Snow Days

-
I have my limits when it comes to fat biking in the cold. Below 10* is about it for me - under that and I'm a wimp. Why I will run in sub-zero without too many complaints but not head out on the bike best equipped for slow snowy miles, I still haven't figured out. But anyway...  Saturday was a balmy 3* in the morning with 5 inches of fresh, fluffy snow and more falling. Skiing would have been the best as Monarch was reporting 21" of fresh snow - but I have my limits with skiing as well! And it was even colder and windier on the pass. So skiing was out, despite the lure of the fresh snow,

Instead, we went for a hike up in the canyon. We actually decided to test out some gear for potential backcountry and hut trips with our hike, and it was cold enough to be a very valid test of our new Ibex Shak Hoodies. There were only two other cars in the Mount Cultler lot and the couple getting out of their truck as we pulled in kinda gave us a strange look as we started hoofing up the road with our poles. The plan was to do a little loop - not the standard out and back up to the summit of Muscoco. Deep snow, cold temps and fresh tracks - perfect conditions! Since the hike was the "workout" for the day - I wasn't going to slug through deep snow for a 12 mile run, we pushed the pace on the climb. It took us four minutes to get to the saddle below the summit. The time for some exploring. We followed the arrows up to the summit of Muscoco, but the views were hidden by the heavy clouds. It wasn't an easy climb up, with many of the rock outcroppings buried in snow. OUr poles were quite useful for both the up and the down!
Nick at the summit of Mount Muscoco.
Back at the saddle, we took the trail down towards the junction with the Mount Cutler Trail. I was happy Nick knew where he was going and there were a set of foot prints in front of us - I had no clue where the trail led on the descent. It's still a work in progress trail I think, with some scrambling down rocks. Once we hit the trail to the parking lot it was an easy trek. Not very long, but a decent time playing in the snow.

Not much a view but the snow did add some mystery to the familiar terrain

Sunday was supposed to a little warmer - warm enough for me to want to ride. And of course, that meant I wanted to con some friends into the fun! Plowing though six inches of fresh snow is always more fun with friends....

Someone got her present a little early! Dropper!
 Amber and Todd were game for a pedal in the snow. Orignalinally, the plan was for some microlaps in Stratton - with the early morning lows, small little laps where we wouldn't be climbing too far or descending too far seemed smart. But it wasn't that cold when we got out - in fact, it was a really nice day for some fresh tracks. Because it was nicer then we'd anticipated, the boys decided against microlaps. Without talking to me or Amber...

Todd, plowing through the snow and laying some tracks for us to follow

Nick bringing up the rear for a minute
At the last junction with the chutes, the tracks turned right - uphill. Huh? We ended up riding Spring Creek - Columbine and then back up the Chamberlain extension and Chamberlain to Arroyo Grande. The boys were right - it was a good day for a big loop. Even if that big loop took twice as long as usual! Fat bikes might be fun, but they ain't fast....
But that isn't always the point. Sometimes, it's just about the pedaling and not about the distance traveled.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A long way on foot - Sheep Mountain Endurance Run

-
Image
Fifty miles is a long way - regardless of how you travel. As I was training and preparing for Sheep Mountain Endurance Run, I knew that it would be a long day - I knew that there would be ups and downs, that the plan would have to be fluid and goals adjusted mid-race. That is the nature of endurance sports and the people who achieve are the ones who can go with the flow and find the ability to turn things around if they do go south. Obviously, for my first 50, I was hoping for nothing but smooth sailing - with no dark spots, no demons and smiling the whole way. A girl can always hope, right? Runners assembled for the start Photo - Human Potential Running The sun was just starting to brighten the clouds as we walked to the starting line with nearly 100 other runners. The race director went through a few things, noting that there had already been some DNS's due to the elevation and to be smart. Smart... Most people would say smart would mean not doing something like a 50 mile
the full story...

Mortality

-
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'” - Hunter S. Thompson It seems such a trite quote, but true at the same time. Life is about the journey - the adventures along the way, the failures and successes. A life well lived is a person with stories to tell, taking the chances along the way that will provide fulfillment. You don't realize how close we are teatering to the edge until something happens that affirms our mortality.  In eleven years of practicing physical therapy in a nursing home setting, I've had my share of experiences with death. Never close though - far enough removed to be touched by the passing but not affected. Sometimes it's expected and everyone says "it's for the best. They are happier now." Other times, it's not and we are all shocked
the full story...

Regaining my mojo

-
Image
I'll be honest. The two months between the middle of July and middle of September just about crushed me. Tired all the time, unable to muster more then a slug pace for most rides, and shuffling my way through my runs. It was the worst two month I've had - made worse by my continuing to try to push through the fatigue. So after Vapor I made sure that I would listen to my body and not pressure myself into training until I felt ready. No matter how long it would take, I would take the recovery I needed. Two weeks of minimal activity - short swims that were mostly just paddling around, very short runs where I didn't look at my watch at all and the easiest of rides imaginable. After those two weeks, I was still tired, but feeling better. Getting more like myself again, with a little more energy. That meant I needed at least another week of easy recovery! It was not the time to succumb to FOMO and start up with the big rides and hard runs again. So I behaved even more, knowing ev
the full story...

Friends with the Monsters..

-
And the voices inside of my head.  As Saturday approaches, the voices - the demons - have begun talking to me. Sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream. 54 miles. It's the distance from Colorado Springs to Lake Pueblo State Park. Or the top of Wilkerson Pass... A long bloody way to cover on two wheels, let along two feet! Yet that is my goal. Traverse the trails and roads west and east of Fairplay, covering more then the distance of two marathons. Theoretically, it should be nothing. After all, I've run back to back marathons many times - once getting both under 3:10. Fifty two miles, in just shy of 24 hours at a pace much faster then I'm planning. But in this ventures, I had time to recover between races and took the recovery seriously. Here, nothing but continuous forward movement. One step in front of the other, no breaks between efforts and the the clock doesn't stop ticking.  As Saturday approaches, those voices are getting louder. Ever doubting, ever questioning -
the full story...