As I sit here pondering on what to say and thinking back on 2009. I find myself having to go back through this very blog to see what did happen in 2009. Yes, the blog only highlights the good times, like all the biking we did, the friends we met, and milestones. I have to think about the low lights that aren't mentioned as much in the blog, the family arguments, pets passing, injuries throughout the year. All of this, the good, the bad, made for an interesting 2009.
If you ask Andy he will say that 2009 was a bad year. He was sick a couple of times, he was injured more than a couple of times, he had car issues, family trials and tribulations. It generally sucked for him.
As for me, I think that 2009 was a pretty good year. I think I was only sick twice, which is pretty good. I was not so injured that I couldn't ride, even with all the spills and endo's I did the first part of the year. I am pretty lucky on that account... I did take some nasty falls, but I never broke or sprained anything! But, after taking all of those spills I am happy to report my bike riding skills did improve ten fold!
And thinking back on 2009, I had to pull out the resolutions that were made and to see if I accomplished them or not. Here is my list from last year:
1- Lose weight/ get into shape / eat better
2- Do more triathlons / races
3- Grow my Bookkeeping business
Did I do all of the above? Well somewhat...
I did lose weight over the year, and I did start eating better, more fruits and veggies, but I still could not cut out the cookies! YUMMY.
I did only one triathlon this year and one mountain bike race... I don't think I did as well as I could with this one.
I added a couple of new clients but that really wasn't until the very end of the year. This one I fell short on. Better luck in 2010!
I signed up on Facebook........ and finally put in my real name, you know what I'm talking about, but once I did, I reconnected with long lost friends. Some from high school and some from Jr. High... I know that is a really long long time ago! So, I guess there is a use for those social networks after all.
Looking toward 2010 and trying to imagine how the year will go and thinking about how I can shape it myself, I say Bring it on! I want 2010 to be a stellar year for me. I want to accomplish all of the things I have only been talking about in 2009 like, actually investing, and growing my bookkeeping so I don't have to be at Subway so much. Possibly sell Subway so we can do whatever our next adventure is. I have big hopes and plans for 2010!
My resolutions for 2010... they are still a work in progress but here are some for now.
1- Continue to mountain bike as much as possible.
2- Grow my bookkeeping business - double my client base
3- Continue to work out and stay in shape.
4- To not let the "drive" stop me... so many times we say "no" because we don't want to drive into town or somewhere... that's not living... thats just stalling life.
5- To be "ALIVE", not letting the small unimportant stuff overwhelm me to where I just feel like I have too much work to do. I want to look back and say, Yah I did that and it was fun and I still got all my other stuff done too.
6- Pay down some debt... I thought I would add that one in there just so it stays front and center.
7- To surround myself with happy positive people. Life is too short to unhappy all of the time.
I may add some more as the week goes on and I really think about what I want to happen in 2010.
I hope that everyone takes a little time to think about 2009. Where you've been and look to 2010 to where you want to go. Make your resolutions/goals for the year. Keep them in a spot you see them daily and work each day to make them come to fruition!
So with that, I say Happy New Year 2010! I welcome you with open arms and can't wait to see what you bring.
Be safe and happy. I hope that 2010 is good for you too!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Stocking Boxes! Who woulda thought.....
Who says I'm not creative.....
We all decided this year that we would only get each other stocking stuffers and what ever big ticket item each person wanted, they would buy for themselves.
After filling the stockings up with the stuff that Andy and I had purchased, there wasn't much room left inside. Every year we have the same dilemma, not enough room in the stockings.......except for mine. Mine is soo big I could use it as a sleeping bag. Todd and Andy are still using theirs from when they were about 2 years old. Their Aunt made them for them....sentimental value I suppose. So this year I came up with the idea of.......wait for it............."Stocking Boxes". I took boxes, wrapped them up, put tissue paper inside so they would look pretty and then dresses up the outside.
Also, on the outside is a small bag that will hold cards, thus none get lost in the fray. I thought it was a brillant idea and I am very proud of the stocking boxes! Andy asks, "why not just use a big gift bag?" I said "because A- They don't hold as much B- I get to decorate them how I like and C- they are stronger and look like presents!"
I told Andy this will be a new tradition now and that next year Carol and Todd will have to come over and we can decorate our own stocking boxes! Isn't it a cool idea!!!!!! :) Yeah....I thought so too!
Also, on the outside is a small bag that will hold cards, thus none get lost in the fray. I thought it was a brillant idea and I am very proud of the stocking boxes! Andy asks, "why not just use a big gift bag?" I said "because A- They don't hold as much B- I get to decorate them how I like and C- they are stronger and look like presents!"
I told Andy this will be a new tradition now and that next year Carol and Todd will have to come over and we can decorate our own stocking boxes! Isn't it a cool idea!!!!!! :) Yeah....I thought so too!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Black Canyon City "BCT Trail"
Trail: BCT
Riders: 7 and 1 Pup
Time: 4 hours
Distance 19 miles
On Sunday we headed down to the Black Canyon Trail (BCT). Mike, used to ride with us this fall when he was overseeing the construction of the new 89/69 interchange, but lives in the valley, invited us to go on the ride. With the weather being only a high of 42 degrees and raining in Prescott, we hopped on the the chance to go riding somewhere warmer. I called Micki and she was in as well. We all met up at 9am at the trailhead.
Since I am still waiting on a part for my "trusty steed", I took my single speed. Micki being the BFF she is, brought hers too. There are 7 of us total. 1 dog- Jessi, 2 girls on SS's and the boys all had gears! I believe the trail is rated a moderate to difficult. The first part is all climbing, switch back after switch back. I thought for sure I was going to die on the SS. I really haven't gotten used to the whole "standing up to pedal thing", but I soon got into rhythm. At the river bed crossing, we all gathered to make sure everyone knew where to go. Off in the distance you hear Jessi barking, Andy whistles, and here she comes racing back with a big grin on her face, like yeah I just showed them! We figured she was barking at some cows, or at least that is what we hoped.
We start out again and there is rough rocky section full of sand, it sucks so bad! Some people took a good line, some did not. I did however, make it the whole way cranking it out on the SS. My legs were on fire! I was pretty proud of myself though... some of the guys didn't make it and they had gears!
We start to make a turn to the right and we holler for Jessi. We look left up the mountain and there she is chasing cows! I don't know what she thinks they were but she seemed to be having a good time. We reeled her in and continued on. We get to the top and start the fun downhill and boom...... someone gets a flat tire. The rest of the downhill was pretty fun. It is has lots of curves with some rolling hills, so it keeps you interested.
We get to another intersection and we decide to eat a little bit. We felt a couple of sprinkles but nothing that scared us. As we approached the Little Pan Loop, we took a vote as to who wanted to do the loop and who did not. We were a little concerned about Jessi and the weather. Jessi can do 15-17 miles and if we turned around right then she would be at 19 miles total, so we opted to just turn around and head back. As we got back to the intersection we could see the rain closing in and we could feel more frequent drops. Micki and I chose to put our rain jackets on.... Sugar melts in water you know.... the boys toughed it out. As we got closer to the end the rain started to mist a little more... it wasn't a down pour just a heavy mist. Enough to have water dripping off my helmet and my jacket. It started to cool down too, but we had a nice long hill to climb back up so the temp worked for us.
We were almost back to the trail head and someone else had a flat tire. I guess they had been working on it for a while by the time I came up on them. I was not going too fast on the way back. I was just spinning trying to conserve, so I could make it back without bonking. While the guys stayed with the flat tire, Micki and I kept going... there were two very steep switch backs to do before coasting down to the cars. I took Jessi with us, she was very tired to say the least. She really doesn't like to be wet, so with the rain on her and her being tired, she just had this look of " are we done yet... really? I want to lay down".
We get to the cars and dried Jessi off, she hops in the Subie and lays down... she didn't care what was going on outside of the car, she just wanted to sleep. We changed clothes and headed for Rock Springs Cafe... I needed a cheeseburger to make it home. We had some burgers, warmed up and talked about the ride. It was very nice sharing conversations with everyone.
We made our way back to Prescott as everyone else had the short drive home to Phx. When we got home Jessi promptly got a bath and us too. She and I took a well deserved nap! We had a great time and want to say thanks to Mike for inviting us. We will have to do it again sometime.
Riders: 7 and 1 Pup
Time: 4 hours
Distance 19 miles
On Sunday we headed down to the Black Canyon Trail (BCT). Mike, used to ride with us this fall when he was overseeing the construction of the new 89/69 interchange, but lives in the valley, invited us to go on the ride. With the weather being only a high of 42 degrees and raining in Prescott, we hopped on the the chance to go riding somewhere warmer. I called Micki and she was in as well. We all met up at 9am at the trailhead.
Since I am still waiting on a part for my "trusty steed", I took my single speed. Micki being the BFF she is, brought hers too. There are 7 of us total. 1 dog- Jessi, 2 girls on SS's and the boys all had gears! I believe the trail is rated a moderate to difficult. The first part is all climbing, switch back after switch back. I thought for sure I was going to die on the SS. I really haven't gotten used to the whole "standing up to pedal thing", but I soon got into rhythm. At the river bed crossing, we all gathered to make sure everyone knew where to go. Off in the distance you hear Jessi barking, Andy whistles, and here she comes racing back with a big grin on her face, like yeah I just showed them! We figured she was barking at some cows, or at least that is what we hoped.
We start out again and there is rough rocky section full of sand, it sucks so bad! Some people took a good line, some did not. I did however, make it the whole way cranking it out on the SS. My legs were on fire! I was pretty proud of myself though... some of the guys didn't make it and they had gears!
We start to make a turn to the right and we holler for Jessi. We look left up the mountain and there she is chasing cows! I don't know what she thinks they were but she seemed to be having a good time. We reeled her in and continued on. We get to the top and start the fun downhill and boom...... someone gets a flat tire. The rest of the downhill was pretty fun. It is has lots of curves with some rolling hills, so it keeps you interested.
We get to another intersection and we decide to eat a little bit. We felt a couple of sprinkles but nothing that scared us. As we approached the Little Pan Loop, we took a vote as to who wanted to do the loop and who did not. We were a little concerned about Jessi and the weather. Jessi can do 15-17 miles and if we turned around right then she would be at 19 miles total, so we opted to just turn around and head back. As we got back to the intersection we could see the rain closing in and we could feel more frequent drops. Micki and I chose to put our rain jackets on.... Sugar melts in water you know.... the boys toughed it out. As we got closer to the end the rain started to mist a little more... it wasn't a down pour just a heavy mist. Enough to have water dripping off my helmet and my jacket. It started to cool down too, but we had a nice long hill to climb back up so the temp worked for us.
We were almost back to the trail head and someone else had a flat tire. I guess they had been working on it for a while by the time I came up on them. I was not going too fast on the way back. I was just spinning trying to conserve, so I could make it back without bonking. While the guys stayed with the flat tire, Micki and I kept going... there were two very steep switch backs to do before coasting down to the cars. I took Jessi with us, she was very tired to say the least. She really doesn't like to be wet, so with the rain on her and her being tired, she just had this look of " are we done yet... really? I want to lay down".
We get to the cars and dried Jessi off, she hops in the Subie and lays down... she didn't care what was going on outside of the car, she just wanted to sleep. We changed clothes and headed for Rock Springs Cafe... I needed a cheeseburger to make it home. We had some burgers, warmed up and talked about the ride. It was very nice sharing conversations with everyone.
We made our way back to Prescott as everyone else had the short drive home to Phx. When we got home Jessi promptly got a bath and us too. She and I took a well deserved nap! We had a great time and want to say thanks to Mike for inviting us. We will have to do it again sometime.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Christmas 2009.....
Merry Christmas Everyone......
This year has flown by so fast it's hard to remember exactly what we did all year. That is where I think this whole" blog idea" is a good thing. As I scroll back through the pages, I'm constantly saying to myself, " oh yeah, I forgot about that." It's also a creative outlet and and easy way to keep in touch with others. If they want to find out what you're up to these days, just log on and find out. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't love a phone call from you either.
These days with all this technology, blogs, texting, twitter.......ugh!!
I find myself feeling more and more disconnected these days. My brother wants me to get a new DROID phone so I can do all these apps and "cool things" with it. I've had the same cell for almost 8 years now. I have pictures on it and make PHONE CALLS on it like you should. Yes, actual human contact, in the speaking sense. No thanks, I hear enough keyboard chatter from Brooke's mini typewriter anyways. Click, click click, click clickity, click.......giggle-giggle.....click, click, clickity, click. "Geezus."
simulated texting between Brooke and friends below......
http://www.break.com/index/student-brings-typewriter-to-class.html
This year, I reflect back on what is truly important. Family, friends and the simple things in life.......
I hope this Holiday season gives me the chance to reconnect with some loved ones that I've become "unplugged" from.
This year has flown by so fast it's hard to remember exactly what we did all year. That is where I think this whole" blog idea" is a good thing. As I scroll back through the pages, I'm constantly saying to myself, " oh yeah, I forgot about that." It's also a creative outlet and and easy way to keep in touch with others. If they want to find out what you're up to these days, just log on and find out. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't love a phone call from you either.
These days with all this technology, blogs, texting, twitter.......ugh!!
I find myself feeling more and more disconnected these days. My brother wants me to get a new DROID phone so I can do all these apps and "cool things" with it. I've had the same cell for almost 8 years now. I have pictures on it and make PHONE CALLS on it like you should. Yes, actual human contact, in the speaking sense. No thanks, I hear enough keyboard chatter from Brooke's mini typewriter anyways. Click, click click, click clickity, click.......giggle-giggle.....click, click, clickity, click. "Geezus."
simulated texting between Brooke and friends below......
http://www.break.com/index/student-brings-typewriter-to-class.html
This year, I reflect back on what is truly important. Family, friends and the simple things in life.......
I hope this Holiday season gives me the chance to reconnect with some loved ones that I've become "unplugged" from.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Mattie, Shelby and Aullie - In loving Memory
Words are hard to explain the joy and comfort that a family dog(s) can deliver. They give you someone to hold when you feel blue. They give you someone to talk to when no one else will listen, and somehow they understand every word. If your single, they give you someone to come home to. They are just as eager to see you, because they've missed you too. Some how they make a bad day that much brighter. They are always happy to see you, and want to spend as much time with you as possible....... and they love every minute of it. I received this from a good friend a while back....It's called "Good Advice."
If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.!
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout ... run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
SS Ride with BFF
This weekend I was invited to Micki's for some holiday baking and card making. If anyone knows me well, you know I am not very creative, so I was a little skeptical about making the cards but the cookie dough did entice me! She invited several friends over and had recipes for everyone. I got there early to help get the kids cookies started. I rolled out the dough, cut some cookies, and then the kids showed up and of course they wanted to help too! So I would roll it out and they would cut them and put them on the tray for baking. It turned out that I was in charge of the oven , which was fine with me. I would put the pans in and make sure they didn't burn. This was my "out" for making cards... someone has to watch the oven! I had a great time and I think I can tell you where just about everything is in Micki's kitchen. :)
Once everyone left and the house was clean, Steve came home from REI. We ordered some pizza, of course I had to have some with meat on it and Micki got her veggie/spinach pizza. Our bellies were full and my "Sweetness" (SS) was making some noise. So Steve took a look at it for me. All the while Micki and I are telling him stories from the day. He did some modifications to my bike and now the brakes work better and the front brake doesn't rub. Thanks Steve!
I had a great time this weekend and a great ride with Micki. Good times! No, that's not a cast on my arm, that is my wonder woman power band that helps me rock the 1 cog!!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I ROCKED THE 1 COG
Well, as you know, I got a Single Speed (SS) for my birthday. It's a custom build with some fierce parts on it. It also has an ENO eccentric hub and I'm runnin' 32-20. I got to take it out for a spin last night. We did trail 396 which is rated moderate to difficult. Our friends Dan, Brady and Keith came along for the inaugural ride.
I got a small warm-up on the road before the trail head which helped. It was pretty chilly (50 degrees)when we started and I need time for my lungs to warm up, and I got some spinning time with the SS to get used to it. We start and they send me out in front... one I don't usually like to lead because my pace is quickened because I know someone is behind me and, I don't want to hold them up. 2... I like to take it easy! So anyways, I start out, they give me a head start to be nice. I get almost to the top of the first section......and here comes Andy, he is most impressed! It took him quite a bit of time to catch up to me. Once at the top, we determined this was the quickest I had ever made it up that section. I said "I was just pedaling and found the groove."
At the top however I did think I was going to die... my lungs were on fire and I had to stand up a couple of times to pedal. I am not used that, so it took quite a bit energy. We start out and now it is down hill and I let the guys go ahead, they have more weight and it carries them fasted. I did however notice that I didn't get a much speed going down hill with my SS as with my geared bike. But the funny thing is, Andy thought I was faster on the down hill than normal.. I said that it was because I was at a comfortable speed and didn't have to use my brakes as much.
We get to the Pond and now it is time for the hardest part of the trail. I start off and get to a rocky patch of trail... I wasn't sure how this bike would do, so I lost some momentum, I made it over the rock, but then had to stop because I wasn't pedaling. The SS is a hard tail and my geared bike is full suspension. I am used to the rear suspension soaking up the bumps as I go over and not really losing any speed.. not so much with the hard tail. As I continue I so wanted to stop a couple of times, but Brady was behind me, so I knew I couldn't stop without hearing about it, so I sucked it up and just pedaled as best I could.
Once we start going down I noticed I really like this bike... I felt very confident on it, I was able to make turns with more speed and steering was easy. I think this is due to the wider handle bars and the "meatier" tire on the front.
We went down Feldmier and that was a challenge. One, there are lots of obstacles, but I made all of them. Yay, and then on to the rock garden. I made it over, but I had some extra speed and almost ran into a fallen tree, but I saved it at the last minute. I noticed I had to let some air out of the front fork because it is set for Andy and there was no give at all! It was like I had no suspension on the front.
We finished in the dark... the last section was really dark and not my cup of tea, but we made it safely to the cars. It was fun and I really enjoyed the bike. I can't wait to try it again and see if I do as well now that I know how it rides.
Thanks everyone for the build! Andy took some pictures but I haven't downloaded yet due to the battery being dead. I will add later.
I got a small warm-up on the road before the trail head which helped. It was pretty chilly (50 degrees)when we started and I need time for my lungs to warm up, and I got some spinning time with the SS to get used to it. We start and they send me out in front... one I don't usually like to lead because my pace is quickened because I know someone is behind me and, I don't want to hold them up. 2... I like to take it easy! So anyways, I start out, they give me a head start to be nice. I get almost to the top of the first section......and here comes Andy, he is most impressed! It took him quite a bit of time to catch up to me. Once at the top, we determined this was the quickest I had ever made it up that section. I said "I was just pedaling and found the groove."
At the top however I did think I was going to die... my lungs were on fire and I had to stand up a couple of times to pedal. I am not used that, so it took quite a bit energy. We start out and now it is down hill and I let the guys go ahead, they have more weight and it carries them fasted. I did however notice that I didn't get a much speed going down hill with my SS as with my geared bike. But the funny thing is, Andy thought I was faster on the down hill than normal.. I said that it was because I was at a comfortable speed and didn't have to use my brakes as much.
We get to the Pond and now it is time for the hardest part of the trail. I start off and get to a rocky patch of trail... I wasn't sure how this bike would do, so I lost some momentum, I made it over the rock, but then had to stop because I wasn't pedaling. The SS is a hard tail and my geared bike is full suspension. I am used to the rear suspension soaking up the bumps as I go over and not really losing any speed.. not so much with the hard tail. As I continue I so wanted to stop a couple of times, but Brady was behind me, so I knew I couldn't stop without hearing about it, so I sucked it up and just pedaled as best I could.
Once we start going down I noticed I really like this bike... I felt very confident on it, I was able to make turns with more speed and steering was easy. I think this is due to the wider handle bars and the "meatier" tire on the front.
We went down Feldmier and that was a challenge. One, there are lots of obstacles, but I made all of them. Yay, and then on to the rock garden. I made it over, but I had some extra speed and almost ran into a fallen tree, but I saved it at the last minute. I noticed I had to let some air out of the front fork because it is set for Andy and there was no give at all! It was like I had no suspension on the front.
We finished in the dark... the last section was really dark and not my cup of tea, but we made it safely to the cars. It was fun and I really enjoyed the bike. I can't wait to try it again and see if I do as well now that I know how it rides.
Thanks everyone for the build! Andy took some pictures but I haven't downloaded yet due to the battery being dead. I will add later.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
My 35th Birthday!
So, I have to start with 'SO' that way whomever is reading this knows that I, Brooke, am writing this. It is my signature word.
So it was my 35th birthday this past Thursday. We went to Phx to share it with some friends. On Friday, morning at 7:30AM.. yes in the A.M. I got up and hiked Squaw Peak with my friend Lisa Potter. We hiked to the top and asked a nice person to take a picture of us so everyone would know... yes, we made it to the top.
After that, I had lunch at my favorite place... Chipotle, and had my famous 3 tacos. Two is not enough and 4 is just too many, 3 is just right. I went back to Todd's and met up with Andy who had been out doing a ride with Steve and Micki that morning. I took a nap and he was busy finishing the touches to my birthday surprise.
We decided to go to Oregano's for dinner... I love that place too! We dropped by Sticki's to pick up Micki, so she could wait with me and get our name on the list early. Andy stayed back with Steve, I thought it was so Steve didn't have to drive by himself, but it turns out they were busy doing stuff on my surprise.
Once at Oregano's, my friends started showing up. It was great to see everyone. Dave and Lisa, "Nealon", Lisa Potter and her new squeeze, Tiffany. Jon Milliken his wife Sarah, and Todd came with is new girl Ellie, and of course Sticki!!!! We get seated and Steve and Andy are not there yet... Micki an I are looking at each other like what the heck. I call and they say they are finally on their way. I ask what they were doing and why they were late? They said, "playing Wii." I said seriously... and Steve chimes in with yah... Andy kept beating me so I had to keep playing until I won. Sounds like those two.
We eat and drink... I had 3 "dirty monkeys!"
Can you tell... I was telling jokes and making people laugh.. although Nealon was so kind to say, that she was not laughing at the jokes but at me, but hey, I don't care. I was having a great time!
I received great cards from everyone and some new riding socks. We ended with the famous "Pizooki." This is cookie dough semi baked in a deep dish tin about 8 inches wide. It is sooooo good... however my "dirty monkeys" and the cookie didn't sit well, so I only had a couple of bites, but never fear the cookie did not go to waste... my BFF swooped in and ate the rest for me:) I won't mention names to protect the innocent.
A great picture of "Sticki"...Steve and Micki. They are really great friends and I'm glad we met.
Afterwards we went to Sticki's to play some games. We get there and it turns out the Wii controllers are dead, so we play Mad Gab... Todd is the king of Mad Gab and the game was over within 15 minutes! CRAZY mad gabber!
By this time my belly is really starting to hurt and I can hardly stand up straight. We decided to call it a night.... as we get into the kitchen to leave Andy asks if I was just going to leave that here... I look over and there is a pretty blue Single Speed Bike for me! Yeah.... it was really pretty and it turns out that everyone had a part in the making of the bike. And there was a lot of stress that went into getting all of the parts here too. I would like to say thank you to all the people that helped... it is lovely and I love it.
After that, I had lunch at my favorite place... Chipotle, and had my famous 3 tacos. Two is not enough and 4 is just too many, 3 is just right. I went back to Todd's and met up with Andy who had been out doing a ride with Steve and Micki that morning. I took a nap and he was busy finishing the touches to my birthday surprise.
We decided to go to Oregano's for dinner... I love that place too! We dropped by Sticki's to pick up Micki, so she could wait with me and get our name on the list early. Andy stayed back with Steve, I thought it was so Steve didn't have to drive by himself, but it turns out they were busy doing stuff on my surprise.
Once at Oregano's, my friends started showing up. It was great to see everyone. Dave and Lisa, "Nealon", Lisa Potter and her new squeeze, Tiffany. Jon Milliken his wife Sarah, and Todd came with is new girl Ellie, and of course Sticki!!!! We get seated and Steve and Andy are not there yet... Micki an I are looking at each other like what the heck. I call and they say they are finally on their way. I ask what they were doing and why they were late? They said, "playing Wii." I said seriously... and Steve chimes in with yah... Andy kept beating me so I had to keep playing until I won. Sounds like those two.
Can you tell... I was telling jokes and making people laugh.. although Nealon was so kind to say, that she was not laughing at the jokes but at me, but hey, I don't care. I was having a great time!
Afterwards we went to Sticki's to play some games. We get there and it turns out the Wii controllers are dead, so we play Mad Gab... Todd is the king of Mad Gab and the game was over within 15 minutes! CRAZY mad gabber!
By this time my belly is really starting to hurt and I can hardly stand up straight. We decided to call it a night.... as we get into the kitchen to leave Andy asks if I was just going to leave that here... I look over and there is a pretty blue Single Speed Bike for me! Yeah.... it was really pretty and it turns out that everyone had a part in the making of the bike. And there was a lot of stress that went into getting all of the parts here too. I would like to say thank you to all the people that helped... it is lovely and I love it.
Steve got the frame from work, Todd had it powder coated and Micki put the extra special touches on it. It even has a name "Sweetness". Andy was the master mind behind the whole thing... and it turns out that Steve and Andy were not playing Wii they were still assembling the bike and that is why they were late! They fooled me!
The next day we were supposed to go riding, but I called Micki when I got up and said I really didn't feel like it. I was not sick, I was just tired and Andy was still sleeping as well. So we went to breakfast with Todd and then hung out... I took a nap, then rented some movies had some dinner and went to bed. It was a nice relaxing day.
I really had a great time with my good friends, I am grateful I have them! It was a wonderful birthday and I can't wait until next year to do it all over again!
Thank you everyone for coming and working on the bike! ... Sweetness!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Andy and 2.0 Steve's Excellent Adventure
Breakdown: 2 Riders Andy, Steve 2.0
Total Time: 5 hours
Actual Ride Time: 4 hours 15 minutes for Steve, add another 10 for me
Average Speed: 14.2 mph
Total Distance: 60.5 Miles from Motel to Hugo’s in Prescott
Fun Meter: 8 out of 10
Quad Hurt Meter: 6 out of 10
Taint Hurt Meter: 10 out of 10
Completion Meter: 20 out of 10
Will I do it again....I don’t know.....I now know I can ride for 60 miles and climb 2 pretty good sized hills and make it in good time.
A couple of weeks ago, after a mountain bike ride, Sticki was discussing future rides and events that they want to do. Steve brought up a ride from Scottsdale to Prescott via Wickenberg. He said he would make it a 2 day ride, with the second day riding from Wickenberg to Prescott. With out hesitation, I piped up and said, "I'll do it". I should've thought about what I had gotten myself into before "chiming in" with a such an enthusiastic decision so quickly. Sticki's expressions and retorts were one of skeptacism, but also excitement....I think, or maybe just plain suprised. Anyways, I didn't give it another thought, I'm in, no problem. Fast forward to 3 days before the ride. Friends and customers are asking if we have any plans for the weekend, "yes" we reply, "Brooke is doing the BCT and I am riding from Wickenberg to Prescott via HWY 89." The looks that I got from people, They didn't know if I was kidding them or just plain "crazy". They all seemed to have the same response......you know there's two big hill climbs right? Yes, I do.....but then it started dawning on me......I should have done some research on this particular route I was about to embark on with Steve. Even "seasoned" roadies from the area haven't ventured the same path that we are about to partake. A customer that used to do road races a couple of years ago said he was going to get out this weekend and ride for 4-5 hours. I asked him if he wanted to join us on the ride, in short, he did a double take, shook his head in disbelief at what I said and politely stated he was doing a more "traditional route", meaning flat and easy. What did I get myself into? Did I agree to hours of pain and humiliation I think to myself.
Actual Ride Time: 4 hours 15 minutes for Steve, add another 10 for me
Average Speed: 14.2 mph
Total Distance: 60.5 Miles from Motel to Hugo’s in Prescott
Fun Meter: 8 out of 10
Quad Hurt Meter: 6 out of 10
Taint Hurt Meter: 10 out of 10
Completion Meter: 20 out of 10
Will I do it again....I don’t know.....I now know I can ride for 60 miles and climb 2 pretty good sized hills and make it in good time.
A couple of weeks ago, after a mountain bike ride, Sticki was discussing future rides and events that they want to do. Steve brought up a ride from Scottsdale to Prescott via Wickenberg. He said he would make it a 2 day ride, with the second day riding from Wickenberg to Prescott. With out hesitation, I piped up and said, "I'll do it". I should've thought about what I had gotten myself into before "chiming in" with a such an enthusiastic decision so quickly. Sticki's expressions and retorts were one of skeptacism, but also excitement....I think, or maybe just plain suprised. Anyways, I didn't give it another thought, I'm in, no problem. Fast forward to 3 days before the ride. Friends and customers are asking if we have any plans for the weekend, "yes" we reply, "Brooke is doing the BCT and I am riding from Wickenberg to Prescott via HWY 89." The looks that I got from people, They didn't know if I was kidding them or just plain "crazy". They all seemed to have the same response......you know there's two big hill climbs right? Yes, I do.....but then it started dawning on me......I should have done some research on this particular route I was about to embark on with Steve. Even "seasoned" roadies from the area haven't ventured the same path that we are about to partake. A customer that used to do road races a couple of years ago said he was going to get out this weekend and ride for 4-5 hours. I asked him if he wanted to join us on the ride, in short, he did a double take, shook his head in disbelief at what I said and politely stated he was doing a more "traditional route", meaning flat and easy. What did I get myself into? Did I agree to hours of pain and humiliation I think to myself.
Friday the 30th of October, the night before the ride, Brooke and I hop into the Subie and head down the mountain towards Wickenberg at dusk. I have never driven past the trailhead for TR 396 off of White Spar, so this was all new to me. I can't but help notice the grade of the road as we're heading down towards Wilhoit at the bottom........Oh boy........Now even more nervous now......We get past Wilhoit and it starts to level off and flatten out towards Peeples Valley and a nice down hill out of Congress for the way back. Brooke says" see there's a good recovery period before you climb into Prescott." Now, for some reason, in the daylight of the actual ride, this "recovery period" was none what so ever. It was actually a mild up hill and the closer you got to Wilhoit, the steeper it became. Then came the grand-daddy of the 2, the drop into Yarnell. The grade was steeper and the curves were more drastic than I thought. Even in the dark you could see how far the lights are down below.
Once at the motel, we met up with Steve and get checked in at the Westerner, I scored room #1 with Steve in neighboring Room #2. Brooke left and we went across the street and downed some bland mexican food, gringo style I guess. We talked about Steve's ride earlier that day and what was in store for the next day. Hoping for good weather, strong legs and a sound mind for me, Steve, well he is invincable, he just needs a Rockstar and a Snickers and he's golden. It was almost 9pm so we headed back to the rooms for a good nights rest.
I was on my road bike and Steve had his Single Speed commuter with a 64-24 combo(see pic below for the craziness). We started @ 9am after breakfast and a stay over at the Westerner. We proceeded through old town Wickenberg and took HWY 60 to the 60/89 junction and proceeded to Prescott. We kept a good pace of 18-19mph til’ we hit the Yarnell Hill. Steve kept on pedaling, I pulled over to take off my light weight vest and eat an energy bar and drink some Heed. Back on the bike and up the hill I go. One shot, no stops. I was pretty impressed with myself as I kept looking to the right at the valley floor below getting further and further away. I wish I would’ve stopped to take a picture but I wanted to pull this climb off in one shot. At the top Steve was waiting for a minute or two at the first gas station in Congress. We refueled/rested and off we go. Time 11:45am. Here is the pic of my rest stop before the climb ahead and the valley floor at the start.
Once at the motel, we met up with Steve and get checked in at the Westerner, I scored room #1 with Steve in neighboring Room #2. Brooke left and we went across the street and downed some bland mexican food, gringo style I guess. We talked about Steve's ride earlier that day and what was in store for the next day. Hoping for good weather, strong legs and a sound mind for me, Steve, well he is invincable, he just needs a Rockstar and a Snickers and he's golden. It was almost 9pm so we headed back to the rooms for a good nights rest.
I was on my road bike and Steve had his Single Speed commuter with a 64-24 combo(see pic below for the craziness). We started @ 9am after breakfast and a stay over at the Westerner. We proceeded through old town Wickenberg and took HWY 60 to the 60/89 junction and proceeded to Prescott. We kept a good pace of 18-19mph til’ we hit the Yarnell Hill. Steve kept on pedaling, I pulled over to take off my light weight vest and eat an energy bar and drink some Heed. Back on the bike and up the hill I go. One shot, no stops. I was pretty impressed with myself as I kept looking to the right at the valley floor below getting further and further away. I wish I would’ve stopped to take a picture but I wanted to pull this climb off in one shot. At the top Steve was waiting for a minute or two at the first gas station in Congress. We refueled/rested and off we go. Time 11:45am. Here is the pic of my rest stop before the climb ahead and the valley floor at the start.
Back on the bikes, from Congress we went through Peeples Valley and on to Wilhoit. We got some good downhill in along the way. I lost a water bottle due to hauling ass down a grade and hitting a little pothole in the shade of the guardrail.....Bamm!!! My rear end bucked up unexpectedly... I look down and my water bottle was barely hanging on. I switch hand positions to grab it and whoosh.... off the bike and over the edge it goes.....! Oh well, I had plenty o water so I didn't mind, I wasn't about to stop this crusade. Since I had “gears I was able to pull away from Steve, but he reeled me back in half way to Wilhoit and then passed me. He did ask me if I was doing alright? Yes, I replied. We met up at the “little red grocery store” at the bottom of the Spars/Wilhoit hill. Time 12:45-1:00pm
We stopped for a refuel and rest period, which was good, because my quads were on "fricken" fire. They were sore as hell, I told Steve I didn’t know how well I was going to do on this climb, but I would finish it. After a 15 minute rest, we get back on the bikes and start pedaling, I pulled over to "water the foliage" and hopped back on. At least with this climb, there were some down hill recovery periods, but it didn’t matter....after the first massive climb and 50 miles of biking my legs were feeling it. I had to stop 2 more times to let my quads cool down, but only for a couple of minutes. There were a couple of other "roadies" headed the other way. One looked in good shape, the other.....mmmm.....not so much. At the top Steve was waiting for me, for about 10 minutes or so. We started heading down into Prescott and were passed by fire trucks and ambulances headed the other way. This was a heavy “motorcycle canyon carving day”....we assumed that one of the motorcycles had not made one of the corners and an accident had occurred. Hopefully they are OK. We headed down the last part of the Spars into Prescott, past the "Square", and headed straight for Hugo’s for some well deserved Mexican food. Of course the order was the "Steve Special". One huge Chicken Burrito with green sauce and black beans. Time 2:00pm
Brooke, Micki and Danielle have decide to do a ride in Black Canyon City on the "BCT" or Black Canyon Trail. They said they had a good time except it was pretty hot. Brooke even "hooked up" some free lunch for after the ride, but they were unable to take advantage of it because they started late and rode at a "casual pace", they did not realize that Steve and I were going to throw down the "fury" on 2 wheels and get to Prescott that quickly. C'mon ladies.....We met up with them at the Raven restaurant downtown so they could get some food and drinks to nourish their bodies. We sat and talked about the days events and couldn't of asked for some nicer weather for our ride. I have to hand it to Steve for cranking that ride out on a single speed. He is the only person in the universe to have pulled that off. Autograph please. Nice
Steve cresting the final climb into Prescott
Looking towards WickenbergWednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Sedona Ride
Destination: Bell Rock, Llama Trail, Chicken Point, Chapel Hill
. This is one of the first trailheads as you enter Sedona from I-17. We pay the fee of $5, take a quick look at the map and get on with our ride, We hit the trail about 11:30 am and our tires start kickin' up that famous red rock dust. Looks good, but doesn't taste good, trust me.
The trail gently winds through the brush and cypress, nothing to get excited about. Then we hit a dry creek bed that offers some technical maneuvering. Aaahhhh, there we go, that's what we're talking about.
We wound around Bell Rock and somehow we teleported to the other side very quickly via the "VORTEX". It was crazy, before we could figure out what happened, we were on a trail that prohibited bikes, with a lofty $300 fine that is strictly enforced with a "zero tolerance rule." We only know this because we ran across some hikers, with both tires..... they told us bikes were not allowed back in that area. We were suprised at first, we had not seen any markers or posted signs saying such "mean spirited" things. They were nice about it though, only because of the terrain was not bike friendly. Well, to the untrained eye, they did not realize Brooke and I were part of an elite trail stomping crew that decimates boulders and rocks and such.......uh hum! So we departed the hikers and ran across another hiker, with only one tire this time. He stated the same thing, how funny! We ask him which way is the fastest to getting off the so called "anti-bike trail?" "50/50", he says.
Ok then, we keep heading in the same direction and we came to some techy sections, not to be phased by the rocks, roots and water bars, Brooke and I cleaned the trail pretty well, in fact the anti-bike trail had more fun technical sections to it than the rest of the trails we rode. Up next was the split, Llama Trail, nothing too exciting here, just single track with some curves and some washes thrown in to mix it up. There was one rocky descent into a wash that was sketchy in places but fun. We came across a split in the trail, that took us up to Chicken Point. The trail led us into the rock formations and up to the lookout where my picture was taken. Also up top was the famous Pink Jeep Tour Group giving their guided tour to the evil bipeds aka: the lazy mans way to get there. We make our way back down the the split, hit trail HT197, which turned us onto a short section of Chapel Hill, then turned into the latter half of Bell Rock Trail which took us back to the car. It was a good first ride in Sedona.
Next time we will go with people that have done other trails in the area and offer more of what we're looking for out of a trail system, other than the path "well travelled."
Riders: 2
Total Distance: 13 Miles
Well the day started off with big plans to ride some good trails in Sedona. We were to meet Dan and some others, but they bailed last minute so it just ended up being us. We set out a little late in the morning and caught some slow traffic over Mingus Mountain which is always a plus.....not. We hit the trail section across from
. This is one of the first trailheads as you enter Sedona from I-17. We pay the fee of $5, take a quick look at the map and get on with our ride, We hit the trail about 11:30 am and our tires start kickin' up that famous red rock dust. Looks good, but doesn't taste good, trust me.
We wound around Bell Rock and somehow we teleported to the other side very quickly via the "VORTEX". It was crazy, before we could figure out what happened, we were on a trail that prohibited bikes, with a lofty $300 fine that is strictly enforced with a "zero tolerance rule." We only know this because we ran across some hikers, with both tires..... they told us bikes were not allowed back in that area. We were suprised at first, we had not seen any markers or posted signs saying such "mean spirited" things. They were nice about it though, only because of the terrain was not bike friendly. Well, to the untrained eye, they did not realize Brooke and I were part of an elite trail stomping crew that decimates boulders and rocks and such.......uh hum! So we departed the hikers and ran across another hiker, with only one tire this time. He stated the same thing, how funny! We ask him which way is the fastest to getting off the so called "anti-bike trail?" "50/50", he says.
Ok then, we keep heading in the same direction and we came to some techy sections, not to be phased by the rocks, roots and water bars, Brooke and I cleaned the trail pretty well, in fact the anti-bike trail had more fun technical sections to it than the rest of the trails we rode. Up next was the split, Llama Trail, nothing too exciting here, just single track with some curves and some washes thrown in to mix it up. There was one rocky descent into a wash that was sketchy in places but fun. We came across a split in the trail, that took us up to Chicken Point. The trail led us into the rock formations and up to the lookout where my picture was taken. Also up top was the famous Pink Jeep Tour Group giving their guided tour to the evil bipeds aka: the lazy mans way to get there. We make our way back down the the split, hit trail HT197, which turned us onto a short section of Chapel Hill, then turned into the latter half of Bell Rock Trail which took us back to the car. It was a good first ride in Sedona.
Next time we will go with people that have done other trails in the area and offer more of what we're looking for out of a trail system, other than the path "well travelled."
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Thumb Butte Ride
The Wreckin' Crew-L-R Danielle, Micki, Steve, Lil' Brooke and Jessi-bottom right corner.
We met at the Thumb Butte P-lot and headed out around 3pm, a late start as everyone had some things to do and finish up. We start heading up to "Green Rock" or FKAWR-Formally Known As White Rock and down the Circle Trail to "The Fire Place". Next up is the "Boulders Area" for a "Steve-free ride" and a "free - hike-a-bike" for the rest of us. Then onto Ta-Tonka, over to the grade to "the Luge" and for the return trip back to the cars, we took #317. All in all, not a long ride, just a get out and do it ride.
One handed downhill from andrew Weitkunat on Vimeo.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Mountain Biking and then some.....
The great escape........
Brooke and Micki...................Steve was also kind enough to slow down for this shot. Thx
Brooke and Micki...................Steve was also kind enough to slow down for this shot. Thx
These two get around........in the blog sense!
Not too much going on here, just trying to do as much biking as possible before the weather turns inhospitable and won't allow us to come out to play. We missed out on a fun trip to Phil's World and Durango Colorado a couple of weeks ago, but that's ok, there is still plenty of destinations we still have to do and we shall add that to the list.
This past weekend we rode in Phoenix on trail #100 up North in our old stomping grounds and had the pleasure of riding some demo bikes from Pivot that Micki had scored. The Mach 5's are very "plush" compared our bikes. My bike is going on 6 years old and technology has come along way indeed. I could be in the market for a "new" bike if I could bring myself to spend that kind of money...$$$$$. There's only a couple bikes that catch my eye these days....most look over engineered or miss the whole concept of what a bike should be and what riding is all about. That is where single speeds come into play. So easy, so simple. 1 gear, no clutter, just spin and you're in. Biking back to it's roots.
Sticki went to Interbike and took some pics of all the new concepts and products. Wow, a lot of new ideas and innovation out there. What's next? Check it out.
On Saturday we headed out with Millikin, Jason Kelly and the 2 of us for some fun around the Thumb Butte area, Millikin just got a new 20 tooth cog for his SS and new set of Kenda Nevegals, he was very excited. The only downside, he didn't go UST or otherwise known as Tubeless.....Booooooooo!!! and it's not even Halloween. We hit a newly cut trail, #317, here is a section from up top featuring Jason and Brooke.....Jason is a "roadie" or "twinkie boy" if you will. That is why his wheelie is lame. I kid...I kid....!!! sheesh!
It's kinda choppy in some sections, but once it gets some more traffic on it, it'll be a nice addition to the trail system in Prescott. It parallels #316 at the bottom of the creek bed. You get to #317 from the main parking area at the bottom of Thumb Butte and is at the intersection of #314#315#316 and now #317.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Girls Weekend
This past weekend I went to Payson for my friend Kim's birthday. She had won a cabin retreat at an auction and the dates available just happened to land on her b-day weekend.
So Friday night I head across the state to the cabin. She forgot to mention that to get to the cabin it was 30 minutes on a dirt road. But, it was a nice dirt road and I saw a deer, so not so bad.
Everyone else had arrived earlier and already had their drink on. I come around the corner carrying more wine and was welcomed with open arms!
The place was great. Tri level and the deck over looked the yard down below. You could hear the water rushing by in the creek that was just about 200 yards from the property. It was very relaxing.
We played some pool and then it was time to light the fire so they could do S'mores. Well the fire was not so easy, due to the fact it had just rained earlier and all of the pine needles were damp. But we got it going and instead of S'mores we had a toast to Kim and then lit sparklers. That brought back memories of my childhood.
Once the sparklers were done we headed back up, after putting the fire out very well with water. We did something but, I can't remember but, I know we didn't go to bed until midnight. And those of you who know me know that is way past my bedtime.
The next day was fun. I got up and ran with one of the other girls. She is training for the PF Changs 1/2 marathon so I said I would go. It was quite nice, but to start out it was all up hill, but we made it.
Later it was time for a nap. Once all were awake we decided to play some poker. $5.00 buy in. We played until dinner then put the game on hold. Once done we played some more until everyone but, one was out of chips. Unfortunately, the winner was not me. We then proceeded to play a round of Win, Lose, or Draw and proud to say, my team won.
After looking at the clock it was once again midnight, time for bed!
In the morning we all packed up and said what a wonderful time we had and headed home. I guess I don't have to tell you that once home I took a nap! :)
It was a fun weekend just hanging with the girls. Need to do more of those!
I forgot my camera so I am waiting on pictures to be sent over and I will add them.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Grand Canyon - North Rim - Locust Point
Grand Canyon North Rim - Locust Point
Miles round trip: 40
Riders: 10
Day 1
After our exciting morning with the mountain lion we headed back to the house to do the final packing of the "Subie" for the trip to the Grand Canyon. We head out at noon and plan on being up at Jacob Lake in 3-4 hours. We stop in Flagstaff for lunch because Brooke had a hankering for some Arby's. After that we headed up 89 into Navajo country. We turn off 89 and go past The Vermillion Cliffs just outside The Grand Canyon.
Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Ty made several successful ventures launching into the black sky with a fiery blaze below. Then it got outta control, he had some more "liquid courage" and it got rediculous! Let's launch off of Dan's Gearbox ramp in the back........um......... hell yeah! Matt drags a burning log out of the fire and puts it in front of the ramp. "This is sooo not good enough", Dan says, "let's add some gasoline and make it more exciting." With small cup in hand, he siphons some petrol out of the tank and lays in waiting for Ty to come roaring out of the trailer. Only at the precise moment may Dan toss the excellerant onto the burning log for the ultimate fiery jump.
After our exciting morning with the mountain lion we headed back to the house to do the final packing of the "Subie" for the trip to the Grand Canyon. We head out at noon and plan on being up at Jacob Lake in 3-4 hours. We stop in Flagstaff for lunch because Brooke had a hankering for some Arby's. After that we headed up 89 into Navajo country. We turn off 89 and go past The Vermillion Cliffs just outside The Grand Canyon.
We are supposed to meet Toby and Katrina at the Kaibab Lodge located about 30 miles south of Jacob Lake and then head out to Locust Point together. We are unable to reach them since cell service in the area is lacking. We stop and hang out, decide to have have some dinner at the Lodge and wait. While waiting to be seated we head back outside to the car and was frightened at what we saw. Picture this................a big 4 door lifted Ford Powerstroke truck with a "manly bow hunter" inside with some Real Tree camouflage on..........music blasting............ singing along to .....................Cher............................... and screaming "are you strong enough, are you strong enough"? WTF..............? He sees us see him and he just turns his head and continues to sing along. I'm sure if his other hunter friends were to see this, they would try to draw tags for him. After chuckling to ourselves we head back in and have some hamburgers and drinks. It's 6pm and we say "screw it" and head out solo into the back country to find our camp spot while there is some daylight left.
We get to Locust Point and nobody is there. Someone is in the spot where all the magical stories happened that everyone tells us about years before. With little to choose from, we have to take the better of the 2 spots left. We set up camp and wait. And wait. And wait. We head out for a stroll after putting up the "Thunder Dome- we head to the campsite that now holds 2 campers from Marble Canyon, Cher and Michelle (not to be confused with Cher the singer and the song "strong enough"). We introduce ourselves and start chatting it up to make the time pass quicker as we wait for Toby, Katrina and the others.
About 45 minutes later we see the fire road light up as if it were daytime. It was Dan in his Powerstroke with KC lights ablaze with Gear Box in tow. I flag him down, they stop, Dan, Ty, Matt and Mike proceed to exit the vehicle and overtake the campsite held hostage by the 2 ladies. We BS for a while, then we hear an exhaust with VW notes exiting the back. It's Toby and Kat, they ended up going into the North Rim and biking out to Sublime Point and had some showers and grub. Meanwhile, Dan keeps hinting to Cher and Michelle to let us stay at the campsite where "folklore is created", but they ain't buyin".
We depart and head down to our stake of wilderness. They approve, but Dan can't back his monstrosity up into the spot with out clearing a big dead tree limb that resides 15 feet in the air. The plan is to throw a rope around it and have Dan, Matt, Ty and I pull as hard as we can until we bust it off. It works, but we still need to bust off about 4 feet more for good measure. Dan tosses the rope up again, Dan and I pull on it, and I give it the "ol' college try" and send myself crashing to the ground with the remainder of the limb as well. That's what I bring to the table, power! Everyone gets a good chuckle, Gear Box parked, time 11pm, they unload and BS some more and tell us about the 2 days they spent in Utah before coming down to meet us. We head to bed so we can get up to ride in the AM.
At about 5:30 in the morning we were awakened by a gunshot that was close. Hunting is still going and we are not inside the Park boundaries. We wake up and hear a car roll into our digs about 8am. Is it Micki? We get up and stroll out to the front and we see the HyHi. She made it, along with Josh. Micki came up secretly to surprise the rest of the bunch. She hasn't ridden solo since her fateful day in Flagstaff. Since the ride is mellow, this will be a good gauge to see how her progress with PT is coming. We have some of that good oatmeal with protein powder and berries, I of course put in some peanut butter and honey to give me some extra calories for the ride. We chat it up and get our bikes ready to go and wait. And wait. And wait. This is strange for 2 reasons, 1) Dan is always the one to be up and ready to go and lighting the fire under us to get going, and 2) nobody else seems to be in that big of a hurry either, but something has to happen or we're going to get lazy and want to take a nap.(that would be Brooke) Toby begins to unload his bike from the car and notices that the sidewall on his rear tubeless tire was blown out.........that was the gunshot we heard earlier! WTF! Here is a pic of the damage below. TOAST!! I happen to have another used spare Tubeless tire for him to borrow and he accepts. Luckily the rear is a 26" and not a 29", cause he's got one of those "wacky 69er bikes." I instruct Toby on how to change out his rear tire and seat the replacement on and inflate to 45psi so it makes a good bead. I tell him to make sure he lets out some air to the correct psi ( about 32-35 for tubeless) before riding. He complies. We get a late start and head out about 11:30.
We get a group photo and head out on the Southern trail that leads to Timp Point and then on to Two Springs Ridge. This is a more mellow ride so we all can get used to the elevation (9700') and take in the scenery. We get to Timp Point and hear a hissing sound. We look down and it's Toby's front tire. Oh crap! The day before he picked something up in the FRONT tire while riding out to Sublime Point. He just left it in there and forgot about it til' now!........................ Fail! This is us all fixing the tire, Toby hadn't changed his sealant in a while and it was dried up and unable to seal the hole.
While us "guys" are taking care of the "mechanical", the ladies are doing what they do best. . With a little help from everyone we were able to seat the bead of the tire on the rim after I injected some fresh sealant I carry with me. It takes a bit with a hand pump but is very doable. Again, I had to bring the POWER and put in the "pumping action" just like Schwartzenegger into overdrive and seat the damn thing. After we did that, we were getting ready to flip the bike over and noticed that the rear tire had a large bubble in it and the tread was separating.....remember the part where I said to " let some air out", it didn't happen. Needless to say, Toby was headed back to camp, there is no fix for a 2nd blown tire out on the trail. We head out, Toby dismayed. Micki had some discomfort but was a trooper and carried on. Another mile or so and she turned back, she didn't want to push it to hard and was wise to do so. We get to Two Spring and have some snacks and take a breather.
By the time we made it back to camp it was about 2:30 and the heat of the day(85). We have some lunch and chow down. We spend the rest of the day talking, taking naps and lounging around camp. That was nice to just sit and relax. Dinner time came at about 6pm and everyone broke out the goods. Dan went all out, as he always does, and had horsdeovres, crackers and made drinks for just about everyone. Ty and I even drank the drinks no one else wanted. Bellies full and half way to "plowed-ville" for some, and for Josh, well, he just wanted to eat everyone else's food and drinks. You would of thought he was Dan's little brother or somethin', the way he was helpin' himself to stuff around camp. Just help yourself Josh! Geeeez!! Poor kid was starving.................... or had a tape worm, something! With fire burning and things kind of at a stand still, Ty decides to jump the bonfire at camp............................... on the Pivot "Firebird", how trivial.
Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Ty made several successful ventures launching into the black sky with a fiery blaze below. Then it got outta control, he had some more "liquid courage" and it got rediculous! Let's launch off of Dan's Gearbox ramp in the back........um......... hell yeah! Matt drags a burning log out of the fire and puts it in front of the ramp. "This is sooo not good enough", Dan says, "let's add some gasoline and make it more exciting." With small cup in hand, he siphons some petrol out of the tank and lays in waiting for Ty to come roaring out of the trailer. Only at the precise moment may Dan toss the excellerant onto the burning log for the ultimate fiery jump.
On the right is the aftermath of touching the fiery pot of "Satans Stew." Aaaahhh, the smell of burnt hair. There are several videos of Ty jumping the fire and off of the Gearbox, but the most best-est one is of him dancing with a lighted Frisbee on the back of said Gearbox and workin' it. I will try to extort money from Ty with a threat of posting it on Youtube. You really gotta see it, if he does not comply with my demands, it will be posted ASAP.
After the "singeing" of Ty's hair on the last flight, we settled down to play some night Frisbee. These are special discs with LED's in them so they glow when tossed. Dan had 2, we had 3, and there were 8 players. If you've never done it, it might seem kinda lame, but it really is a blast. The glowing discs getting hurled at you by the players attempting to locate you by calling you're name, then see if they can throw it accurately. Marco Polo of sorts. The game takes place for a couple of hours, players come and go, Frisbees burn out, and some need a break. Some players retire for the evening and some are hardcore and stick it out till the end.
After the weak retreat, only Dan, Matt, Micki, Mike and I remain with 2 discs left. We started to make things interesting. Dan says " I'm going to call out a word, and then you finish it, and you get the Frisbee". Ok, we all say....He yells....."Cock!!!!! " I say " sucker", I get the Frisbee....and it goes down hill from there. In the later stages we start out with an alphabet order (A-Z) of "cuss words" only to be followed by the same for "sex toys" from A-Z and then lastly, a fine selection of "sexually transmitted diseases" from A-Z. If you think that that isn't possible................then you my friend are dead wrong. It was hilarious, the stuff that was coming out of our mouths, oh my, like sailors, if you know what I mean. Our Captain was Micki and we were aboard the SS Pottymouth. Minds bent from thinking and stomachs hurting from the amount of laughing, we call it a night and head for the campfire around 12pm. Good times, we all sit and chuckle about the things that were said, and what could've been a far better words than the ones given. But hell, that was some funny shit. We all looked around at each other in total amazement if you will. Watching the fire die down and the morning coming sooner, we head for bed and wait for the the sun to rise.
Day 2 : Destination Parrisawampitts Point and South Big Saddle Point
This time everyone is up and about in the usual fashion. Bright eyed-bushy tailed, fed and gear ready to roll. Micki decides to not ride because her arm is a little sore and doesn't want to push it. She chooses to run instead. We broke from camp at about 10am which is still late, but better than the previous day. Today was a rather quick pace. This time the trail was winding right along the edge of the Grand Canyon.
Notice perfect hand placement for photo op. Genius! Parrisawampitts Point
You wanted to look, but you really couldn't. If you took your eyes off of the trail, that could be the end of your ride with sudden turns and loose corners. This trail was more up and down traversing than the day before, more like Prescott trails. We ended up and at "Big Saddle" and took a breather. But not for long, we all wanted to leave camp around 12:30-1pm so we could have plenty of relaxing time at home. We made it back to camp in a flashy, we said good bye to Micki and Josh, as they had the longer drive back to Scottsdale. The rest of us finished packing and left at about 1pm. We all gathered back up at Jacob Lake for some milkshakes and burgers. Mmmmmm, that hits the spot. Back at home, we were greeted by the girls, they were happy to see us return from another adventure. Their noses sniffing every little scent, telling them stories of where we had been and what we had done. Another good time mountain biking with great friends and good times shared by all.
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