Category: Blog Posts

Last weekend’s escapade to 9 Mile Valley with my friends Ed, Laurie, and Julie was nothing short of magical. The holiday festivities in this quaint valley had us brimming with excitement from the get-go.

Our first stop was the iconic 9 Mile Schoolhouse, a charming structure that seems to have leaped straight out of a storybook. Its rustic charm and historical significance made it a perfect backdrop for our holiday adventure. We wandered around the schoolhouse, each nook and cranny telling a tale of yesteryear. Laurie, the history buff among us, shared fascinating snippets about the schoolhouse’s past, adding an educational twist to our visit.

But the true adventure began when we decided to drive up the valley for a hike. The landscape transitioned beautifully as we ascended, with the lush greenery giving way to breathtaking views of the valley below. The trail was a delightful mix of challenging and scenic, keeping us engaged and in awe throughout. Ed, always the joker, kept us entertained with his endless stream of puns and jokes, ensuring there was never a dull moment.

Julie, our resident adventure buff, captured the essence of our journey in her guidance.

Our day in the 9 Mile Valley was a perfect blend of history, nature, camaraderie, and laughter. It was an unforgettable experience, one that we’ll cherish and reminisce about for years to come.

Again, sorry for the lack of blogging. So much biking, hiking, and general fun is out there! This Thanksgiving day was one for the scrapbooks.

The day began after I woke up, sore from a previous run-in with a car the night before. Not one to miss out, I booked it up to Pattee Canyon with my friend Aaron for the one-time-only day version of the Thursday Night Ride / Hike.

It wasn’t long before we were gathering on top of old Sentinel, enjoying each other’s company and the sunshine. We were really working hard on that appetite. The boys tried the last headwall numerous times…

Today, I’m joining friends at Larry’s house to cheer on the University of Montana Grizzlies as they take on the Montana State Bobcats in a highly anticipated rivalry game. This clash is a significant event here in Montana.

Earlier this morning, I embarked on a Sunrise ride, hoping to witness a breathtaking sunrise. However, instead of a radiant dawn, I was met with a gloomy cloud drifting towards me, bringing along a dusting of snow.

Undeterred by the weather, I continued my ride, traversing Jumbo Saddle and venturing into Marshall Canyon. After a brisk descent, I meandered over to Deer Creek, where I tackled the challenging Deer Creek Sneak. The ride culminated in another exhilarating descent down Pattee Canyon.

www.trailforks.com

Deer Creek Sneak in Missoula, Montana

Sent from my iPhone

I hope you enjoyed this snapshot of my day in Missoula. Stay tuned for more adventures from Big Sky Country!

Good morning from the sun-kissed streets of Missoula, Montana! It’s one of those days where the sun beckons you outside, and I couldn’t resist.

Opting for the scenic South Hills route to work, I soaked in every moment. Now, I’m toying with the idea of swapping out my usual lunch routine for a midday ride. Who needs sandwiches when you have sunshine and open roads, right?

Up at 5 am in a freezing Missoula, stressing over bills. The IRS says I owe $700 for underpaid taxes in 2007. That’s on top of a $500 bill from Cellular One and a $2000 car repair. Looks like no mountain bike races in 2010 for me.

Despite being robbed blind, had a blast last night. Rode up Sentinel Mountain with Ed, calling it the Treasure Ride. Felt strong, reaching the top without a hitch. The city looked amazing at night.

Ed suggested extending the ride to Deer Creek, then the Kim Williams Trail. Couldn’t resist.

Hoping to find a buddy for tonight’s ride – US West Trail, Marshall Canyon, then down the Sidewinder Family. Any takers?

Sent from my iPhone.

Mulecross is well documented, take a look at the Mule X Blog. For the visually stimulated there is the video (highly recommended). For the snapshot crowd there are the photos. And the stat geeks the results. Here is my short recollection of last weekend. 

Saturday morning my friend bob and I took the drive to Bozeman in anticipation of snow and cold wet muddy conditions. When we arrived we found perfect fall weather and the mud was really minimal. When we approached the venue I immediately saw the large run-up that dominated the skyline. I said, “holy shit … a real run up”. Not only was this run up steep but apparently muddy.

I haven’t run up a hill like that in the mud since I left Plattsburgh New York. I remember the days behind the fieldhouse when we included streams, single track, and long run sections. Once I remember we even put a gate-hopping in the race.

MC-ing the event was a gunslinger and 

Hello from a place that should not be named. As I sit here I thought it would be mice to post a little informational blog on what is up with the limited posting lately.

A couple weekends ago I did the RMVQ and had a blast. It was my intention to post a blog on how it went. I can’t come up with any good reasons why I have not done that yet although there are plenty.

I have been trying. Every time I fire up the laptop to process the photos, videos, and write a few words about each leg it seems the modern elecronic price of shit crashes and I spend my last valuable moments just trying to get it started again. Sony Vaio … FAIL.

And I guess this brings me to my last big reason for being a slack ass. Time management. I am suddenly bad at it. It seems that all I can get done in a day is feed myself and wipe my as when it comes out.

That reminds me. Better get back to work. Personal ass wiping time has expired.

Posted from iPhone…o/o

Hey, folks! I had quite the adventure last weekend. I set out to do some more mapping of the RMVQ course on Saturday evening. It was all going well until it got real cold – I mean, really cold. So, I decided to bail out 1/3 of the way up Point Six Road. I made my way down to Snow Bowl Lodge and then headed home.

It was a chilly one, let me tell you. But hey, I was just happy to be back under the warm lights of Missoula. Sometimes, you’ve just got to know when to call it a day, right?

So, that was my weekend – a bit cold, a bit adventurous, and a whole lot of fun. Can’t wait to see what the next one has in store!

UPDATE: Garlands post

Its that time of year when it is dark going to work and soon after I get off of work. Also the Missoula Wednesday Night Cyclocross Races start tonight. I really don’t want to do it but when I think of doing it on my mountain bike I get a little excited. So I will go on down to Fort Missoula after work to tossel in the fields with other bikers. I hope to see some friends. And of course tomorrow is the Thursday Night Ride. Not to many of those left