me this morning. Ever since I fell behind on the climb Sunday, I really haven’t interfaced with anyone that much. Absolutely no emails, and no visitors to the Web Lodge!
I need to catch up. Tonight, I’m going hiking with Marcy (and the camera, of course) to take inversion shots and possibly capture the sunset. If I can catch up to the sun, then I will have not only caught up with life but also passed everyone in the process.
I’ll see you when you get there!
The clear skies let all of Thursday’s warmth float away, replaced by cold temperatures as we gathered at the Blue Mountain Recreation Area parking lot for Starry Night Rides II. In attendance were Larry D., Bill S., Dave R., Ross B., and myself. The cold was a blessing, as it meant excellent trail conditions.
We rode up the switchbacks just above the meadow climb to the southwest of the parking lot, then continued up to the upper parking lot. It was Ross’s first night ride, and he was learning the ropes. Too much clothing and you roast; not enough, and you risk freezing your chain rings off.
We did a couple of smaller loops, including the enchanted forest ridge downhill—twice. I didn’t mind and bombed it as usual. It’s refreshing to have someone around to pick up the pieces in case I fall on my head.
The ride went great without any incidents. We finished up by doing the lower meadow downhill to the road east of the area, then back to the vehicles via the field. Dave brought the post-ride beverages, and we went over a few night riding details before heading our separate ways.
Next week is Thanksgiving, so there will be no Starry Night until the following week. I’m available for a night ride on Tuesday, so give me a call or email. Don’t get flabby; we climb again in two weeks! Be there or be warm!
Here I sit with a cup-o-Joe in hand at the Break Espresso. I am over my dilemma finally after getting down to business with my things to do list for today. I run into this brainteaser every morning as I try to put cream in my coffee. It’s those karasks (what ever they call those insulated containers) that they use. You open one up to pour but it doesn’t pour so you turn the lid the other way. Nothing! Somehow though you manage to wiggle and jiggle it enough to finally get some cream out.
Heck you don’t even see it pour out; you just end up with creamer in your coffee. Not to mention the fact that you are always the one who empties the damn thing out. But with that mystery proposed let me say that I am finally back on track with a new set of skis. Last weekend you may recall that I broke my current set.
So now I am planning ski trips this weekend and a bike ride tonight with the Thursday Niters. Oh Starry Nights! Last night was a great ride as I went out to preview the course. The traction is as good as it gets with minimal snow on the trails. Surprisingly enough Marcy even found enough to complete the loop with me.
Yea, I thought she could get out and I could do our little loop that we are doing tonight. Instead we ended up doing the summer loop and now she sits home recovering. She is doing real well and the run seems to have her back to her old self and in shape.
This is the earliest I have ever gone cross-country skiing. Yesterday, Sunday, a couple of friends and I traveled to Lolo Pass to check out the conditions. What did we find? Great conditions.
I had my old setup, with duct tape and screws holding everything together. About a third of the way through, my buckle broke off my boot. We used duct tape to mend the problem boot.
A couple of miles later, I fell backwards and broke the binding completely off the ski. So we brought out the duct tape again, this time using all we had to tape my boot to the ski.
After another mile, it all unraveled. The back part of the binding fell off, and my heel was slipping all over the ski. Finally, after some real hard effort, the entire thing came off the ski, and my day of skiing was over. I had to hike back to the vehicle.
But wait, we’re not finished with the mishap list. I started to run and soon realized that my feet were getting cold. I looked down and saw the sole of my boot had broken out, and the sides were letting in snow. I thought I was going to end up barefoot. What a challenge.
I finally arrived at the lodge and overcame it all. The ginger snaps and cocoa refueled my soul for skiing, and now my thoughts are drifting to next week… skiing with some new skis. I’m hoping to score some used equipment at one of the shops in town. So now, I sit, recovering from overexertion, enjoying this fabulous Monday! Yeah, right!
My bike lighting system may just make it one more year. Last night I burned the 10w bulb and had to only change to the backup battery pack after one hour of riding. I was pleasantly surprise although the backup burned out in 15 minutes.
As I’m gearing up for the Starry Night Rides next week, I have to admit it stings a bit to say goodbye to those daytime rides. The season’s slipping away, and barring a few weekend rides and commutes, the ol’ bike and I are moving into nighttime mode. With the snow starting its sneaky descent from the mountaintops into the valley, it won’t be long before I’m hanging with my riding buddies at the Kettle House, swapping stories and dreaming up next year’s routes.
This morning’s rain has me back at the Break Espresso, cozying up with a coffee. Anything new here? Not really, though they did put in a door damper, so now it won’t slam every time someone forgets to shut it “gently.” And hey, it’s payday, which is lucky because I’m so far behind on my Life Chores it’s almost comical. Maybe the rain’s the universe’s way of saying, “Time to catch up.”
Last night’s TNR party was a blast—huge turnout and all. Bittersweet, though, seeing friends I’ve spent the summer sweating up climbs and flying down singletrack with. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll catch one or two of them at next week’s night ride.
The coffee at the Break Espresso has returned to just a dollar and even tastes better. I think maybe they are using a better bean or something. Things get better with age just like the Festival of the Dead Parade, which happened last night here in Missoula. I hope to post pictures soon of the festivities. Last year it was a good experience and this year I was prepared to take it all in. I camped out near El Cassador with my camera. I did not get the photos I wanted but I did get a few. There were so many people there with cameras and equipment better than mine so I was feeling equipment conscious and put away my spirit stealer. I did capture a couple spirits though. The highlight was the drum circle with dancers and a rhythmic beat that stayed with me as I pedaled home on my bike. Tonight is the Thursday Night Rides Party so I hope to get some plans together today for a Night Ride Series.
They’ve just arrested another teenager for that brutal attack downtown, where two men were nearly beaten to death. That’s now the third attack like this I’ve heard about since I moved to Missoula back in May 2004. I’ll be honest, I felt safer walking around in New Haven, New York City, Montreal, Burlington, even Plattsburgh. Sure, those places have their fair share of crime, but I never felt like I had to sprint home before dark.
What really baffles me is how the police here seem to be covering for these kids. Maybe it’s because the teens are connected somehow, family friends, or someone’s kid. Or maybe it’s just a “boys will be boys” mentality. Who knows? But I’ll tell you what, it makes Missoula feel like a dangerous little town. And every time I see a big ol’ 4×4 barreling down the road, I cringe a little, driving my poor VW bug, especially since it’s already been vandalized by teenagers around here.
Just this morning, I read they finally arrested a third kid, and I honestly get the feeling they only did it because they had to. Witnesses saw what happened that night, yet the police seemed content to brush it off, like everyone was lying. It’s ridiculous. They only start moving when there’s an uproar, then stumble half-heartedly in the direction of justice.
Last year, a man was beaten so badly he went to a cop for help, only to be treated like a drunk and shoved back outside, where the same teens were ready to finish the job. By some miracle, he managed to find a friend’s house to hide in.
Missoula’s all well and good while the sun’s up. But when it sets, the streets fill up with these young punks, prowling around just waiting for an excuse to put someone in the hospital.
The new remodel didn’t change much. The door is bigger, the wall did not come down, and it seems they have gained another extra space on the other side of the mural. One thing did change and it seems that maybe they are paying extra rent because the prices have gone up in the wireless coffee cave. I was shocked to bring in a dollar and not have enough for a small coffee. It is now $1.25. So now in addition to finding a new job and a new apartment, I am in search of a new morning hang. Just ask Taco DeSoul what happens to my business when they raise prices. I haven’t been in there since they started gouging poor people.
My weekend was good. Some highlights include visiting with my Aunts Wanda, Paula, and my grandma Ruby. They came through on Thursday and Sunday morning. Thursday I enjoyed spilling a beer at some “Perkins Style” restaurant in Reservestreetown. On Sunday morning we braved the cold temperatures to have breakfast at the River City Grill in Bonner.
I went on a killer mountain Bike ride yesterday and am proud to announce that I did not get shot. There were hunter galore but I braved the grueling climb and muddy terrain to top the lookout (cant remember the name) in the northern Bitterroots. I started to ride up the Elk Meadows Road and Branched off to the Sally (Something like that) Ridge. From there I went north to the Lookout before plummeting down to the Lolo Creek Valley. Extremely awesome downhill. Ill post the maps here online soon.
Well it is off to get my morning chores done; I have emails to send and contacts to bother. I have to prepare for my Night Ride Series entitled Starry Nights, City Lights. I also have to talk to a friend about my Thanksgiving plans. So stay warm (it is 32 degrees out here today), have a good Monday.
Good Morning from Break Espresso, deep in downtown Missoula. The big news this morning is on the front cover of Cyclosource, Adventure Cycling’s merchandise magazine. If you all remember, last July 17th, I took pictures for Adventure Cycling during Bike Montana, a Montana bike tour down the Bitterroot and over to the Bozeman area. Two of my pictures made the issue: the front cover (full page) and on page 13.
It was last Friday when my friend Julie Huck showed up at the Kettle House Brewery. She was toting the new issue, and when I saw it, a surreal feeling came over me. No, it was not the Double Haul IPA; it was seeing my picture full page on the cover of a magazine that made me feel strange. It was an exciting time!
Last weekend was filled with good ol’ Missoula culture, and now that I have semi-recovered from such fun, I find myself once again at the Break, looking for a job. I haven’t started my search yet, but I am hoping to hear from USGS soon about the position that is open here in Missoula.
Happy Hump Day from the Break. Sun is still not up yet and I havent done much job searching this morning. Last night I installed some php to make my front page load faster and it seems to be slower. I may have to diagnose and tweek. Sorry folks!
Good morning from the Break! Dark as usual and still no store front on the ol coffee shop. It looks like maybe they will keep the wall because everything is being gutted except the wall. I should of brought my camera but it is too large and I must get to work on this application for Invizeon.
Last night my weird dreams were preceded by an awful day. I was grouchy and got into fights with co-workers all day. To top it off I forgot to do the time clock at work correctly and now my big one-dollar raise is in jeopardy.
Last night the Friends and Family went very badly and in the end, I have decided to stop doing that. We get no fresh discussion just dysfunctional positioning. Although one new comer is making it once again.
So back to work you slackers and let me try to get a job!
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Hello folks! I am sitting at the Break Espresso enjoying a lemon scone and a cup of Americano. It is a little chilly here this morning because they have the front of the shop tore out in favor of a new remodeling project that includes taking over the building next door.
Well then, what is new? Not much! I have been spending most of my time looking for a job so I can continue to live and pursue happiness here in Missoula Montana. I did get a new opportunity the other day. Apparently, Liant, a company that does business software, called my supervisor and asked if I was interested in doing work at a reportedly 40 bucks an hour. I have not heard from the person yet but my supervisor is trying to hook us up.
What I have noticed lately is the awesome weather. Sunny and nice days that light up the fall colors with such beauty you have to just stop and wonder once in a while where I have been the last twenty years. Yesterday I enjoyed such beauty with a hike in the Rattlesnake with a local group called the Rocky Mountaineers. We did a pleasant hike up the Wallman trail and sun bathed in a meadow on top. Maybe some day Ill get to the picture I took.
For now, it is applications and resumes. I have some work to do this morning so I can go ride Point 6 with my friend Larry later today.
I fell asleep last night on my new couch. It is not that comfortable and to be honest I am not really all that impressed with it. I put so much time and effort into it I am giving it a week before I dismantle it and start using the floor again to watch TV and do hommie things. First off what did I do this weekend? Went to Kettlehouse, went hiking, went biking, end of weekend!
Back to the couch! Last night I thought to myself, ”wow if I collect enough of boxes and crap, tie them together, and put a blanket over them, I can make a couch“.
Now stop your laughing and let me finish. What if I put all the boxes together and then on top put something that spanned across them. Then I could put a pad and cover the whole thing with a blanket. I could mold the couch form by using different size boxes in certain places. Well after three hours of couch forming I feel asleep on top of my creation.
I tried my Beetle seat, camping pads, and other things laying around the house to try and heap together a sitting surface. The final product is an oddly level heap of boxes covered with a blanket. What did you expect? Probably a lot less that I did. Now I have moved so much out of the closet to build this contraption that I am too lazy to pack it all back. So that's it, my new couch … well at least till I get enough energy to put it all back or get a real one.
Hey there, good morning everyone! It’s a stunning, crisp morning here in the gorgeous Missoula, Montana. My usual morning blog got sidetracked today because I stumbled upon an amazing job opportunity while hanging out at Liquid Planet. So, I’m just dropping a quick note here due to a recent highlight in the Mountain Ear Newsletter. Super excited to share that they featured one of my snapshots and a recount of our hiking adventure about a month back.
September 10, Saturday: The fearless Bill Martin didn’t let a gloomy weather forecast stop him from teaming up with Jim Goss for an epic hike up to Heart Lake, Pearl Lake, and a saddle between Pearl and Dalton Lakes, making our way to the State Line trail at the day’s peak of 7,100 feet. Trudging a mile on the ridgeline with an inch of fresh snow from the night before, we found a trail on the other side of Heart Lake to round off our journey with a total of about 8 miles under our boots. Despite only catching brief glimpses of sunshine and running into a quick corn snow shower, our spirits were high and our feet surprisingly dry, thanks to the well-maintained trail. The views were somewhat obscured, but watching cloud armies clash over cliffs and ridges was a spectacle in itself. It was a day that reminded us all about the rewards of sticking through.
Boneshakerbike 